Academy sponsor led · Central Bedfordshire

Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy

2–11Ages
206Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
143850URN

Angels Lane, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, LU5 5HH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.6 below Central Bedfordshire median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Central Bedfordshire

46 applications for 30 places · 73rd of 82 in Central Bedfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

39%met the expected standard

Central Bedfordshire 57% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 17 June 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.5applications per place, Reception

0.6 below Central Bedfordshire median (2.1) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

46 applications · 30 places offered · 22 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 2.1
2025 1.1; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.9
2024 1.1; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2023 1.2; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2022 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7
2021 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7
2020 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2019 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2018 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2017 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2016 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
2015 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7; as the previous school
2014 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.6; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Central Bedfordshire median in 0 of 10 years.

This school
Central Bedfordshire median

Dashed bars: as Thomas Whitehead CofE School (URN 109701), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	30	46	1.5	22	0.73
Sep 2025	22	24	1.1	13	0.59
Sep 2024	22	24	1.1	11	0.50
Sep 2023	24	28	1.2	21	0.88
Sep 2022	14	18	1.3	13	0.93
Sep 2021	15	22	1.5	15	1.00
Sep 2020	23	32	1.4	23	1.00
Sep 2019	29	47	1.6	30	1.03
Sep 2018	34	53	1.6	35	1.03
Sep 2017	25	37	1.5	24	0.96
Sep 2016 *	37	51	1.4	36	0.97
Sep 2015 *	26	37	1.4	23	0.88
Sep 2014 *	29	40	1.4	29	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 61% · Writing 50% · Maths 57% → all three 39% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard39%28th of 36 in Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire 57% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard61%

Central Bedfordshire 72% England 78%

Higher standard29%

Central Bedfordshire 29% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard50%

Central Bedfordshire 71% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Central Bedfordshire 0% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard57%

Central Bedfordshire 67% England 77%

Higher standard4%

Central Bedfordshire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 98 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Central Bedfordshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	39%	0%	103	98
2023/24	27%	10%	101	99
2022/23	41%	3%	102	100

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Thomas Whitehead Church of England AcademyThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 39%met the SATs standard
Houghton Regis Primary School
0.4 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.5applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Tithe Farm Primary School
0.6 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
St Vincent's Catholic Primary School
0.6 km · Central Bedfordshire

2026

2.6applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Lime Tree Primary Academy
1.2 km · Central Bedfordshire

Good2024

1.6applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Thornhill Primary School
1.5 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
The Vale Academy
1.7 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.3applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Hadrian Academy
1.9 km · Central Bedfordshire

Remains Good2023

1.7applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Chantry Primary Academy
1.9 km · Luton

Remains Good2023

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 143850 · 823/2006
Trust: Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 352 pupils · 206 on roll
Free school meals: 38.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 April 2017
Replaced: Thomas Whitehead CofE School (URN 109701)
Address: Angels Lane, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, LU5 5HH
Local authority: Central Bedfordshire

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources