Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #26 in Central Bedfordshire public Top 93% UK

Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Natasha Chiswell

corporate_fareDIOCESE OF ST ALBANS MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST

location_onDunstable, LU5 5HH

language Visit Website phone 1582865466

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

205

school

Expected Standard

39%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.5x

summarize

Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Dunstable, serving ages 2-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 93% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy is an academy sponsor led in Dunstable, Central Bedfordshire, admitting pupils aged 2-11. It is part of DIOCESE OF ST ALBANS MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 210 pupils on roll, of whom 36% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 39% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined. The school ranks #26 of 36 primaries in Central Bedfordshire and #12,783 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.5× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 21.8:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.5 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

39%

LA 50%

Reading61% LA 68%

Writing50% LA 62%

Maths57% LA 62%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

27%

LA 49%England 61%

Reading50% LA 68% · Eng 74%

Writing50% LA 61% · Eng 72%

Maths33% LA 62% · Eng 73%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

41%

LA 48%England 60%

Reading59% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Writing55% LA 61% · Eng 71%

Maths41% LA 63% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.2

Read

LA -1.4

-3.6 to 1.1

-0.1

Write

LA -2.4

-2.3 to 2.1

-2.5

Maths

LA -2.0

-4.7 to -0.3

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

42%

LA 57%England 65%

Reading61% LA 66% · Eng 73%

Writing52% LA 71% · Eng 78%

Maths45% LA 69% · Eng 79%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.6

Read

LA -2.0

-3.7 to 0.6

-6.5

Write

LA -2.1

-8.5 to -4.5

-5.7

Maths

LA -2.3

-7.6 to -3.8

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

48%

LA 55%

Reading58% LA 66%

Writing71% LA 70%

Maths65% LA 65%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.7

Read

LA -2.2

-4.9 to -0.5

-1.2

Write

LA -1.9

-3.3 to 0.9

-3.2

Maths

LA -2.1

-5.2 to -1.2

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

17 June 2025

Inspection Report

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25 January 2023

Inspection Report

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12 July 2022

Inspection Report

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22 September 2021

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

5 Evaluations

2025-06-17

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2023-01-25

Schools into Special Measures Visit 2 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2021-09-22

Academy First Section 5 EIF

Inadequate

Education

Inadequate

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Requires improvement

Leadership

Inadequate

2015-11-17

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Inadequate

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Inadequate

2013-10-10

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.0%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.0%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 210 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.0%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	210	2	1.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	193	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	194	6	3.1%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	192	2	1.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	186	6	3.2%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	208	3	1.4%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	205	1	0.5%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	197	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	218	1	0.5%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	209	3	1.4%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	206	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	232	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	229	1	0.4%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	233	2	0.9%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	257	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	257	2	0.8%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	259	3	1.2%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	301	2	0.7%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	321	0	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	321	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	340	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	328	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	312	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 20 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 10 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 5 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 3 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

100.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

11.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree50%

agree44%

don't know6%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree50%

agree44%

don't know6%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree17%

agree33%

not applicable50%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree22%

agree67%

don't know11%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree61%

agree28%

disagree11%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree39%

agree44%

disagree17%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree44%

agree50%

don't know6%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree67%

agree28%

don't know6%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree28%

agree56%

disagree6%

don't know11%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes89%

no11%

Top Primary Schools in Central Bedfordshire

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

The Vale Academy

Requires improvement

location_on Dunstable, LU5 4QP

emoji_events #1 in LA

Lark Rise Academy

Outstanding

location_on Dunstable, LU6 3PT

emoji_events #2 in LA

Clifton All Saints Academy

Good

location_on Near Shefford, SG17 5ES

emoji_events #3 in LA

Raynsford Church of England Academy

Good

location_on Henlow, SG16 6AT

emoji_events #4 in LA

Derwent Primary School

Good

location_on Henlow, SG16 6BA

emoji_events #5 in LA

Slip End Village School

Good

location_on Luton, LU1 4DD

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Central Bedfordshire arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Central Bedfordshire

The Vale Academy

Lark Rise Academy

Clifton All Saints Academy

Raynsford Church of England Academy

Derwent Primary School

Slip End Village School