The Linden Academy, Luton
The Linden Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Luton, part of Advantage Schools. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 27th-highest of the 41 schools in Luton with published results, and 7,614th of 14,452 across England. It was 84% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- 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
The Linden Academy in detail
The Linden Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We pride ourselves on putting children are at the heart of everything we do to ensure that every child in our care feels happy, safe and secure so they can thrive in the excellent learning experiences we provide."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 3 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at The Linden Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 79% and 79% in Luton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 68% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Linden Academy
For September 2026 entry, 45 families put The Linden Academy as their first choice and 132 named it as one of their preferences, for 56 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 Linden Academy are Cutenhoe Hill Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 82% reading, 78% maths); Tennyson Road Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 86% reading, 90% maths); Crawley Green Infant School (0.8 miles, Outstanding); and Wenlock CofE Academy (0.8 miles, 65% reading, 46% maths).
The Linden Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Cutenhoe Hill Primary SchoolTennyson Road Primary SchoolCrawley Green Infant SchoolWenlock CofE Academy
The trust
The Linden Academy is one of 10 schools run by Advantage Schools, an academy trust.
Who goes there
34.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 52.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (37%), Black (29%) and Mixed (12%).
In 2026, 40 pupils (9.4%) received SEN support and 8 (1.9%) 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
The Linden Academy had 28 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Luton Airport Parkway Rail Station, about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Alton Road (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 587 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, The Linden Academy issued 28 suspensions, 6.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Linden Academy are Chiltern Academy (0.1 miles), The Stockwood Park Academy (1.4 miles) and Queen Elizabeth School (1.6 miles).
Chiltern AcademyThe Stockwood Park AcademyQueen Elizabeth School
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; 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 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 at this school are very well cared for by their teachers and other adults. Relationships are consistently calm, kind and respectful. Pupils are happy to work and play together. They feel and are safe. Staff and anti-bullying ambassadors swiftly remedy any rare incidents of unkind behaviour.
While pupils' outcomes in national assessments and tests have not always been as strong as they should be, pupils are now doing well. This is because they respond well to the school's high expectations. Pupils benefit from effective teaching.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The trust has worked at pace with the school to improve the curriculum and the effectiveness of teaching. Trustees keep a close oversight on provision. They invest in training and resources for staff, so improvements are sustained. Staff appreciate this and there is increased stability in the team. Some subject leaders are relatively new to their roles. They are working hard to further embed consistent, high-quality teaching. For instance, subject leaders use coaching and modelling well to help less experienced teachers to deliver the curriculum more effectively. However, some subject leaders do not always spot exactly which teachers or pupils need further support. They sometimes do not make the right changes as quickly as they could.
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 Good at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
34.2%
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 improved from 68% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 65% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 59% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.9
Avg class size
27.2
Infant (KS1)
23.5
KS2
16
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with The Linden Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Linden Academy.
- Kidz Zone Club - Tennyson Road800m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Linden Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Linden 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
- 28
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 23 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 The Linden Academy
Will you get a place at The Linden Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Linden Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Linden Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Linden 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 Linden 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
84%
Available places
424 pupils
504 places
80 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(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
40
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
11.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
427
Total Pupils
228
Boys
199
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
28
Teachers
15.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£42,513
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,618
Per pupil
£2942k
Total funding
£223k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
23.1%
Persistent absence
454
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
The Linden Academy
Questions parents ask about The Linden Academy
What are SATs results like at The Linden Academy?
Of the pupils at The Linden Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is The Linden Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Linden Academy was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2021 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for The Linden Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Linden 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 Linden Academy?
The Linden Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 84% of its 504 places.
How big are the classes at The Linden Academy?
Classes at The Linden Academy average 24.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Linden Academy?
The Linden Academy has around 427 pupils on roll. 34% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Linden Academy?
5.6% of sessions were missed at The Linden Academy in 2024/25. 23.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Linden Academy?
Apply through Luton's coordinated admissions process, naming The Linden 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 Linden Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of The Linden Academy: Kidz Zone Club - Tennyson Road (800m 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 Linden Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 28 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 23 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 The Linden Academy?
The Linden Academy is at Osborne Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3HJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)