The Chiltern School

The Chiltern School is maintaining its status as a good school overall, offering a supportive and engaging environment for pupils with a range of special educational needs. The school prioritizes the well-being and development of its students, which is evident in their positive attitude towards learning and the strong, trusting relationships between staff and pupils. The curriculum is designed to meet the diverse needs of students, ensuring that learning is tailored and meaningful. Despite some strengths, there are a few challenges, particularly around the effectiveness of newly appointed subject leaders in implementing consistent assessment methods.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy a well-planned and engaging curriculum.
• Staff provide expert support tailored to individual pupil needs.
• Positive relationships contribute to a calm and purposeful learning atmosphere.
• The school effectively teaches pupils about managing their emotions and behavior.
• Parents generally express satisfaction with the support provided by staff.

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum leaders lack a secure understanding of their impact on pupils' learning.
• There is a need for more routine monitoring of curriculum effectiveness to ensure all pupils achieve their best.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Chiltern School attended 89.9% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 33.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

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, 4.6% of pupils at The Chiltern School were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). 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 The Chiltern School had 6.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

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 The Chiltern School had 369 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; speech, language and communication needs; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; autistic spectrum disorder.

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 special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 The Chiltern School received £30,011 and spent £29,639 for each of its 368 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £22,000 (-£59 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).

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• Secondary Schools

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What is The Chiltern School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Chiltern School is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.

When was The Chiltern School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Chiltern School was last inspected in April 2023.

How many pupils does The Chiltern School have?

The Chiltern School has 369 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Chiltern School cover?

The Chiltern School for pupils aged 3 to 19.

What are The Chiltern School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Chiltern School?

The Chiltern School is at Parkside Drive, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 5PX.