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Academy sponsor led · Central Bedfordshire

Manshead Church of England Academy

  • 11–19Ages
  • 1,134Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • Church of EnglandReligious character
  • Sixth formAges 16–18
  • 144342URN

Dunstable Road, Caddington, Luton, LU1 4BB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.7per place
close to Central Bedfordshire median (1.8)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire

313 applications for 189 places · 6th of 8 in Central Bedfordshire
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
38.9of 90
15th of 16 in Central Bedfordshire
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 3 February 2026Published 19 April 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourNeeds attention
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 3 February 2026
    Report card · 2 Expected standard, 5 Needs attention
  2. 15 September 2021
    Graded inspection: 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
1.7applications per place, Year 7
close to Central Bedfordshire median (1.8) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

313 applications · 189 places offered · 162 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 1.7; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
  2. 2025 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.6
  3. 2024 2.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.4
  4. 2023 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.6
  5. 2022 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
  6. 2021 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
  7. 2020 1.7; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
  8. 2019 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
  9. 2018 1.7; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.4
  10. 2017 1.8; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3; as the previous school
  11. 2016 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.4; as the previous school
  12. 2015 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3; as the previous school
  13. 2014 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3; as the previous school
  • This school
  • Central Bedfordshire median

Dashed bars: as Manshead School (URN 109705), the previous school.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20261893131.71620.86
Sep 202520311.6110.55
Sep 202414332.4171.21
Sep 202325411.6210.84
Sep 202224371.5210.88
Sep 202143571.3310.72
Sep 202024401.7110.46
Sep 201937581.6270.73
Sep 201828481.7210.75
Sep 2017 *18321.8150.83
Sep 2016 *32511.6240.75
Sep 2015 *1682301.41681.00
Sep 2014 *2173281.52411.11

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

202 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)38.915th of 16 in Central Bedfordshire
Grade 5 or above in English and maths34%14th of 16 in Central Bedfordshire
Grade 4 or above in English and maths50%
  • This school
  • Central Bedfordshire median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.53
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)20238.934%50%–
2024/2518043.037%56%–
2023/2420540.836%57%−0.53
2022/2319239.631%52%−0.40

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

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

School details

Type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
144342 · 823/4010
Trust
Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Religious character
Church of England
Capacity
1,350 pupils · 1,134 on roll
Free school meals
21.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision
SEN unit
Opened
1 May 2017
Replaced
Manshead School (URN 109705)
Address
Dunstable Road, Caddington, Luton, LU1 4BB
Local authority
Central Bedfordshire

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources