Thornton College
Same West Northamptonshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
West Northamptonshire Private schools
Northampton High School GDST
Newport Pagnell Road, Hardingstone, NN4 6UU
Northampton High School GDST is a private secondary-stage school in West Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire, with a published age range of 2-18.
Private school Girls Ages 2-18 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Northampton High School GDST
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-18
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Northampton High School GDST opened in 1878 with twenty girls, offering academic subjects alongside drawing, music and physical exercise. That early breadth still echoes in an all-through education for girls, now shaped by the Girls' Day School Trust and extending from age 2 to 18. The school has retained a clear sense that intellectual and creative work belong together.
Years 7 to 9 combine history, geography and theology and philosophy with music, art, textiles, drama and food. The games programme runs from Reception through Sixth Form, while post-16 students can choose A Levels including biology, chemistry, computer science, drama, economics, English literature, history, mathematics, modern languages, music, physics, psychology and religious studies. Enrichment gives those choices a wider context.
Most senior entrants join at 11+ or 13+ through registration and an entrance assessment. Year 7 and Year 9 assessments cover English, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, comprehension and puzzles, giving the process a clear academic and reasoning component. Scholarships and GDST bursary support form part of the wider admissions picture.
The day-school structure keeps the journey continuous from the early years into Sixth Form, with no boarding provision. Northampton High's combination of long girls' education, creative breadth and a substantial post-16 subject range gives pupils room to develop both a specialist interest and a wider academic identity.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 38.5 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 28.3% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with West Northamptonshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 38.5
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 3.69
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with West Northamptonshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Age range
- 2-18
- Headmistress
- Dr May Lee
- Pupil roll
- 427 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Newport Pagnell Road, Hardingstone, Northampton, West Northamptonshire
- Postcode
- NN4 6UU
School leadership
- Headmistress
- Dr May Lee
School contact
- School phone
- 01604765765
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- nhs.admissions@nhs.gdst.net
- Admissions phone
- 01604765765
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 2-18
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- £7,080 per term for Year 7-13 in 2026/27, including VAT and excluding the separately listed lunch charge
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
- Papers and stages
- 3 stages
- Format
- Mixed format
Papers and rounds
-
Round 1
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Other
Years 7 to 10 online entrance assessment
Years 7 to 10 applicants take standardised online assessments in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Creative Comprehension and Puzzle Solving; applicants are normally expected to score around national average or above.
-
Round 2
Interview
11+ to 14+ interview
The senior entry assessment is followed by an interview.
-
Round 3
Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning, Other
16+ Reach Scholarship assessment
The Reach Scholarship assessment includes Mathematics, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and an essay.
Published assessment components
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Interview are listed across the school's published assessment routes.
Published
-
English
-
Maths
-
Verbal reasoning
Years 7 to 10 applicants take standardised online assessments in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Creative Comprehension and Puzzle Solving; applicants are normally expected to score around national average or above.
-
Non-verbal reasoning
Years 7 to 10 applicants take standardised online assessments in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Creative Comprehension and Puzzle Solving; applicants are normally expected to score around national average or above.
-
Interview
The senior entry assessment is followed by an interview.
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 38.5 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 3.69 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 28.3% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 41.35 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 13 February 2024
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2024 records an inspection beginning 13 February 2024. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
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Related pages and guides
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Northampton High School GDST handle admissions?
Northampton High School GDST handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Northampton High School GDST?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Northampton High School GDST?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Northampton High School GDST?
Northampton High School GDST is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 13 February 2024.