Schools by area › Central Bedfordshire › Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy
Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–11 · Sponsored academy
Angels Lane, Houghton Regis, Dunstable LU5 5HH · thomaswhiteheadceacademy.co.uk · 01582 865466
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 39%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Central Bedfordshire 50%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.7
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 206
- 59% of 352 places
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 38.4%
- First language not English
- 39.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 22 families put the school first and 30 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 | 30 | 22 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 22 | 13 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 22 | 11 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 24 | 21 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 14 | 13 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 39% 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 | |||
| ▼39% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ▼98 | 105 | ||
| ▼101 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 109701)
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy on 17 June 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 17 Jun 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jan 2023
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 109701), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2023Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective - Jul 2022Monitoring visitEffective action
Sept 2021Inadequate
Quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Inadequate Early years Inadequate Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2015Inadequate
Leadership and management Inadequate Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 109701)
What parents said
88% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (24 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 88%
- Replies
- 24
- 11% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 96% who raised concerns
based on the 37% who had a child bullied