Chalton Lower School

Chalton Lower School continues to demonstrate good performance, providing a friendly and happy learning environment where pupils are enthusiastic about their education. The curriculum is designed to be engaging and well-suited to the needs of the pupils, allowing them to develop a variety of skills across subjects. Key strengths include the effective teaching of early reading and the positive values instilled in pupils, contributing to a safe atmosphere with rare instances of bullying. The school has successfully managed significant changes in the curriculum and fosters a sense of responsibility in its older students through roles and activities.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy coming to school and engage well in lessons.
• The curriculum is well matched to pupils' needs, with high expectations.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly.
• Effective support for most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Pupils feel safe and valued, with strong anti-bullying measures in place.
• Leaders prioritize staff well-being and provide effective support.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils with complex needs do not receive adequate support.
• Inconsistent connection of new learning to previous concepts in some subjects.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Chalton Lower School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 3.1% of pupils at Chalton Lower School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Chalton Lower School had 15.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 15.4% of pupils at Chalton Lower School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Chalton Lower School received £9,017 and spent £9,058 for each of its 65 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £51,000 (£779 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Luton · Luton local authority: places and applications

What is Chalton Lower School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chalton Lower School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Chalton Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?

Chalton Lower School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Chalton Lower School have?

Chalton Lower School has 65 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chalton Lower School cover?

Chalton Lower School for pupils aged 4 to 9.

Where is Chalton Lower School?

Chalton Lower School is at Luton Road, Chalton, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 9UJ.