Whipperley Infant Academy, Luton
Whipperley Infant Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 7 in Luton, part of Whipperley Academy Trust. 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. It was 91% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
- 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
Whipperley Infant Academy in detail
Getting a place at Whipperley Infant Academy
For September 2026 entry, 78 families put Whipperley Infant Academy as their first choice and 113 named it as one of their preferences, for 88 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Whipperley Infant Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Whipperley Infant Academy are St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 83% reading, 80% maths); Farley Junior Academy (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 76% reading, 81% maths); Foxdell Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 81% reading, 77% maths); and Dallow Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 71% reading, 73% maths).
St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Primary SchoolFarley Junior AcademyFoxdell Primary SchoolDallow Primary School
The trust
Whipperley Infant Academy is one of 3 schools run by Whipperley Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
18 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Whipperley Infant Academy (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).
Who goes there
40.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (49%), White British (10%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 53 pupils (22%) received SEN support and 12 (5%) 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 Luton Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Whipperley Infant School (opposite), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Whipperley Infant Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 543 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
Whipperley Infant Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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
Whipperley Infant Academy excels at creating a nurturing, inclusive environment where every child is valued and supported to succeed. The school's strong focus on reading, combined with expert teaching and carefully matched resources, ensures all pupils develop confidence and love of learning. Staff are exceptional role models who inspire pupils to behave beautifully and develop strong character, while the extensive range of enrichment activities helps every child discover and develop their talents.
Key Strengths
- Well-sequenced curriculum that builds on prior learning and develops impressive knowledge and skills
- Excellent focus on reading with consistent, effective teaching ensuring all pupils read with confidence and fluency
- Exceptional work removing barriers to learning, with strong support for pupils with special educational needs and those new to the country
- Exemplary pupil behaviour with calm, purposeful atmosphere and strong relationships throughout the school
- Extensive enrichment programme including work with English National Opera and local community initiatives
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective in keeping pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Gardening, cookery, creativity, sports, music, educational visits, whole-town initiatives, breakfast club
Whipperley Infant Academy provides a nurturing environment where pupils flourish, guided by the school's single rule of 'being kind'. The school has achieved Outstanding grades across all key areas including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
At a Glance
29.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
18 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
26.9
Avg class size
26.9
Infant (KS1)
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Whipperley Infant Academy
From Whipperley Infant Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Whipperley Infant Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Whipperley Infant Academy.
- Kumon Luton Stockwood Park540m away · Not yet graded
- Brain Up Abacus Luton750m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Whipperley Infant Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Whipperley Infant 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
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Whipperley Infant Academy
Will you get a place at Whipperley Infant Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Whipperley Infant Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Whipperley Infant Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Whipperley Infant Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Luton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Whipperley Infant 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
91%
Near capacity
245 pupils
270 places
25 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)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good and may be improving; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
53
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
27.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
241
Total Pupils
117
Boys
124
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
18.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£38,454
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,967
Per pupil
£1710k
Total funding
£92k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.9%
Overall absence
11.4%
Persistent absence
184
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
Whipperley Infant Academy
Questions parents ask about Whipperley Infant Academy
What is Whipperley Infant Academy's Ofsted rating?
Whipperley Infant 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 Whipperley Infant Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Whipperley Infant 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 Whipperley Infant Academy?
Whipperley Infant Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 91% of its 270 places.
How big are the classes at Whipperley Infant Academy?
Classes at Whipperley Infant Academy average 26.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Whipperley Infant Academy?
Whipperley Infant Academy has around 241 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Whipperley Infant Academy?
4.9% of sessions were missed at Whipperley Infant Academy in 2024/25. 11.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Whipperley Infant Academy?
Apply through Luton's coordinated admissions process, naming Whipperley Infant 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 Whipperley Infant Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of Whipperley Infant Academy: Kumon Luton Stockwood Park (540m away, registered, not yet graded) and Brain Up Abacus Luton (750m 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 Whipperley Infant Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 20 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 5 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Whipperley Infant Academy?
Whipperley Infant Academy is at Whipperley Ring, Farley Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 5QY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)