Chiltern Academy

Chiltern Academy is a well-performing school that provides an inclusive and respectful environment for learning. It has received a 'Good' rating in overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management, with personal development rated as 'Outstanding'. The school effectively engages its students through a broad curriculum, extra-curricular activities, and strong support for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Students exhibit pride in their school and demonstrate high levels of commitment to their education and personal growth.

Strengths

• Inclusive and respectful learning environment
• Strong personal development programme
• Ambitious curriculum designed for all pupils including those with SEND
• Wide range of extra-curricular activities
• High aspirations for student achievement
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Strong focus on staff well-being and professional development

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent checking of pupils' understanding and knowledge retention

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 Chiltern Academy attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 18.6% 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, 8.0% of pupils at Chiltern Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 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 Chiltern Academy had 15.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.8% 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, 12.3% of pupils at Chiltern Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.2% 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 Chiltern Academy received £11,475 and spent £10,898 for each of its 1,192 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £704,000 (£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

Chiltern Academy is part of Chiltern Learning Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Dallow Primary School Luton
• Denbigh High School Luton
• Putteridge High School Luton
• Challney High School for Boys Luton
• Challney High School for Girls Luton
• Lea Manor High School Luton
• Ardley Hill Academy Dunstable
• Lark Rise Academy Dunstable
• Lancot School Dunstable
• The Thomas Alleyne Academy Stevenage

What is Chiltern Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Chiltern Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Chiltern Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Chiltern Academy was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Chiltern Academy have?

Chiltern Academy has 1,203 pupils on roll.

What age range does Chiltern Academy cover?

Chiltern Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Chiltern Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.4, and 63% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Chiltern Academy?

Chiltern Academy is at Gipsy Lane, Luton, LU1 3GF.