Friars Academy is a special academy in Wellingborough, North Northamptonshire, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. It supports autism.
- Ages 11–18
- 149 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 149 (places for 154)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rachel Stockham (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Better Together Learning Trust
- Opened
- 1 November 2013
- Free school meals
- 48.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- North Northamptonshire
- School reference (URN)
- 140277
Needs it supports
1 need: autism
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often North Northamptonshire council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, June 2015; standards maintained (January 2025)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2015. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, January 2025).
Contact and getting there
Friars Close, Wellingborough, NN8 2LA
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Croyland Nursery School & Day Nursery Mainstream + base · Ages 0–4 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.3 miles
- Croyland Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 5–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.3 miles
- Park Junior School, Wellingborough Mainstream + base · Ages 7–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
All SEND schools in North Northamptonshire
By need in North Northamptonshire: Autism (16) · Severe learning (9) · Speech and language (7) · Moderate learning (7) · Physical (7) · SEMH (6) · Hearing (6) · PMLD (5) · Vision (5) · Dyslexia and SpLD (4) · Multi-sensory (3)
Questions about Friars Academy
How do I get a place at Friars Academy?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Friars Academy. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Friars Academy support?
Autism. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Friars Academy take?
Aged 11 to 18, boys and girls.
What is Friars Academy’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Friars Academy?
Friars Close, Wellingborough, NN8 2LA, in North Northamptonshire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.