Norton Road Primary School

Norton Road Primary is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating across all areas. The school prioritizes pupils' welfare and education, fostering a nurturing environment where students feel safe and valued. There have been significant positive changes in school leadership, and the staff are well-supported and motivated to meet high expectations for student achievement. Improvements have also been made in the curriculum, particularly in early reading, leading to positive outcomes in literacy for pupils. Despite its strengths, the school faces some challenges, particularly concerning the implementation of newer curriculum subjects and the support provided to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some teachers have not yet had sufficient training to adapt learning effectively for all students, which has led to inconsistencies in achievement levels. Addressing these areas will be crucial for ensuring that all pupils can achieve their full potential and receive the support they need.

Strengths

• Strong nurturing approach that fosters a sense of belonging among pupils.
• High aspirations and expectations set for students.
• Well-implemented phonics program supports early reading effectively.
• Pupils engage in various leadership opportunities.
• Strong community values among pupils, promoting fairness and equality.
• Effective support systems for monitoring and improving attendance.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers lack detailed knowledge of newer subject curriculums.
• Inconsistent adaptation of learning tasks for pupils with SEND.
• Some staff require more training to effectively support pupils with SEND.

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 Norton Road Primary School attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 26.4% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Norton Road Primary 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 Norton Road Primary School had 19.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.4% 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, 14.4% of pupils at Norton Road Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.2% 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 Norton Road Primary School received £7,210 and spent £7,186 for each of its 347 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £9,000 (-£27 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 Norton Road Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Norton Road Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Norton Road Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Norton Road Primary School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Norton Road Primary School have?

Norton Road Primary School has 347 pupils on roll.

What age range does Norton Road Primary School cover?

Norton Road Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Norton Road Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 43% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Norton Road Primary School?

Norton Road Primary School is at Norton Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 2NX.