Sundon Lower School, Luton
Sundon Lower School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 9 in Luton, part of The Pyramid Schools Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. It was 53% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Central Bedfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sundon Lower School in detail
Getting a place at Sundon Lower School
For September 2026 entry, 10 families put Sundon Lower School as their first choice and 19 named it as one of their preferences, for 10 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sundon Lower School are Chalton Lower School (1.3 miles, Good); Whitefield Primary Academy (1.5 miles, Good, 79% reading, 75% maths); Parklea Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 73% reading, 77% maths); and Waulud Primary School (2 miles, Good, 82% reading, 80% maths).
Chalton Lower SchoolWhitefield Primary AcademyParklea Primary SchoolWaulud Primary School
The trust
Sundon Lower School is one of 10 schools run by The Pyramid Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
6.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 9.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (54%), Asian (30%) and Mixed (8%).
In 2026, 2 pupils (3.2%) received SEN support and 3 (4.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Sundon Lower School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Harlington (Beds) Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Streatley Road (nw-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 6 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Sundon Lower School issued 3 suspensions, 4.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; 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 February 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils know the school values, such as friendship and respect, well. These guide their relationships with each other and with staff. In mixed-age classes, pupils at this small school make friends and work together from the early years. Some pupils join later from different settings. They are made welcome and soon feel part of this harmonious and happy community.
Pupils are confident that staff will keep them safe. They know that when they share a concern with staff, any unkindness will be stopped. At breaktimes, pupils play together kindly. Many pupils enjoy running around in the extensive grounds. For pupils who prefer a less energetic break, there are books outside to enjoy.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has been going through a period of change. For example, it recently became part of a new academy trust and there have been some staffing changes. Throughout this, leaders at every level have a shared vision for continued improvement. They are united in their commitment to reaching the best possible outcomes for pupils.
The school has developed curriculum plans that set out clearly what pupils are to learn and how this develops over time. Curriculum plans have been refined to meet the needs of pupils. For example, the school has considered the ongoing impact of the pandemic on pupils' language skills. It has therefore ensured an appropriate focus on securing vocabulary in all subjects from the early years.
From Ofsted's July 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 February 2015 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
6.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
21.0
Avg class size
24.0
Infant (KS1)
19.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Sundon Lower School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sundon Lower School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sundon Lower School is in Central Bedfordshire; for families living there:
- Central Bedfordshire's school travel policy: Apply for school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 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 Sundon Lower School
Will you get a place at Sundon Lower School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sundon Lower School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sundon Lower School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sundon Lower School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Central Bedfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Sundon Lower School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Central Bedfordshire 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
53%
Available places
40 pupils
75 places
35 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 Central Bedfordshire council
Places available
4,158
Applications
3,678
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across Central Bedfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
7.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
63
Total Pupils
30
Boys
33
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
12.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£60,555
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,007
Per pupil
£487k
Total funding
£3k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.1%
Overall absence
12.2%
Persistent absence
49
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
Sundon Lower School
Questions parents ask about Sundon Lower School
What is Sundon Lower School's Ofsted rating?
Sundon Lower School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Sundon Lower School?
No fixed boundary. When Sundon Lower School is oversubscribed, Central Bedfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Sundon Lower School?
Sundon Lower School was not full in 2025: it ran at 53% of its 75 places.
How big are the classes at Sundon Lower School?
Classes at Sundon Lower School average 21 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Sundon Lower School?
Sundon Lower School has around 63 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sundon Lower School?
7.1% of sessions were missed at Sundon Lower School in 2024/25. 12.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sundon Lower School?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Sundon Lower 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 Sundon Lower School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Sundon Lower School?
Sundon Lower School is at Streatley Road, Upper Sundon, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 3PQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)