Education

Local GDST school marks global celebration with a series of educational activities and the release of their Made for Girls film International Women’s Day has always been an important date in the High School’s calendar, with staff and students relishing the dedicated opportunity to celebrate and empower the women around them. Since its opening in 1878, Northampton High has been a pioneer in girls’ education and remains devoted to the GDST’s unwavering vision to create a more equal world in which girls can thrive. In line with this year’s theme, the school community aimed to #InspireInclusion through a series of educational activities, including the release of their brand new Made for Girls film. The global celebration, which takes place every year on the 8th of March, provided a perfect opportunity for the girls’ school to host their Open Morning. With almost all of their prospective families coming from co-educational schools,..

Angelie, 11, enjoys experience of a lifetime after placing in the top 50 of the UK’s largest children’s story writing competition Northampton High School is the leading all-through girls school in the county and prides itself on providing exceptional educational opportunities to its students, aged two to 18. Their excellent-graded Junior School is home to many aspirational girls who, like Angelie, are already achieving outstanding things. This week, the local GDST school is celebrating Angelie’s fabulous entry in BBC’s 500 Words competition, which led to her once-in-a-lifetime visit to Buckingham Palace! The BBC contest encourages children to write a story they would love to read themselves, and naturally, Northampton High’s Angelie constructed a powerful narrative about girls in coding. Entering the largest children’s story writing competition in the UK, Angelie received news that her submission ‘Nira and the Sphinx Adventures’ had placed in the top 50 of over 100,000 entries,..

The importance of having a thorough understanding of both sides of the argument is key to a successful career in law and politics, according to lawyer-turned-MP Michael Ellis. The former Attorney General, who has served as MP for Northampton North since being elected in 2010, was speaking to students during a visit to Northampton College. He delivered a 30-minute talk looking back at his career before fielding questions from law, public services and criminology students. He said: “No matter what side of the debate you are on, whether you are prosecuting or defending, or speaking on behalf of the Government or the opposition, it’s so important to fully understand both sides of the story. That will help you articulate your argument and foresee any flaws in your opponent’s line of reasoning. “Knowledge is power and the more you can learn the better placed you are to present an argument.” Michael..

Northampton College has seen off stiff competition from top UK universities to be crowned Sustainability Institution of the Year at a prestigious national awards ceremony. The College took the title at the 19th UK & Ireland Green Gown Awards held in Liverpool on Thursday, November 30 and celebrated innovative and change-making sustainability projects by universities and colleges that are leading the way in creating a greener future. Pat Brennan-Barrett, principal of Northampton College, said: “Winning a Green Gown award is one of our proudest achievements because sustainability runs through everything we do at Northampton College. “Going Green has reaped incredible environmental and financial benefits for us and expanded our students’ skills dramatically, giving them an important edge as they embark on their careers. “We are thrilled that the judges recognised this particularly as we faced stiff competition in the final from incredible institutions such as the University of Oxford.” All..

The learning team at Chester House Estate has launched a new outreach programme, working with Northamptonshire schools and teachers to take the estate’s unique history into classrooms. Chester House Estate is a nationally significant heritage site and one of the few places in the country that can demonstrate over 10,000 years of human activity. Its new outreach programme has been carefully designed to align with the national curriculum and to support schools by providing a host of workshops for all ages – from Early Year through to secondary school age. Cllr Helen Howell, North Northamptonshire Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said: “"We're really proud of the new Chester House Estate outreach programme which has been designed to complement and enhance the history already being taught in our schools. We are able to bring real objects from both our Archaeological Resource Centre (ARC) and our handling..

If you're on the hunt for the perfect school in the Northampton, then we’ve got you covered. School Open Days are a crucial stepping stone towards your child’s future, so choosing the right school is a big decision. Here are some of the best schools in Northamptonshire that are holding open days this September and October. Winchester House Winchester House, based in Brackley is a beautiful school with lots of rich history. It was founded way back in 1875 and they have an impressive historic timeline on their website. School life at Winchester House includes nursery and pre-school, upper school and boarding. You can also book a private tour if you'd prefer. They will be holding an open morning on Friday 29th September from 10.30am – 1pm. For more information and to book your place, please email admissions@winchester-house.org or call 01280 702483 During the open mornings, parents and students will have the..

Amidst laughter, excitement, and tears of joy, the Senior School foyer at Northampton High School GDST resonated with the celebratory mood of students rejoicing their GCSE achievements. This Year 11 group shined exceptionally, even as the public exams returned to their pre-pandemic grading criteria without any exam board mitigation. The school beams with pride, marking an increase in top-tier results – a striking 22% in grade levels above those of 2019. An impressive 42% of the results were at the highest tier, grades 9/8 (equivalent to A*). Furthermore, over half the students, 56%, secured 6 or more GCSEs graded between 9-7. Overall, grades between 9-5 matched 2019 standards, while the top grades (9-6) surpassed expectations compared to previous years. Dr. May Lee, the School's Head, lauded the students and faculty, stating, “In light of media speculation about a potential decline in GCSE grades, the results showcase the dedication and brilliance..

In a remarkable achievement, Northampton High School GDST students have broken a school record, attaining top grades even as media speculations hinted at a drop in scores due to examination boards returning to pre-pandemic standards. The results speak volumes about their dedication and hard work: 12% of results at A* grade. Over 44% within the A*-A grade range. Over 76% falling under the A*-B grade bracket. This year's A Level students have showcased commendable commitment, and the cohesive support they’ve lent to each other is evident in these results. The profound appreciation they harbor for their teachers' expertise and devotion cannot be overlooked. Indeed, the school's guiding principle, ‘believing in each and every one of our girls as they believe in themselves’, is deeply embodied in their success. Many of these students have outdone themselves, which is evident from the fact that over 70% have secured a spot in their..

Members of an art club at Northampton School for Boys have taken part in a competition to design flags for a lifestyle store in the town. The competition was organised by Bell of Northampton, a store situated on Kingsthorpe Road, as part of its 125thanniversary celebrations. Students were challenged to design a commemorative flag that draws on the store’s heritage but with a modern twist. The top three entries, judged by the team at Bell of Northampton, will be produced in real life and fly on the three flag poles that stand proudly outside the store. Amazon vouchers were also awarded to first, second and third place and a donation of £200 was made to the school to spend on a project of its choice. A number of students across Years 7 and 8 took part in the competition with 12-year-old Wilson Rogers crowned the overall winner with his design..

Tenacious students at Northampton College’s Daventry campus have been praised for their “desire to make a difference” as they prepare to enter the workplace. An awards ceremony held at the Badby Road West site on Wednesday, June 21 honoured dozens of students who have excelled over the past 12 months, both in terms of academic performance and personal progress. Among the winners was social science student Eddy who was praised for his enthusiasm and how he uses past hurdles or difficulties he’s faced to address potential hurdles and develop strategies to overcome them. He said: “I have really enjoyed my time here, all my teachers are very nice and helpful and I would very much recommend it to everyone. I hadn’t done essay writing for a few years so my teacher helped me to do exactly what I needed to do.” Chloe joined the Entry Employability Skills course slightly later..

A new building at Northampton College will see construction students develop their skills ‘brick by brick’ in a purpose-built extension to a state-of-the-art facility. The new space forms part of an add-on to the Advanced Construction Engineering (ACE) Centre and will see bricklaying students enjoy extra room in which to hone their skills. Dignitaries and guests were on hand for the official opening on Friday, October 21, with Attorney General and Conservative MP for Northampton North, Michael Ellis performing the ribbon-cutting ceremony. He said: “Advanced construction engineering is in such demand and we need these young people, they are part of building our economy and our society. Colleges like this, and Northampton College is an exemplar, play an important part in our social construct as well as our learning - developing skills that are in acute demand. “I have lived and worked in Northampton my whole life and it has..

Students at Moulton College are celebrating after receiving an astounding set of BTEC results. Over 700 students at the College studied for their BTEC qualification this year, with 99% achieving a pass. The success of the College’s National Extended Diploma courses has been particularly impressive with 38% achieving a distinction or higher. The number of students achieving a triple distinction, equivalent to three A* grades at A-Level was 10%. John O’Shea, Vice Principal of Curriculum said: “These results are outstanding, and testament to the hard work of our students and staff over the past year. We’ve invested heavily in our teaching and learning, and the quality of our courses and it’s wonderful to see this reflected in these results. Huge congratulations to all of our students.” Throughout the pandemic, outside of the imposed lockdown in January, the College took a ‘business as usual’ approach, with face-to-face delivery at the heart..

Students, parents and staff are celebrating A Level results today, with students’ achievements a testament to their hard work, grit and determination over the past two turbulent years of study.  “We are exceptionally proud of the resilience and fortitude shown by our students and for achieving many personal and academic successes over the last two challenging years”, said Acting Head, Mrs Adèle O’Doherty.  She warmly congratulated students and staff on a strong set of results, commenting, “Our students knew they would not sit external examinations this year, but nonetheless they put their hearts and souls into the assessments set by their teachers, who themselves worked tirelessly to ensure students received results they deserved.  Students also seized the many opportunities..

The University of Northampton’s campus isn’t only a welcome environment for students. Thanks to a group of passionate wildlife lovers who study and work there, nature is flourishing too. And those making the difference have just bagged a prickly award for their efforts. Sammy Jones found out more. Before Northampton’s Waterside Campus opened its doors in 2018, the landscape had been abandoned for a long time, and by and large it wasn’t a welcoming space for wildlife. Janet Jackson, a teacher in the Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, was among those who wanted to turn that on its head, and she decided to launch Project AWESOME. Quite literally awesome by name, and awesome by nature, the acronym stands for Assessing Waterside’s Ecosystem Services, Observing and Monitoring the Environment. Janet met with landscape architects early on in the design process; and they were keen to encourage wildlife to the new..

All full-time students between the age of 16 and 18 will be loaned a free laptop as part of Northampton College’s commitment to developing digital skills. The initiative will ensure students will be able to access the internet, use digital platforms for both classroom-based and remote learning and complete assignments using the latest approved software. Each laptop or Chromebook will have Microsoft Office and antivirus software installed, and students will have access to support from the college’s dedicated IT helpdesk. A deposit of £50 will be required at enrolment and will be refunded when the equipment is returned in full working order complete with charger and lead. Principal of Northampton College, Pat Brennan-Barrett, said: “Our aim is to make sure every student receives a high-quality education experience and there are no barriers to learning. We have made a significant investment in our digital infrastructure and we are very pleased to..