St Thomas Becket Catholic School
Becket Way, Kettering Road North, Northampton, NN3 6HTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Thomas Becket Catholic School is a secondary school in Northampton for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 204 schools in West Northamptonshire. It ranks 14th of 15 secondary schools in Northampton. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 November 2022, report published 12 January 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 8 November 2022
This school is improving fast. It is a welcoming school community. It is a calm and orderly place to learn. Most pupils are happy and feel safe. Staff know pupils well and look after them well. Leaders have high expectations of pupils. Most pupils work hard and behave well. Pupils are very pleased when they get 'golden tickets' for doing the right thing. A small number of pupils need help to improve their behaviour. Staff support them well. Pupils say that bullying happens. Staff deal with it quickly and fairly. Reading is important in this school. Pupils listen to their form tutor reading their form book once a week. Younger pupils visit the library regularly. Staff help pupils to read more confidently. The school is inclusive. Pupils can be themselves. All pupils study the full curriculum. Events such as inclusive sports competitions make sure that everyone can take part in all aspects of school life. Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. All pupils take part in the 'electives' programme to build teamwork and resilience. Pupils show leadership when they help out in local primary schools. Students in the sixth form organise charity events, such as 'sleeping out for hope', to support their local community.
What the school should improve
- Some teachers do not check pupils' learning. Some do check, but do not make use of this information to provide pupils with effective feedback that helps them to improve. Pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders must ensure that teachers check pupils' learning consistently and provide effective feedback that helps pupils to use knowledge fluently and develop their understanding.
- On occasion, some pupils do not behave in ways that meet the high expectations of leaders. For example, some pupils do not respect others. Leaders should ensure that all pupils understand what constitutes positive, respectful behaviour. The new programme for PSHE education and RSE is not yet fully embedded. Some pupils do not have a secure understanding of all the important knowledge in this curriculum. Leaders must ensure that the new programme is implemented consistently well, so that all pupils learn the important knowledge identified in the curriculum.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
146 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
34 students
Average A level grade B, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
912 pupils on roll, with places for 1,136
Schools near St Thomas Becket Catholic School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton School for Girls | 0.6 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 54.9 |
| Weston Favell Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 41.8 |
| Kingsthorpe College | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 39.6 |
| Northampton School | 1 mile | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Moulton School and Science College | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 46.1 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- OUR LADY IMMACULATE CATHOLIC ACADEMIES TRUST LTD
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Paul McCahill
- Phone
- 01604493211
- Address
- Becket Way, Kettering Road North, Northampton, NN3 6HT
- Local authority
- West Northamptonshire
- URN
- 142747
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.