Tennyson Road Primary School, Luton
Tennyson Road Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Luton, part of Tennyson Learning Community. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 8th-highest of the 41 schools in Luton with published results, and 2,234th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
Tennyson Road Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Tennyson Road 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 fell from 97% in reading and 97% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Tennyson Road Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 113 families put Tennyson Road Primary School as their first choice and 236 named it as one of their preferences, for 90 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 24 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Tennyson Road Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Tennyson Road Primary School are Hillborough Junior School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 95% reading, 95% maths); Hillborough Infant and Nursery School (0.4 miles, Good); Cutenhoe Hill Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 82% reading, 78% maths); and The Linden Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 79% reading, 74% maths).
Tennyson Road Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Hillborough Junior SchoolHillborough Infant and Nursery SchoolCutenhoe Hill Primary SchoolThe Linden Academy
The trust
Tennyson Road Primary School is one of 2 schools run by Tennyson Learning Community, an academy trust.
Who goes there
48.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (31%), Black (20%) and White British (11%).
In 2026, 71 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 25 (3.5%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Luton Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Tennyson Road Lower (n-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 745 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Tennyson Road Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 1.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Tennyson Road Primary School are Chiltern Academy (0.7 miles) and The Stockwood Park Academy (0.8 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils thrive at this inspirational school. They progress exceptionally well from their starting points. This includes pupils who arrive at different points in the school year or pupils who speak English as an additional language. By Year 6, most pupils perform strongly in national assessments and in other subjects. Many achieve at the highest standard. This is due to staff's unwavering determination that every pupil will succeed no matter what.
From the outset, pupils are taught how to be ready to learn. Staff use creative ways to help them settle. Older pupils act as 'monitors' to ensure their peers conform to high behaviour expectations. Pupils develop a strong sense of community through 'family dining' at lunchtimes. Relationships are deeply respectful. Pupils listen well in lessons. School is calm and orderly while still allowing pupils' personalities to shine through.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Pupils excel at this school. The ambitious curriculum is taught consistently well across all year groups at both school sites. Teachers know exactly what to teach, how to best teach it and when to teach it. The trust expertly supports staff to teach the curriculum to the expected standard. The curriculum helps pupils to deepen their understanding and broadens their horizons. Educational trips and applying learning to real-life contexts ensure knowledge is firmly secured in pupils' memory.
The high-quality work pupils complete reflects the depth of their understanding. Pupils' work is well presented, reflecting the care they take with their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are skilfully supported to demonstrate what they can remember. Pupils are articulate and explain their learning in depth. Teachers make regular checks on how securely pupils can recall knowledge. Pupils act on the specific feedback given to them. Across the school, there is a meticulous approach to detecting and filling gaps in pupils' knowledge.
From Ofsted's June 2024 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 Outstanding at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
31.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 97% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 97% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 94% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.9
Avg class size
28.9
Infant (KS1)
28.8
KS2
23
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Tennyson Road Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Tennyson Road Primary School.
- Kidz Zone Club - Tennyson RoadAt the school · Not yet graded
- Hillborough Before and After School Club660m away · Not yet graded
- Kidz Zone Club - Hillborough Infant & Nursery School660m away · Not yet graded
- Link Educational Centre1000m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Tennyson Road Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Tennyson Road 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
- 50
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 14
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 50 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 36 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
8 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 Tennyson Road Primary School
Will you get a place at Tennyson Road Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Tennyson Road Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Tennyson Road Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Tennyson Road 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 Tennyson Road Primary School for 2020 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
735 pupils
750 places
15 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
71
SEN Support
25
EHC Plans
13.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
724
Total Pupils
342
Boys
382
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
31
Teachers
23.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,536
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,572
Per pupil
£4689k
Total funding
£345k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
13.9%
Persistent absence
699
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
Tennyson Road Primary School
Questions parents ask about Tennyson Road Primary School
What are SATs results like at Tennyson Road Primary School?
Of the pupils at Tennyson Road Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 90% did so in maths.
What is Tennyson Road Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Tennyson Road Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
What is the catchment area for Tennyson Road Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Tennyson Road 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 Tennyson Road Primary School?
Tennyson Road Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Tennyson Road Primary School?
Classes at Tennyson Road Primary School average 28.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Tennyson Road Primary School?
Tennyson Road Primary School has around 724 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Tennyson Road Primary School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Tennyson Road Primary School in 2024/25. 13.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Tennyson Road Primary School?
Apply through Luton's coordinated admissions process, naming Tennyson Road 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.
Does Tennyson Road Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Kidz Zone Club - Tennyson Road (registered, not yet graded). There are 3 more within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Tennyson Road Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 50 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 36 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 8 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 Tennyson Road Primary School?
Tennyson Road Primary School is at Tennyson Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3RS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)