Weatherfield Academy, Dunstable
Weatherfield Academy is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 19 in Dunstable, part of Whipperley Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Weatherfield Academy in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Weatherfield Academy are Stannard School (1.6 miles, Good); The Chiltern School (2.5 miles, Good); Woodlands Secondary School (4.4 miles, Outstanding); and Active Support Education Centre (4.7 miles, Good).
Stannard SchoolThe Chiltern SchoolWoodlands Secondary SchoolActive Support Education Centre
The trust
Weatherfield Academy is one of 3 schools run by Whipperley Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
49 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Weatherfield Academy (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 88% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 21 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 5% to a further education college.
Who goes there
39.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (68%), Mixed (9%) and Asian (8%).
Almost every pupil at Weatherfield Academy has an education, health and care plan (166 of 166 in 2026). The most common need among them is a moderate learning difficulty.
Weatherfield Academy provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Weatherfield Academy.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Aldbanks (adjacent), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 174 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 Central Bedfordshire (47), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Weatherfield Academy issued 23 suspensions, 13.9 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2017, 8 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
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Weatherfield Academy is a welcoming, family-like environment where all pupils thrive. Staff provide expert support to overcome learning barriers, and the school offers a rich variety of activities including farm work, allotment projects, and a signing choir. Parents consistently report that their children flourish here, with strong teaching in reading and a curriculum that prepares pupils well for adult life.
Key Strengths
- Strong relationships between staff and pupils create a calm, nurturing environment with good behaviour throughout the school
- Well-designed curriculum with multiple pathways tailored to individual needs, including practical subjects like horticulture, cooking and childcare
- High priority given to reading, with skilful phonics teaching and strong promotion of reading for pleasure
- Excellent personal development opportunities through school roles, community activities and preparation for work and college
- Pupils are well-prepared for their next steps in life with access to vocational qualifications and work experience
Areas for Improvement
- In a few subjects, teachers lack confident understanding of key knowledge needed, meaning some activities do not build pupils' knowledge effectively
- Trustees do not have sufficient understanding of how leaders' decisions impact school improvement, limiting their ability to hold leaders to account
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective; the inspection was initially suspended to allow the school to resolve safeguarding issues, which were subsequently judged to be working well.
Extracurricular Activities
Signing choir, school farm and allotment work, school council, fairtrade monitor roles, community activities, visits to local colleges and business groups, vocational qualifications
Weatherfield Academy is a caring and happy special school where all pupils have education, health and care plans and moderate learning difficulties. The school maintains high expectations for pupils' academic and personal achievements, with staff working to help each pupil become 'the best person they can be'.
About
Weatherfield Academy is a mixed special school located in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. The school accepts pupils from all over the Central Bedfordshire area.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
39.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
MLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
49 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Weatherfield Academy
Before and after school care
Weatherfield Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Central Bedfordshire
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Weatherfield Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Weatherfield 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
125%
Over capacity
166 pupils
133 places
33 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Dunstable
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dunstable
Across Central Bedfordshire council
Places available
1,710
Applications
1,502
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across Central Bedfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
166
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Weatherfield Academy provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
166
Total Pupils
103
Boys
63
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
7.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,312
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.2%
Overall absence
28.4%
Persistent absence
116
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Weatherfield Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Weatherfield Academy
What are GCSE results like at Weatherfield Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Weatherfield Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.2. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Weatherfield Academy's Ofsted rating?
Weatherfield Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Weatherfield Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Weatherfield Academy is oversubscribed, Central Bedfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Weatherfield Academy?
Weatherfield Academy has around 166 pupils on roll. 40% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Weatherfield Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Weatherfield Academy provides for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Weatherfield Academy?
9.2% of sessions were missed at Weatherfield Academy in 2024/25. 28.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Weatherfield Academy?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Weatherfield Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Weatherfield Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Weatherfield Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Weatherfield Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Weatherfield Academy?
Weatherfield Academy is at Brewers Hill Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 1AF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)