Academy sponsor led · Central Bedfordshire

Lime Tree Primary Academy

2–11Ages
360Pupils
PrimaryPhase
148227URN

Parkside Drive, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, LU5 5QN · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.6per place

0.5 below Central Bedfordshire median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Central Bedfordshire

94 applications for 59 places · 70th of 82 in Central Bedfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

57%met the expected standard

Central Bedfordshire 57% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 13 February 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
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

1.6applications per place, Reception

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

94 applications · 59 places offered · 51 named it first

2026 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 2.1
2025 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.9
2024 1.2; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2023 0.9; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2022 1.2; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7
2021 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7; as the previous school
2020 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
2019 1.2; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
2018 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
2017 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
2016 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8; as the previous school
2015 1.1; 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 5 years.

This school
Central Bedfordshire median

Dashed bars: as Hawthorn Park Community Primary (URN 109524), 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	59	94	1.6	51	0.86
Sep 2025	32	48	1.5	30	0.94
Sep 2024	37	45	1.2	33	0.89
Sep 2023	24	22	0.9	20	0.83
Sep 2022	33	40	1.2	33	1.00
Sep 2021 *	20	31	1.6	20	1.00
Sep 2020 *	34	43	1.3	34	1.00
Sep 2019 *	35	43	1.2	31	0.89
Sep 2018 *	38	57	1.5	35	0.92
Sep 2017 *	40	54	1.4	34	0.85
Sep 2016 *	45	61	1.4	41	0.91
Sep 2015 *	56	64	1.1	49	0.88
Sep 2014 *	53	73	1.4	52	0.98

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 77% · Writing 80% · Maths 60% → all three 57% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard57%18th of 36 in Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire 57% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard77%

Central Bedfordshire 72% England 78%

Higher standard31%

Central Bedfordshire 29% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard80%

Central Bedfordshire 71% England 75%

Greater depth29%

Central Bedfordshire 0% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard60%

Central Bedfordshire 67% England 77%

Higher standard11%

Central Bedfordshire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (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	57%	11%	104	102
2023/24	49%	0%	109	105
2022/23	42%	6%	102	102

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

Lime Tree Primary AcademyThis school
This school

Good2024

1.6applications per place 57%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
Thornhill Primary School
0.7 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Tithe Farm Primary School
1.1 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy
1.2 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 39%met the SATs standard
Chantry Primary Academy
1.4 km · Luton

Remains Good2023

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Southfield Primary Academy
1.4 km · Luton

Good2023

2.1applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Houghton Regis Primary School
1.6 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.5applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Chalton Lower School
1.7 km · Central Bedfordshire

Remains Good2023

2.8applications per place

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: 148227 · 823/2011
Trust: Tennyson Learning Community
Capacity: 480 pupils · 360 on roll
Free school meals: 30.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 March 2021
Replaced: Hawthorn Park Community Primary (URN 109524)
Address: Parkside Drive, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, LU5 5QN
Local authority: Central Bedfordshire

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