Lime Academy Hartwell, Luton
Lime Academy Hartwell is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Luton, part of Lime Trust.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Lime Academy Hartwell in detail
Lime Academy Hartwell in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Lime Academy Hartwell has recently joined Lime Trust and we are excited to take the school into its new phase of development. Our vision as a Trust is Putting Learners First, a vision we are committed to delivering for all of our young people. Lime Academy Hartwell is an inclusive special school located in the centre of Luton."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Lime Academy Hartwell are Richmond Hill School (0.5 miles, Good); Lady Zia Wernher School (1 mile, Outstanding); Active Support Education Centre (1.1 miles, Good); and Claystone School (2.6 miles).
Richmond Hill SchoolLady Zia Wernher SchoolActive Support Education CentreClaystone School
The trust
Lime Academy Hartwell is one of 9 schools run by Lime Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
41.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 47.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (56%), Black (13%) and Mixed (11%).
Almost every pupil at Lime Academy Hartwell has an education, health and care plan (121 of 121 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Luton Rail Station, about 410 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Concorde Street (opposite), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Lime Academy Hartwell stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 897 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Luton (296), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Lime Academy Hartwell has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in April 2025. Before that, as Windmill Hill School (URN 148558), it was rated Inadequate in February 2024.
At a Glance
41.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Lime Academy Hartwell
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lime Academy Hartwell from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lime Academy Hartwell is in Luton; for families living there:
- Luton's school travel policy: Travel assistance policy for 0 to 25 year olds in education
- Post-16 transport: Luton states a charge of £450 a year. Source
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 82
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 16
- Children hurt
- 12
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 82 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 16 serious and 65 slight.
12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
18 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
121 pupils
120 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Luton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Luton
Across Luton council
Places available
3,303
Applications
2,972
Got 1st preference
82.8%
Got preferred school
95.5%
All secondary applications across Luton council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
121
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
121
Total Pupils
97
Boys
24
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
7.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£41,558
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.7%
Overall absence
31.4%
Persistent absence
118
Enrolments
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Lime Academy Hartwell
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Lime Academy Hartwell
What is Lime Academy Hartwell's Ofsted rating?
Lime Academy Hartwell has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in April 2025. Before that, as Windmill Hill School (URN 148558), it was rated Inadequate in February 2024.
What is the catchment area for Lime Academy Hartwell?
No fixed boundary. When Lime Academy Hartwell is oversubscribed, Luton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Lime Academy Hartwell?
Lime Academy Hartwell has around 121 pupils on roll. 41% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Lime Academy Hartwell?
12.7% of sessions were missed at Lime Academy Hartwell in 2024/25. 31.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lime Academy Hartwell?
Apply through Luton's coordinated admissions process, naming Lime Academy Hartwell on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Lime Academy Hartwell?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 82 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 16 serious and 65 slight. 12 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 18 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 Lime Academy Hartwell?
Lime Academy Hartwell is at 1 York Street, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0EZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)