Caddington Village School

Caddington Village School is a primary school in the Caddington and Slip End Alliance federation. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and inspectors found the school performing well across its key judgements. Pupils are positive, focused and keen to do well, behaviour has improved through a new behaviour approach, and children in early years settle quickly into routines and learning habits. The school has a strong focus on reading, with children in early years quickly grasping sounds and staff acting swiftly when pupils need help to catch up. Leaders have introduced an ambitious curriculum with knowledge sequenced logically over time, and pupils, including those with SEND, are well supported to learn to read. Personal development is a strength: pupils learn how to stay safe and healthy, understand equality and democracy, and take on new responsibilities through roles such as community champions. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, governors provide effective challenge and support, and staff well-being is considered. There are still areas to improve. The updated curriculum is still in its early stages, so some work lacks the intended depth and detail, and staff do not consistently use checks on learning to adapt lessons to pupils' specific needs, including some pupils with SEND. Some pupils therefore have gaps in knowledge or are not moved on quickly enough. Attendance remains a focus for some pupils, support for a few pupils who need help managing emotions is ongoing, and some parents feel they need more information about how their child is supported.

Strengths

• Pupils are positive, focused and keen to do well.
• Children in early years settle quickly and develop strong learning habits.
• The school has a strong reading focus and supports pupils to catch up swiftly.
• The curriculum is ambitious and knowledge is sequenced logically across subjects.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported to learn to read from the outset.
• The new behaviour approach has improved behaviour and is applied fairly and consistently.
• Personal development helps pupils understand safety, healthy relationships, equality and democracy.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Governors provide effective challenge and support across the federation.
• Staff well-being is considered and appreciated.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum implementation is still in its early stages, so some work lacks the intended depth and detail.
• Staff do not consistently use checks on learning to adapt lessons to pupils' specific needs, including some with SEND.
• Some pupils have gaps in knowledge or are not moved on quickly enough when ready.
• Some pupils are still not attending school regularly.
• Some parents feel they need more information about how their child is supported.
• Support for a few pupils who need help managing their emotions remains an ongoing focus.

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 Caddington Village School attended 92.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 19.8% 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, 2.4% of pupils at Caddington Village 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 Caddington Village School had 21.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.5% 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, 10.5% of pupils at Caddington Village School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.0% 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 Caddington Village School received £7,268 and spent £7,706 for each of its 270 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £248,000 (-£920 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 · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Caddington Village School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Caddington Village School is Good, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Caddington Village School last inspected by Ofsted?

Caddington Village School was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Caddington Village School have?

Caddington Village School has 277 pupils on roll.

What age range does Caddington Village School cover?

Caddington Village School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Caddington Village School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Caddington Village School?

Caddington Village School is at Five Oaks, Caddington, Caddington Village School, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 4JD.