The Ferrars Academy, Luton
The Ferrars Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 7 in Luton, part of Pioneer Learning Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2022 did not change this grade. It was 89% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Luton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Ferrars Academy in detail
Getting a place at The Ferrars Academy
For September 2026 entry, 75 families put The Ferrars Academy as their first choice and 141 named it as one of their preferences, for 79 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 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 The Ferrars Academy are Ferrars Junior School (under 0.1 miles, 67% reading, 79% maths); St Martin De Porres Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); Leagrave Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 95% reading, 95% maths); and Southfield Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 84% reading, 79% maths).
Ferrars Junior SchoolSt Martin De Porres Catholic Primary SchoolLeagrave Primary SchoolSouthfield Primary Academy
The trust
The Ferrars Academy is one of 7 schools run by Pioneer Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
10.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 77.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (61%), White British (10%) and Black (9%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leagrave Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lewsey Road (near), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
The Ferrars Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Ferrars Academy are The Chalk Hills Academy (0.4 miles), Challney High School for Girls (0.5 miles), Challney High School for Boys (0.6 miles) and Houstone School (1.5 miles).
The Chalk Hills AcademyChallney High School for GirlsChallney High School for BoysHoustone School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from May 2017, 9 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 Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2017 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
10.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
27.5
Avg class size
28.4
Infant (KS1)
10
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Ferrars Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Ferrars Academy.
- Playtarium at St Martins670m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Ferrars Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Ferrars Academy 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
- 32
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 32 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 23 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
10 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 The Ferrars Academy
Will you get a place at The Ferrars Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Ferrars Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Ferrars Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Ferrars Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Luton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Ferrars Academy 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
89%
Available places
240 pupils
270 places
30 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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
58
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
22.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
310
Total Pupils
163
Boys
147
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
25.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,746
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,616
Per pupil
£1559k
Total funding
£33k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.6%
Overall absence
10.8%
Persistent absence
185
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
Questions parents ask about The Ferrars Academy
What is The Ferrars Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Ferrars Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Ferrars Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Ferrars Academy is oversubscribed, Luton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Ferrars Academy?
The Ferrars Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 89% of its 270 places.
How big are the classes at The Ferrars Academy?
Classes at The Ferrars Academy average 27.5 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Ferrars Academy?
The Ferrars Academy has around 310 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Ferrars Academy?
4.6% of sessions were missed at The Ferrars Academy in 2024/25. 10.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Ferrars Academy?
Apply through Luton's coordinated admissions process, naming The Ferrars Academy 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 The Ferrars Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of The Ferrars Academy: Playtarium at St Martins (670m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Ferrars Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 32 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 23 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 10 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 The Ferrars Academy?
The Ferrars Academy is at Macaulay Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 0LL.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)