Weatherfield Academy

Weatherfield Academy is a caring and happy special school for pupils aged 7 to 19, all of whom have an education, health and care plan and mainly moderate learning difficulties. It is a single academy converter overseen by a board of trustees, and the head of school was appointed in September 2024. Inspectors found the school performing well across the key judgements, including sixth-form provision, and safeguarding was judged effective after the inspection was suspended and then resumed to gather additional evidence. The school’s main strengths lie in its nurturing relationships, calm and respectful culture, and curriculum that is carefully tailored to pupils’ SEND. Pupils behave well, attend regularly and benefit from strong reading provision, practical subject pathways, preparation for adulthood, and wider opportunities such as the school farm, allotments, signing choir and community activities. Parents describe their children as flourishing and thriving. There are two notable areas for improvement. In a few subjects, teachers are less secure about the key knowledge pupils need to learn and remember, so planned activities do not always build on prior learning. Trustees also do not have a strong enough grasp of the impact of leaders’ decisions on curriculum effectiveness, which limits their ability to hold leaders to account consistently.

Strengths

• Caring and happy school with warm, nurturing relationships between pupils and staff
• High expectations for pupils’ academic and personal achievement
• Curriculum carefully adapted to meet the range of pupils’ SEND needs
• Clear curriculum pathways, including practical subjects such as horticulture, cooking and childcare
• Strong preparation for adulthood and life beyond school
• Reading is a high priority, with skilled phonics teaching and successful promotion of reading for pleasure
• Pupils behave well in lessons, around school and at social times
• Regular attendance reflects pupils’ enjoyment of school
• Wider experiences and pupil leadership roles build confidence, independence and community involvement
• Sixth form provides growing opportunities to visit colleges and businesses and to gain functional skills and vocational qualifications
• Safeguarding arrangements were judged effective after additional evidence was gathered

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, teachers are less secure about the key knowledge pupils need, so activities do not always build pupils’ knowledge step by step
• Trustees lack a secure enough understanding of the impact of leaders’ decisions, limiting their ability to hold leaders to account consistently

In 2024–25 pupils at Weatherfield Academy attended 90.8% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 28.4% 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, 4.2% of pupils at Weatherfield Academy 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 Weatherfield Academy had 8.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.8% 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 Weatherfield Academy had 166 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment.

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 2024–25 Weatherfield Academy received £24,470 and spent £21,849 for each of its 166 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £823,000 (£4,958 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Whipperley Academy Trust, income was £11,071 and spending £10,247 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 Dunstable · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

Weatherfield Academy is part of Whipperley Academy Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• Whipperley Infant Academy Luton
• Farley Junior Academy Luton

What is Weatherfield Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Weatherfield Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Weatherfield Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Weatherfield Academy was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Weatherfield Academy have?

Weatherfield Academy has 166 pupils on roll.

What age range does Weatherfield Academy cover?

Weatherfield Academy for pupils aged 7 to 19.

Where is Weatherfield Academy?

Weatherfield Academy is at Brewers Hill Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 1AF.