Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy, Dunstable
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school is welcoming and nurturing, where pupils feel safe and genuinely enjoy coming to school. The school excels at reading and has made real progress since its last inspection - pupils are catching up to expected standards with strong phonics teaching and plenty of time to practise writing. Music, clubs, and trips are woven into school life, helping children develop their talents and character while learning the importance of community.
Key Strengths
- Strong, systematic approach to phonics and reading with books carefully matched to pupils' knowledge - pupils are swiftly supported if struggling
- Well-established and ambitious curriculum with high expectations for what pupils learn, though some refinement is ongoing
- Excellent support for pupils with special educational needs - early identification, close monitoring, and regular targets that build confidence
- Music is central to school life, offering joyful opportunities for self-expression with regular performances
- Significant improvements in attendance and behaviour - pupils want to be in school and poor behaviour is rare
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects do not clearly identify key knowledge pupils need to learn and the order in which to teach it, causing confusion
- Assessment information is not always used effectively in some subjects to spot misconceptions and improve pupil performance
- Progress monitoring and achievement tracking could be more precise in a small number of subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with staff prioritising pupils' interests and maintaining a strong culture of care and support.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, competitions, trips, performances at local care homes, music performances, leadership roles such as 'light leaders'
Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy has improved significantly since its previous inspection and is now rated Good across all areas. The school has established a strong curriculum and made sustained progress in raising the quality of education, with pupils making good progress and catching up to nationally expected standards.
At a Glance
38.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
24 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 50% to 61%. Maths has improved from 33% to 57%. Writing has remained stable at around 50%.
Class Sizes
25.6
Avg class size
26.7
Infant (KS1)
27.8
KS2
8
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
59%
Available places
206 pupils
352 capacity
146 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Dunstable
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Dunstable
Admissions Demand - Central Bedfordshire
Places available
4,163
Applications
3,574
Got 1st preference
90.0%
Got preferred school
97.0%
Primary admissions across Central Bedfordshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(5)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.74663%
Overall absence
19.88304%
Persistent absence
171
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy
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