Etonbury Academy

Etonbury Academy has made significant improvements since its last inspection, moving from a 'Requires Improvement' rating to 'Good' across all domains. Pupils enjoy attending the school and feel safe, exhibiting positive behaviour that aligns with the school's high expectations. The curriculum is well-structured and ambitious, catering to the diverse needs of students and providing numerous extra-curricular activities that prepare them for life beyond school. However, inconsistencies in the application of behaviour policies and curriculum delivery have been noted as areas for further attention.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and enjoy attending the school.
• A culture of high expectations for behaviour is promoted.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured for all pupils.
• Strong supportive relationships between pupils and staff.
• Wide range of extra-curricular activities available to pupils.
• Pupils achieve well in examination results and personal development.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent application of planned curriculum across subjects.
• Inconsistent use of SEND support strategies by staff.
• Instances of low-level disruption due to inconsistent behaviour policy application.

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 Etonbury Academy attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 18.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 5.4% of pupils at Etonbury Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 5 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 Etonbury Academy had 17.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 11.3% of pupils at Etonbury Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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

In 2024–25 Etonbury Academy received £7,301 and spent £6,777 for each of its 1,133 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,185,000 (£1,046 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited, income was £7,313 and spending £7,140 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Central Bedfordshire · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

Etonbury Academy is part of Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• Pix Brook Academy Stotfold
• Gothic Mede Academy Arlesey
• Langford Village Academy Biggleswade
• Samuel Whitbread Academy Shefford
• Robert Bloomfield Academy Shefford
• Campton Academy Shefford
• Lawnside Academy Biggleswade
• Gravenhurst Academy Bedford
• Castle Newnham School Bedford
• St Christophers Academy Dunstable

What is Etonbury Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Etonbury Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Etonbury Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Etonbury Academy was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Etonbury Academy have?

Etonbury Academy has 1,158 pupils on roll.

What age range does Etonbury Academy cover?

Etonbury Academy for pupils aged 9 to 19.

What are Etonbury Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 45.8, and 50% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Etonbury Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Etonbury Academy?

Etonbury Academy is at Stotfold Road, Arlesey, Bedfordshire, SG15 6XS.