Schools by area › Central Bedfordshire › The Vale Academy
The Vale Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–11 · Academy
Wilbury Drive, Dunstable LU5 4QP · thevaleacademy.co.uk · 01582 211150
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 73%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Central Bedfordshire 50%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 601
- 38 over 563 places · 107%
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 12.7%
- First language not English
- 30.1%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Advantage Schools
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 51 families put the school first and 56 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 56 | 51 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 61 | 58 | 1 | 98% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 75 | 70 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 77 | 70 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 75 | 74 | 1 | 96% |
Results
In 2024/25, 73% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% the higher standard. Across Central Bedfordshire it was 50%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲73% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 106 | ||
| ●107 | 105 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected The Vale Academy on 3 June 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 3 Jun 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, May 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
May 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Oct 2017Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective Sept 2014Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Jul 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
85% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (93 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 85%
- Replies
- 93
- 15% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 86% who raised concerns
based on the 38% who had a child bullied
based on 26 parents (28%) with SEND