Downside Primary School, Luton
Downside Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Luton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 41 schools in Luton with published results, and 1,757th of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Luton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Downside Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Downside Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 90% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 79% in Luton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 73% in reading and 86% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Downside Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 126 families put Downside Primary School as their first choice and 235 named it as one of their preferences, for 133 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Downside Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Downside Primary School are Foxdell Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 77% maths); Beechwood Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 75% reading, 69% maths); Maidenhall Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 72% reading, 75% maths); and Norton Road Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 65% reading, 56% maths).
Downside Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Foxdell Primary SchoolBeechwood Primary SchoolMaidenhall Primary SchoolNorton Road Primary School
What parents say
32 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Downside Primary School (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 59% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (59%).
Who goes there
35% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (82%), Mixed (7%) and Black (5%).
Downside Primary School has a resourced provision for autism: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leagrave Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hatters Way Retail Park (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Downside Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Downside Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Downside Primary School are Challney High School for Boys (0.5 miles), Challney High School for Girls (0.7 miles) and The Chalk Hills Academy (1.4 miles).
Challney High School for BoysChallney High School for GirlsThe Chalk Hills Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school has improved significantly.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils thrive at this school. They make excellent progress from their starting points. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language.
Downside is a large and inclusive school where pupils are happy and feel safe. Pupils fully understand the routines of the school day and the high expectations of them. They display exemplary behaviour at all times.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has developed a curriculum that is ambitious and ensures pupils excel across the full range of subjects. Staff receive high-quality training to ensure they are expert in all areas. Pupils achieve exceptionally well because the school consistently sets the very highest expectations. Teachers check pupils' understanding methodically. Pupils respond immediately to any guidance they are given. This helps them embed and deepen their learning. Pupils take pride in the presentation of their work, which reflects the impact of the school's very high expectations.
Learning to read and learning to love reading are central to the curriculum. The school has adopted a well-sequenced phonics programme. Children learn quickly the sounds they need to know, regardless of when they join the school. Leaders provide training so that staff ensure pupils learn their phonics very effectively and consistently. Staff use checks to identify swiftly anyone falling behind in reading. This includes any older pupils who may not know all of their sounds.
From Ofsted's November 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
20.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
32 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 86% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 79% to 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.0
Avg class size
28.5
Infant (KS1)
29.4
KS2
35
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Downside Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Downside Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Downside Primary School is in Luton; for families living there:
- Luton's school travel policy: Travel assistance policy for 0 to 25 year olds in education
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 89
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 13
- Children hurt
- 18
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 89 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 13 serious and 75 slight.
18 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 13 in a vehicle or otherwise.
14 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Luton is 28 (the median across 79 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Downside Primary School
Will you get a place at Downside Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Downside Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Downside Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Downside Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Luton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Downside Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Luton got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
1,031 pupils
1,050 places
19 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Luton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Luton
Across Luton council
Places available
3,222
Applications
2,863
Got 1st preference
92.6%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Luton council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
120
SEN Support
53
EHC Plans
17.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Downside Primary School has a resourced provision for autism: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,015
Total Pupils
515
Boys
500
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
51
Teachers
19.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,425
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,276
Per pupil
£5986k
Total funding
£311k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
12.4%
Persistent absence
934
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Downside Primary School
Questions parents ask about Downside Primary School
What are SATs results like at Downside Primary School?
Of the pupils at Downside Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is Downside Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Downside Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Downside Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Downside Primary School is oversubscribed, Luton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Downside Primary School?
Downside Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Downside Primary School?
Classes at Downside Primary School average 29 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Downside Primary School?
Downside Primary School has around 1015 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Downside Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Downside Primary School has a resourced provision for autism: 8 places, 8 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at Downside Primary School?
5.6% of sessions were missed at Downside Primary School in 2024/25. 12.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Downside Primary School?
Apply through Luton's coordinated admissions process, naming Downside Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Downside Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 89 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 13 serious and 75 slight. 18 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 13 in a vehicle or otherwise. 14 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Luton is 28 (the median across 79 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Downside Primary School?
Downside Primary School is at Chaul End Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 8EZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)