Northampton School for Boys

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children — All Looked After Children (LAC) and Previously Looked After Children (PLAC), including those who have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
2. 2Children of staff — Children of staff directly employed by The NSB Trust, where the staff member has been employed at Northampton School for Boys as their primary place of work for two or more years at the time of application, and/or was recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
3. 3Sibling Link — Where an elder brother/sister, living at the same address, is on roll and attending either Northampton School for Boys or Northampton School on the closing date for applications (31 October).
4. 4Aptitude — 10% of places awarded to boys with a demonstrated particular aptitude for Music and/or Technology, approximately half in each specialism.
5. 5Norm Referenced Banding — The remaining places are allocated using a system of Norm Referenced Banding as described in the DfE School Admissions Code: all applicants take the same Common Ability Test, used to place them into five equal-sized ability bands, with an equal number of applicants selected fairly from each band using a process overseen by an independent third party.

If two applications tie: Where the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available within a band, a process of random allocation is applied, overseen by an independent third party (generated electronically).

Criteria 1-4 are applied strictly in order, but children allocated places under these criteria are also included within the five ability bands (allocated from the bands first), before criterion 5 (remaining banding places) is applied - the total number admitted from each band is kept equal (43 per band). Twins/multiple births: if one is offered a place and the other is not, the other is also offered a place above the PAN of 215 (forfeited if the qualifying sibling withdraws). Late applicants who have not sat the test are distributed evenly across the five bands in the order C, A, E, B, D. Section 1.12 of the School Admissions Code is cited as the basis for giving sibling priority (criterion 3) to boys attending 'Northampton School', a linked girls' school distinct from NSB itself. Children with an EHC plan naming the school will be admitted, which may reduce places available (not itself a numbered criterion). This document's title separates its own determination year ('Admissions Policy 2026-27') from the cohort it governs for the normal round ('for Admission to Year 7 in September 2027'); it also separately governs in-year admissions to Years 7-11 during 2026-27 - only the September 2027 Year 7 normal-round criteria are extracted above. The school admits girls only into the Sixth Form; this document does not include Sixth Form/Year 12 admission arrangements.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.