The Vale Academy, Dunstable
The Vale Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Dunstable, part of Advantage Schools. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 20 schools in Dunstable with published results, and 5,545th of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- 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 Central Bedfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Vale Academy in detail
The Vale Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At The Vale Academy, we are ambitious for every pupil: every child deserves an exceptional education. We believe that schools should be places where children feel known, valued and inspired; where they are challenged to think deeply, develop confidence and discover what they are capable of achieving."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, gymnastics, choir, Lego, eco club, art, forest school and cheerleading.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at The Vale Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 85% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 66% in Central Bedfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 89% in reading and 88% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at The Vale Academy
For September 2026 entry, 51 families put The Vale Academy as their first choice and 129 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 Vale Academy are Hadrian Academy (0.2 miles, Good, 76% reading, 76% maths); St Christophers Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 63% reading, 47% maths); Chantry Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 84% reading, 86% maths); and Southfield Primary Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 84% reading, 79% maths).
The Vale Academy's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Hadrian AcademySt Christophers AcademyChantry Primary AcademySouthfield Primary Academy
The trust
The Vale Academy is one of 10 schools run by Advantage Schools, an academy trust.
What parents say
93 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Vale Academy (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 64% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (64%).
Who goes there
11.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 30.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (45%), Asian (13%) and Mixed (11%).
In 2026, 44 pupils (7.3%) received SEN support and 28 (4.7%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leagrave Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Vale Academy (outside), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 248 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Vale Academy issued 16 suspensions, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Vale Academy are The Chalk Hills Academy (0.6 miles), Priory Academy (0.9 miles), All Saints Academy Dunstable (1.1 miles) and Houstone School (1.3 miles).
The Chalk Hills AcademyPriory AcademyAll Saints Academy DunstableHoustone School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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
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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from September 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Vale Academy provides an exciting and engaging curriculum where pupils are happy, feel safe and achieve well. Staff build strong relationships with pupils and manage behaviour consistently, creating a calm environment where learning thrives. The school excels at supporting pupils with additional needs and offers extensive trips, clubs and leadership opportunities to help all children develop confidence and explore their interests.
Key Strengths
- Carefully developed, broad and ambitious curriculum that builds pupils' knowledge from early years
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, with precise curriculum adaptations and well-trained staff
- Reading is prioritised with phonics taught from early years and parents guided on how to support at home
- Strong behaviour management with consistent expectations and a calm school environment
- Outstanding personal development programme preparing pupils well for secondary school and beyond
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff lack strong subject knowledge in a minority of subjects, which means pupils do not learn key knowledge as effectively as in other subjects
- The school should ensure all staff have the knowledge required to teach every subject in the curriculum effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Wide-ranging clubs, sporting competitions, extensive trips linked to curriculum subjects, leadership opportunities in well-being, sports and teaching, little city workshops exploring careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Culture Day celebrations
The Vale Academy is a primary school in Dunstable that has made significant improvements since its previous inspection. The school has a broad, ambitious curriculum and strong relationships between staff and pupils, with pupils achieving well and feeling safe.
At a Glance
11.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
93 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 89% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.4
Avg class size
21.5
Infant (KS1)
26.9
KS2
23
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Vale Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Vale Academy.
- Fun Fest DunstableAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Vale Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Vale Academy 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
- 16
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 15 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 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 The Vale Academy
Will you get a place at The Vale Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Vale Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Vale Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Vale Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Central Bedfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Vale Academy 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
516 pupils
525 places
9 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dunstable
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dunstable
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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
44
SEN Support
28
EHC Plans
12.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
601
Total Pupils
309
Boys
292
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
29
Teachers
20.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,226
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,097
Per pupil
£2877k
Total funding
£86k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
13.8%
Persistent absence
463
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 Vale Academy
What are SATs results like at The Vale Academy?
Of the pupils at The Vale Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 85% did so in maths.
What is The Vale Academy's Ofsted rating?
The Vale Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Vale Academy?
No fixed boundary. When The Vale Academy 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 The Vale Academy?
The Vale Academy was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at The Vale Academy?
Classes at The Vale Academy average 23.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Vale Academy?
The Vale Academy has around 601 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Vale Academy?
5% of sessions were missed at The Vale Academy in 2024/25. 13.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Vale Academy?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Vale 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 Vale Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Fun Fest Dunstable (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 Vale Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 16 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 15 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 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 The Vale Academy?
The Vale Academy is at Wilbury Drive, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 4QP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)