Challney High School for Girls

Challney High School for Girls is performing exceptionally well, having achieved an overall effectiveness rating of outstanding during its first inspection under section 5 of the Education Act. The school has created an environment where high expectations are set for both staff and students, fostering a culture of resilience, respect, and readiness to learn. The curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of students and the local community, leading to substantial gains in students’ knowledge and skills. While students actively engage in extracurricular activities and support charitable causes, the school also focuses heavily on personal development, ensuring pupils are well-prepared for their futures.

Strengths

• Exceptional curriculum tailored to pupil needs and local community.
• High expectations of staff and students promote resilience and respect.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND, enabling exceptional achievement.
• Effective personal development curriculum enhancing self-esteem and confidence.
• Staff feel valued and supported in their training and development.

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 Challney High School for Girls attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 14.7% 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, 5.2% of pupils at Challney High School for Girls were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was 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 Challney High School for Girls had 20.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.8% 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, 8.7% of pupils at Challney High School for Girls were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.4% 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 Challney High School for Girls received £8,208 and spent £8,071 for each of its 1,046 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £618,000 (£591 per pupil).

Across all 19 schools of Chiltern Learning Trust, income was £7,910 and spending £7,771 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 Luton · Luton local authority: places and applications

Challney High School for Girls is part of Chiltern Learning Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Challney High School for Boys Luton
• Lea Manor High School Luton
• Denbigh High School Luton
• Dallow Primary School Luton
• Ardley Hill Academy Dunstable
• Lark Rise Academy Dunstable
• Lancot School Dunstable
• Chiltern Academy Luton
• Putteridge High School Luton
• Gilbert Inglefield Academy Leighton Buzzard

What is Challney High School for Girls's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Challney High School for Girls is Outstanding, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Challney High School for Girls last inspected by Ofsted?

Challney High School for Girls was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Challney High School for Girls have?

Challney High School for Girls has 1,062 pupils on roll.

What age range does Challney High School for Girls cover?

Challney High School for Girls for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Challney High School for Girls's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 51.5, and 56% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Challney High School for Girls?

Challney High School for Girls is at Addington Way, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 9FJ.