I hope you and your children enjoyed a restorative summer break and are returning both rested and ready to embrace the year ahead. I am very much looking forward to seeing many of you at the forthcoming Parent and Coffee Information Mornings, with each session running from 8.00am to 8.45am in the Ideas Room. These occasions provide an opportunity for Mrs Fordham, Miss Fraser, Mr Earp and members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to share an overview of the year ahead and highlight key information.

Parent and Coffee Information Mornings

• Wednesday 10 September – Year 7
• Thursday 11 September – Year 10
• Tuesday 16 September – Year 13
• Wednesday 17 September – Year 8
• Thursday 18 September – Year 11
• Thursday 25 September – Year 9 
• Tuesday 7 October – Year 12

In addition, our Junior School Information meetings will be held on Thursday 11 September at 5pm. 

This year we are delighted to welcome 42 new students across the school, including 25 new members of our Year 7 cohort. We wish them every happiness and success as they begin their journeys with us.

As the first week of term draws to a close, I would also like to thank our students for the purposeful and enthusiastic manner in which they have started the year. Their energy and positivity have set an uplifting tone for the months to come.

Reflections

One of the reasons I love the start of a new school year is the sense of excitement and possibility. It is a time filled with anticipation, new opportunities and fresh beginnings. I know, however, that not everyone feels the same joy; alongside excitement, there can also be nerves and uncertainty.

In our first whole school assembly, I talked about trepidation, or fear of change, and I encouraged our pupils to recognise that in life, all things change and nothing can stay the same. Some changes are chosen, such as our Year 10 and Year 12 beginning their GCSE and A Level subject choices, while others are less within our control. Either way, change can provoke a degree of anxiety as we look ahead to the adjustment required and perhaps mourn a little for the things we may have to leave behind. 

September is therefore always a season of “familiar unknowns” for our girls, at once exciting and daunting, as they take on new subjects and timetables, form new friendships, and join new clubs or sports. Fear of change is natural, but so too is adaptation. We cannot expect our girls to be completely relaxed and unbothered by the start of a new school year, but we do hope they can balance any nerves with a healthy measure of excitement, and embrace new experiences with courage and curiosity. So here’s to endings, new beginnings and the many opportunities ahead!

The transformative power of an all-girls’ education

As Head, I am often asked what makes Northampton High special. My answer is always the same: the transformative power of a girls’ only education. Northampton High is single-sex by design, shaped deliberately to support how girls learn best and to free them from the limitations and perceptions they encounter elsewhere.

Our belief is not that girls need protection, but that they deserve a level playing field. Here, we nurture our girls to feel confident in who they are, to make choices that reflect their own interests and ambitions, and to unapologetically define success on their own terms. From their very first steps at Northampton High, there are no barriers to what they can do or be. This is why we are so unashamedly proud to celebrate our fearless public speakers, our high number of STEM students and the enthusiastic uptake of sports such as football and cricket.

It is also important to emphasise that boys and girls learn in different ways, with girls learning best through discussions and exploration, because more areas of their brain are dedicated to verbal functions, while a greater part of boys’ cerebral cortex are concerned with spatial and mechanical functioning, meaning their concentration spans are usually shorter than girls. In a girls-only environment, we enable them to flourish and take intellectual risks unhindered. 

Northampton High School has been pioneering girls’ education since 1878, and we will never stand still. Constantly evolving, guided by research and inspired by innovation, we are driven by our mission to help girls learn without limits so they lead lives without limits. 

The GDST’s landmark Girls’ Future Report highlights that GDST girls are more confident in taking risks than their peers, nationally. For example, 66% of GDST girls agree they are comfortable taking risks compared to 52% of non-GDST girls. In junior schools, the contrast is even more striking. Only 6% of GDST girls aged 9 say they avoid some activities because of their gender, compared to 37% of 9-year-old girls and 31% of boys in the national samples. 

Yet beyond the data, the evidence lies in our students themselves: curious, bold, thoughtful and above all, happy. Every day, I see their courage and brilliance in lessons, in performances, on the sports field, in competitions, and in the simple joy of corridor conversations. It is always a privilege to see our girls leave us ready to be changemakers, problem-solvers and pioneers of tomorrow.

For me, it is both a joy and an honour to lead a school where we are shaping girls’ futures, empowering their voices and building a community in which every girl knows that she matters.

Our guiding principles 

At Northampton High School, we often describe ourselves as a “High School family”, reflecting the strong sense of belonging, trust and camaraderie that unites pupils, staff and parents. This is underpinned by four uncompromising principles that guide all we do:

• Girls will always come first: everything we do is designed around their needs, from curriculum and classroom practice to leadership opportunities and culture.
• We nurture fearlessness: through our High School Approach, our ‘Limitless Learning Loop’, and our Learn, Reach and COaCH programmes, we encourage our girls to become fearless learners, not afraid of uncertainty or failure, but using both as fuel for learning and success, where they challenge convention, understand oneself as a learner, speak out and think differently.
• We are forward-thinking: we embrace change, innovation and technology to prepare our students for a dynamic, ever-evolving future.
• We are family: our strength comes not only from our own community but from being part of the GDST, a family of 26 schools sharing expertise, resources and vision.

Celebrating academic success

This year’s A Level results represent some of the strongest in Northampton High School’s recent history, with an impressive 16% of entries graded A* and 40% graded A* or A, further reinforcing the School’s growing reputation for academic excellence. Highlights include: 

• Six students achieved straight A*/A grades (13% of the cohort), including one student who secured four A*s
• One third of students achieved at least one A* grade, the highest level in recent years
• 72% of all grades were A* – B, up from 68% last year
• All 11 students who undertook the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) achieved at the highest levels, with 100% at A* or A
• Top-performing subjects included Art, German and Latin, all of which achieved 100% A*/A grades, while Geography and Further Mathematics each recorded over 65% A*/A grades 
• Across the 22 A Level subjects overall, 14 (64%) achieved 100% A*- C grades, a notable rise from 45% last year

As always, these top-line statistics conceal the individual stories: the girls who have eclipsed their potential to achieve results beyond their dreams; the girls who have deftly managed the demands of A Level study while continuing to participate enthusiastically in the different areas of school life; the girls who have developed and demonstrated incredible personal integrity and wisdom, who have been guiding lights for their peers; and the girls who have battled illness and injury to achieve success.

We could not be prouder of every member of the Class of 2025 and are deeply grateful for all they have contributed to Northampton High School. As we send this vibrant, spirited and talented cohort off into the world, we know they are ready to embrace everything it has to offer. Our only question is whether the world is ready for them!

GCSE results 

• 40% of all grades were awarded at the coveted 9/8 level (A* equivalent), compared to 12% nationally
• 14 students (19% of the cohort) achieved a ‘clean sweep’ of A*/A grades, with seven securing only A*s
• 75% of all grades at 9 – 6 (A* – B equivalent) 
• Over 50% of students secured six or more GCSEs at grades 9 – 7
• 78% of students achieved seven or more GCSEs at grades 9 – 5
• In subject highlights, 55% of grades in History, 67% in English Language, 67% in Latin, 81% in Religious Studies and 100% in Chinese were awarded at 9/8 grades (A* equivalent)

At Northampton High School, we do not only value the top grades. We know that every girl is an individual, and that what comes easily to one, may prove far more of a challenge to another. That is why we also recognise and celebrate the girls who have defeated the odds and surpassed expectations: we know the strength of character taken to achieve this, countering frustration with patience and self-belief, and we believe that these are the qualities that truly set our girls apart. 

For the 2025 GCSE year group, we have watched them grow into mature, thoughtful, caring and creative young women, who should enter their final High School years with confidence and excitement in equal measure.

These successes come in a year when Northampton High School has also been proudly shortlisted for the  Independent Girls’ School of the Year 2025 at the prestigious Independent Schools of the Year Awards. The results are a testament not only to the students’ academic talent, but also to their intellectual curiosity, love of learning and resilience, all hallmarks of the school’s ethos of learning without limits so they can lead lives without limits. 

As we celebrate this year’s success, I reflect on a summer of extraordinary sporting achievement, with the Lionesses’ magnificent victory in the UEFA Women’s Euros showcasing the values of leadership, excellence, collaboration, optimism and respect – values that have inspired a generation of girls and young women to imagine what is possible. Our students have embodied those same qualities throughout their time with us. 

Overall, examination success is a good example of something that comes from effective routines and habits. This year’s GCSE and A Level candidates at Northampton High School gained some stellar results and these are incredible achievements, with so many individual stories of grit and resilience.

Looking ahead 

As this new year begins, our corridors are alive with the joyful sounds of students reconnecting with friends, discovering new interests and embracing fresh challenges. Aristotle reminds us that “Excellence is not an act, but a habit”. As routines are re-established, we remember that success is built on small, daily steps, and of course, on the habits we form and sustain.

My message to our girls remains simple: be 10% braver. When fear or self-doubt arises, they do not need to conquer it entirely, but simply to take the next step forward. Because being brave is about: 

• Calling out any current unhelpful language and behaviours you have.
• Re-wiring your brain to think differently. 
• Consciously changing habits so new neural pathways become stronger. 
• Recognising any fixed mindset thinking and talking back to it with a growth mindset voice. 

Growth sits outside of our comfort zone – and so does fear. So do not let it rule us! Be 10% braver instead. And if we are to be 10% braver, then we must also be more than 10% prouder: proud of ourselves as individuals and proud of what we achieve together as a community.

In the coming year, I hope your children will grasp every opportunity before them, flourish in their friendships, feel secure in their learning, and, above all, enjoy their time at Northampton High School. Together with you, as parents and guardians, we look forward to supporting them every step of the way.

Dr May Lee
Head

It is incredibly exciting to be taking up the role of Head of Junior School this term, and there is a wonderful buzz of energy across the Junior School as we begin the new academic year. A particularly warm welcome to all our new pupils in the Junior School and Nursery, we are absolutely delighted to welcome you into our school community. I look forward to getting to know you all better as the term unfolds and to sharing in the many exciting experiences and opportunities that lie ahead.

We are also very pleased to welcome several new members to our staff team. I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome Ms Ahmed, who joins us as our new Year 1 teacher, as well as Miss Newman and Miss Taylor, our new teaching assistants and Mrs Portas, Miss Ihme and Miss Woollett who join our Nursery team. Each of them brings a wealth of experience, and I am confident they will be tremendous assets to our school. We look forward to introducing them to the wider school community in the weeks ahead.

This year is full of exciting opportunities for the girls to grow, learn, and thrive both in and out of the classroom. We cannot wait to see all that they will accomplish and we truly believe in each and every one of them. Our Junior School Information Meetings will be held on Thursday 11 September at 5:00pm. This is a great opportunity to meet class teachers, learn more about the curriculum and plans for the year ahead, ask any questions you may have, and connect with other parents. We very much hope you will be able to attend this valuable event.

In our first assembly this week, we looked ahead to the coming year and set ourselves the challenge of being 10% braver! We reflected on the importance of kindness, and the courage it can sometimes take to show it, especially when it means stepping out of our comfort zones. The girls explored the power and impact that even small acts of kindness can have, and it has been wonderful to see them putting this into action by carrying out random acts of kindness for others in our school community.

Our cocurricular programme this term offers a wide range of clubs and activities. This programme will continue to evolve throughout the year with the clubs available changing each term, and we will be seeking the views of the girls through the School Council to ensure the clubs on offer are relevant, engaging, and exciting for all the girls. 

I am very much looking forward to seeing the many opportunities the girls will have to participate and excel across all areas of school life this term. Our weekly Forest School sessions will continue, and Mrs Cartlidge has taken on the role of Outdoor Education Leader to further enhance this provision.

The sporting calendar also looks to be exciting this term as well as keeping the girls fit and healthy! Our sporting focus this term is hockey and alongside this, the girls will continue to have their weekly swimming lessons and also have the opportunity to take part in a range of sports based clubs. We are very fortunate that Years 3-6 have the opportunity for a training session with Saints Hockey, with the Year 5 / 6 session taking place on Wednesday 10 September and Year 3 / 4 on Friday 12 September. 

Our music programme continues to go from strength to strength, with many girls taking part in individual vocal and instrumental lessons. I have been thoroughly impressed by the enthusiasm and incredible talent I have already seen. We are looking forward to performing throughout the term in junior assemblies and of course our Christmas celebrations at the end of the term.

We are delighted to have a wide range of trips and visits planned for the girls this term, offering rich opportunities for learning beyond the classroom.  Our Year 5 girls are eagerly anticipating their residential trip to Grafham Water, which will take place from 6 October. Meanwhile, excitement is also building in Year 3 and Year 4 ahead of their stay at Burwell House. A parent information evening for this trip will be held on Thursday 2 October at 5.00pm. Many thanks in advance to all staff involved for the considerable time, planning, and care that go into preparing these experiences ensuring that our trips are not only safe and well organised, but also deeply valuable and memorable for the girls.

Communication is incredibly important to us, and we are committed to working in close partnership with families to ensure the very best for every girl. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak with the class teacher or with me directly, we are always here to listen, support  and help in any way we can.

Here’s to a fantastic term ahead!

Lucy Stawt
Head of Junior School

Learn focuses on the academic side of life and our ethos of continual improvement and limitless learning, where girl-focused pedagogies support learners to become metacognitive learners to achieve their dreams and ambitions at the next stage of education and beyond.

Reach links to our ever-expanding cocurricular clubs and activities, along with Scholarships and our Reach lecture series, as well as our study skills agenda, known as the On Track programme. 

COaCH is our bespoke programme of support for personal growth and stands for confidence and challenge. Within the COaCH programme, pupils learn essential skills for life and develop strong and lasting relationships with others.

I have included the wheel again for your information. We have made one or two tweaks to its appearance and hope you will find it of use in gaining an insight into our approach. 

Limitless Learning

Two important teaching staff members in school are our Learning Enhancement Coordinator (SENDCo) Mrs Beezley and our Professional Tutor, Mrs Hodgetts-Tate (also the Head of the Science Faculty). Together, we are committed to supporting teachers to provide the best quality teaching and learning environment possible for our pupils to thrive. 

Mrs Beezley’s work with our SEND and neurodiverse pupils allows their differences to shine through and for their individual ways of working to be understood and supported. We are proud that pupils across the GDST achieve strong value added in their academic assessments whether or not they have a recognised SEND.

We are committed to prioritising our pupils’ best ways of working and have continued to invest in IT to support in public examinations as well as putting a clear focus on edtech in the classroom, which benefits all our pupils. Another important member of our staff in this area is Mrs Hopley, our Edtech Champion, who is on hand to support and encourage both teachers and pupils when it comes to everything relating to ‘Digacy’ in school.

Mrs Hodgetts-Tate has been supporting me as we develop our pedagogy more generally. To enhance the previous work on the wheel, we are currently working on a metacognitive model to enhance independent learning. Teachers across the school have been involved in this process and pupils too will have their voices heard when we develop the final model. The model will be called the ‘Limitless Learning Loop’, based around an infinity curve (as head of science, Mrs H-T has a natural inclination to find a STEM angle, of course!).

So what is the Limitless Learning Loop and how does it help build independent learners? Our aim is to equip our pupils with the best learning tools that will help them reach their full academic potential by developing them into metacognitive thinkers – i.e. people who understand how they learn.

Grounded in cognitive science research, including Rosenshine’s principles of instruction and insights from educationalists like Hattie and Marzano, the loop focuses on how students acquire and use new information. Learning from what is most successful in class, teachers can then share successful approaches to help colleagues teach the most effective learning strategies.

The loop supports teachers in delivering high-quality lessons by highlighting key principles, such as reviewing prior learning, presenting new material in small steps, and providing systematic feedback and practice.

It’s a model that highlights the intellectual, physical, and creative effort good learning requires. It’s not a rigid methodology but rather a flexible framework that links to the school’s holistic approach, intellectual characteristics, and ‘Digacy’ strategy, which reflects the potential of educational technology.

Ultimately, our aim is to foster reflective and curious learners. We want them to understand that learning requires active engagement at every stage – like paying attention on a journey, rather than just being a passenger. The loop incorporates key elements of our approach and supports both metacognition and the principles of instruction. 

We look forward to sharing more details about the loop’s development as the year progresses. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss either the wheel or the loop in more detail.

Henry Rickman
Deputy Head

Your partnership with us, and particularly the pastoral team makes a real difference and we very much look forward to reconnecting with our established families, and building new relationships with those who join us in September. 

My theme for the start of the year is, “Let’s start as we mean to proceed!” Setting the tone at the start of a new school year, a bit like making New Year’s resolutions in January, is a really great opportunity to start with a positive foot forward and look for the opportunities that the new term will bring. This is certainly something we will be doing in school with our pupils over the next few weeks and I am looking forward to starting the year with reminders of all the fabulous things they have already achieved. For our new starters, I hope this will serve as encouragement to look for those opportunities across and a reminder that we will be celebrating with them all at the end of the year in July 2026. 

On the theme of celebration, I wanted to share with you some really wonderful feedback that we had from our most recent pastoral care and safeguarding audit. The audit takes place annually, and whilst every year we are pleased with the outcome, there were some particularly special and heartwarming quotes from the pupils this year that I wanted to highlight and I have been delighted to share the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our pupils with the staff this week. Their comments are a powerful testament to the warm and caring culture that our ongoing partnership, between the pastoral team and you as parents, has helped us build.

Here’s what our pupils had to say:

• “One big family”: They unanimously agreed they are happy at Northampton High School, describing it as “one big family.”
• A warm and welcoming community: Pupils noted their enjoyment was due to the “friendly community,” “kind teachers,” and the sense that “everybody [is] able to find their own place here.”
• Strong pastoral support: The audit praised our pastoral support as a key strength, with pupils highlighting tutors and class teachers as key, approachable, and helpful contacts.
• A “safe space” to talk: One pupil described PSHE as a “safe space to talk about relevant subjects,” showing how we are fostering open communication and trust in the classroom.

It is in no small way that your contribution as parents has helped to foster these positive outcomes and I thank you all for your willingness to collaborate with us through both the celebrations, but also those challenging moments when things feel a little less certain. Your partnership with us remains vital and so please do continue to work with us across the coming year as I know how much we can achieve if we support our young people together. 

A new pastoral structure in the senior school

To ensure we continue to provide outstanding support in school, we are implementing a new pastoral structure in the senior school. I am delighted to announce that Mrs Karen Fordham will be the new Head of Lower School (Years 6–8) and Miss Sonia Fraser will be the new Head of Upper School (Years 9–11). This change brings a crucial sense of continuity and strengthens our ability to provide exceptional care and guidance.

• Mrs Fordham’s role will focus on helping pupils transition smoothly and build a strong foundation across Years 7 and 8. She will also continue to work closely across parts of the junior school to ensure that the transition for our Year 6 pupils is a positive, exciting and joyful experience. 
• Miss Fraser’s role will centre on preparing pupils for their first public exams and helping them make informed choices for A Levels and beyond. This process starts in Year 9 when pupils are asked to make subject choices for their GCSEs. Miss Fraser will oversee the guidance and support that pupils require to make choices with confidence over the next three years. 

They both bring a wealth of pastoral experience to these roles and they will continue to support our pupils with empathy and care. I know you will join me in wishing them both the very best.

Communication and Support

With this new structure, we are also returning to a more open approach to communication and support. While Mrs Fordham and Miss Fraser will lead the way, all members of staff are expected to play a vital role in pastoral care. This includes proactively supporting pupils and establishing clear lines of communication with parents. With that in mind, we ask that for any academic issues, the first point of contact should be the subject teacher, followed by the head of department. For pastoral matters, please always contact the form tutor as they have daily contact with the pupils and are best placed to follow up on any issues in the first instance. From there, pastoral and academic leads can step in to offer further support when needed. 

Thank you once again for your wonderful contributions to our school community. I am really excited for the year ahead and look forward to celebrating the successes of all our pupils over the months to come. 

Very best wishes,

Rebecca Kneen
Deputy Head – Pastoral 

We pride ourselves on helping each and every individual to meet their specific goals and aspire to excellence, either through securing prestigious university destinations, competitive apprenticeships or alternative pathways.

The Sixth Form Tutor Team are excited to be introducing a vertical tutoring system from September 2025, with each tutor group being comprised of a mix of Year 12 and Year 13 students, offering the opportunity for greater peer mentoring and increasing social mixing between the year groups, helping increase the overall cohesion within the Sixth Form.

For students in Year 12, the transition from KS4 to KS5 is exciting, bringing new opportunities and greater independence. The main priority for the autumn term is for your daughter to immerse herself in the wide range of extracurricular (i.e. clubs) and super curricular (i.e. EPQ) opportunities available, alongside settling into their new subjects. Whilst ultimately we are striving for academic excellence, it is important for students to realise they may need some time to adjust to the different demands of A Level study and achieve the level of performance (in terms of grades) they aspire to; the key priority is to try hard, reflect on feedback given and then enact the feedback to make gradual but sustained progress; A Levels are very much a marathon not a sprint.

It is not uncommon for Year 12 students to switch subjects within the first couple of weeks of term; this is something we support, provided it is done early in the term (realistically before the end of September) and that there is parental agreement for the change.  Students are to be reminded that the protocol is to first discuss this with the current subject tutor and then approach the Subject Leader of the subject they intend to switch to.

There will be a Year 12 parent tutor evening on Wednesday 24 September in order for you to meet with your daughter’s tutor and to discuss how they have settled into the Sixth Form.  I will also be in attendance should there be any follow up questions. Pre-made appointments will be between 4.30pm and 6.30pm and will be communicated shortly via a separate letter.

Finally, for Year 12 the students will be undertaking a programme of advanced skills training during their Friday PSHE lessons for the first few weeks of this half term.  This will be in order to equip them with the transferable study skills necessary for A Level success as well as to introduce the demands of the Extended Project Qualification, which will commence for those who select it in the second half of the autumn term.

For students in Year 13, the autumn term is important for two key reasons. Firstly, the UCAS process, launched last term to apply for university places, will quickly accelerate.  For those students completing an early entry application (such as for Medicine or Oxbridge) the deadline to submit their applications is Wednesday 15 October 2025. For all other applications, they must be submitted absolutely no later than Wednesday 14 January 2026 (the equal consideration deadline), although we would advise students to submit their application significantly in advance of this, as universities do start to issue places as soon as they receive applications.  Tutors will be encouraging students to try and complete their UCAS applications by early November unless they are early entry. If students plan to comment on employment, volunteering or work experience within their personal statement, they should ensure they have secured a reference as soon as possible in order to avoid delays in the process.

Secondly, the autumn term prepares the groundwork for success in the mock examinations which take place at the beginning of the spring term in early January. Students are advised to ensure they have consolidated their prior learning from Year 12 and are proactive in consulting with teaching staff if they encounter difficulties as they undertake their Year 13 studies. By being organised now, the mock exam period will be a much smoother experience!

Finally, as I am new to the role, I will take this opportunity to say how excited I am to be leading the Sixth Form for the next academic year and I look forward to working with you and your daughter to achieve success. 

James Earp
Interim Director of Sixth Form

Facilities

Over the summer, we have been busy upgrading the site, and are pleased to share our refurbished food technology room. This learning space was overdue a refresh, and we hope it will be a much more modern place for practical lessons.

Resurfacing of our tennis courts has also taken place, and you will notice the refresh of our external car park areas.

We have also installed a new internal access control system, to offer greater security and safety across the site, which offers more functionality and flexibility to adapt to different uses of the building.

We continue to utilise the building and facilities at weekends, evenings and school holidays for commercial lettings. As a charitable organisation, all of this revenue is dedicated to improving the facilities for all pupils, so if you know of further business opportunities please do get in touch with our Lettings Manager – Alice Afford via email: lettings@nhs.gdst.net.

Health and Safety

As always, we would like to remind parents to take care when driving through the carpark and school site. Particular caution should be taken with all zebra crossings, ensuring that there is no parking or dropping off in the bus laybys at the front of school, and leaving disabled bays free for those who have blue badges. We have plenty of parking at the back of the school, and the junior school carpark, with the middle section prioritised for school transport vehicles, so please do give way and be respectful of this.

Transport

We are pleased to welcome over 150 students booked on our school transport services this September, and for those who don’t have a regular booking, ad-hoc bookings can be made for occasional journeys on the Vectare website: https://northamptonhigh.vectare.co.uk/.

Regular bookings for the spring term open on Thursday 16 October (as per Transport Booking Information and Deadlines 2025-2026). 

We also continue to operate the late service on Monday to Thursday evenings for those who wish to attend after-school activities. We have successfully trialled simplifying the booking for these into two cut-off times as per below:

Late service booking closes Friday 12:00 for travel on Monday and Tuesday – 17:15

Late service booking closes Monday 12:00 for travel on Wednesday and Thursday – 17:15

Full details can be found here: Late Service. If you have any questions regarding school transport, please get in touch with Vectare via contact@vectare.co.uk.

Commercial Lettings

We would like to invite you to follow our commercial lettings journey on Instagram – @NH.Spaces, Facebook – NH Spaces, and LinkedIn – NH Spaces. The events and activities we host enable us to generate valuable revenue that goes directly into upgrading and enhancing the facilities our students enjoy every day.  For further information, please contact Alice at lettings@nhs.gdst.net. 

Northampton Swimming Club (NSC)

NSC are based here after school on Tuesday to Friday for lessons available to everyone via the Queen’s Cross Connect Programme.

They also use our facilities for squad training at evenings and weekends, with some swimmers going to compete at regional and national level and beyond.

During the holidays, they also run intensive courses here. Contact NSC for details Northampton Swimming Club : Swim Lessons (teamunify.com)

Supercamps

Supercamps run multi-activity camps here during the holidays for children aged 4-12, daily from 8am until 6pm. There are a range of different sporting and non-sporting activities that change daily to keep children engaged, active and having fun. For more information, visit https://www.supercamps.co.uk/venue/northampton-high-school.

Pauline Quirke Academy (PQA)

PQA run a performing arts academy based here every Saturday with both a morning and an afternoon session held in our School Theatre and Drama Studio for pupils aged 4-18.  For further details of PQA Saturday sessions, please get in touch with Alistair and his team here.

Sinead Loughnane Academy

Established over 20 years, Sinead Loughnane Academy offers a comprehensive range of dance classes for children from the age of 3 up to and including adult classes.  It is never too late to start dancing, so whilst many students start their dancing education with an introduction to the delights of Ballet, they could equally pursue one of our other disciplines such as Tap, Modern, Greek, Commercial Jazz, Musical Theatre and Contemporary. Students are also offered the chance to train to become teachers in the only centre in Northamptonshire for specialised training in Modern and Tap DDE teaching qualifications.

Please email sineadacademy@gmail.com or contact Sinead directly on 07711-320341, via Facebook: Sinead Loughnane Academy or www.sineadloughnaneacademy.co.uk.

Alex Hume
Director of Finance and Operations

• Mrs Lucy Stawt – Head of Junior School
• Mrs Sian Thomas – Head of Admissions and Marketing
• Ms Maeshah Ahmed – Junior School Class Teacher
• Mrs Claire Bassett – Teacher of Geography (part-time, fixed term)
• Miss Emily Newman – Junior School Teaching Assistant
• Miss Jessie Taylor – Junior School Teaching Assistant
• Miss Teigan Woollett – Nursery Assistant
• Miss Samantha Ihme – Nursery Assistant
• Mrs Ria Portas – Nursery Room Leader
• Mr Jeremy Woodbridge – Casual Minibus Driver
• Mr Lee Tillen – Casual Minibus Driver
• Mr Andy Russell – Facilities Manager

We are thrilled with the calibre of staff we have recruited and look forward to the energy, expertise and fresh ideas they will bring to the school. I know that you will make them feel very welcome, and I look forward to seeing them become valued members of the Northampton High community.

Internal teaching appointment

We warmly congratulate Mr James Earp on his new role as Interim Director of Sixth Form and member of the Senior Leadership Team for the academic year 2025/26. Mr Earp brings a wealth of experience, deep knowledge of the school and strong relationships with pupils and colleagues, and we are confident that he will provide inspiring leadership and support for our Sixth Form community in the year ahead.

We are also delighted to announce the internal promotions of Miss Sonia Fraser and Mrs Karen Fordham, who will serve as Head of Stage, Upper School (Years 9-11) and Head of Stage, Lower School (Years 6-8) respectively. Both bring proven expertise, a deep commitment to pastoral care and a clear vision for supporting pupils’ academic and personal development. They will continue to work closely with Miss Rebecca Kneen in leading our pastoral provision, ensuring that every student feels valued, supported, and challenged to thrive.

In addition, Mrs Nicola Cartlidge has been appointed as our new Adventure and Outdoor Learning Leader. In this role, she will oversee a wide range of cocurricular activities, including the school’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme and other outdoor trips and events. We are particularly excited that Mrs Cartlidge will also expand Forest School as part of the taught curriculum for Years 7 and 8, creating further opportunities for our students to enjoy outdoor learning and discovery.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Miss Wall for her dedicated service as Interim Director of Junior School Liaison from January to August. During this time, she played an important role in supporting the Junior School leadership team and strengthening the links between the Junior and Senior Schools.

We extend our sincere thanks to Mrs Alex Down for her dedicated service as Head of Years 10 and 11. In this role, she has provided invaluable support to both students and parents, guiding pupils with care through two of the most important stages of their school journey

We also wish to express our gratitude to Mrs Rina Laubscher for her commitment and energy as Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Manager and Year 9 Outward Bound Leader.

Finally, we thank Miss Steph Knight for her valuable contribution to our Reach cocurricular programme in her role as Reach Assistant. This role will now be overseen by Mr Henry Rickman, Deputy Head, as part of our ongoing commitment to the development of cocurricular provision across the school.

We were sorry to say farewell to the following colleagues during the summer term 2025:

• Mr Anton Viesel – Director of Sixth Form
• Mrs Anne-Marie Halstead – Teacher of English (part-time)
• Mr Rafez Noorullah – Sports Assistant
• Miss Emily Carr – Teacher of MFL (maternity cover)
• Mrs Natalie Smith – Junior School Class Teacher
• Mr Alain Stubbs – Operations Manager
• Mr Gary Brett – Site Supervisor
• Mr Gary Kunzmann – Cleaner
• Mrs Dawn Old – Cleaner
• Mrs Louise Howell – Junior School Assistant and Wraparound Care Manager
• Miss Michelle Cooke – Nursery Nurse
• Miss Gemma Hewitt – Nursery Nurse
• Mrs Victoria Hunter – Nursery Nurse
• Mrs Jane Mason – Nursery Nurse
• Mrs Emily Mallard – Nursery Nurse
• Mrs Ramune Andruliene – Wraparound Care Assistant
• Mrs Rashmita Shah – Junior School Assistant

We thank them for their contributions they have made to the life of the school and wish them bright and fulfilling futures.

We currently have the following vacancies at Northampton High School:

• Teacher of Modern Languages (French Specialism) Part Time – Maternity Cover
• Director of Sport (Head of Sport Faculty) – Maternity Cover
• Nursery and Junior School Casual Assistants / Room Leaders

Please click here to see these roles or for further updates on staff vacancies.

To find out information about events and term dates, please visit the school calendar (SOCS) via this link.