Farley Junior Academy

Farley Junior Academy is demonstrating outstanding performance across all evaluated areas. As a recently established academy under the Whipperley Academy Trust, this is its first inspection since the transition, and it has made significant strides in providing a safe and thriving learning environment. The school's approach to education emphasizes high expectations and effective teaching, which allows all pupils, including those with SEND, to succeed. The pupils exhibit exemplary behavior and are deeply engaged in their learning, actively contributing to the positive ethos of the school.

Strengths

• Outstanding quality of education with a well-developed curriculum
• Highly effective support for pupils with SEND
• Strong emphasis on language and communication development
• Pupils foster a culture of kindness and respect
• Effective curriculum that promotes personal development and wellbeing
• High levels of engagement and participation from pupils

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 Farley Junior Academy attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.3% of pupils at Farley Junior Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Farley Junior Academy had 15.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 20.4% of pupils at Farley Junior Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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

In 2024–25 Farley Junior Academy received £6,405 and spent £6,378 for each of its 349 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £154,000 (-£442 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 Luton · Luton local authority: places and applications

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

• Whipperley Infant Academy Luton
• Weatherfield Academy Dunstable

What is Farley Junior Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Farley Junior Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2024.

When was Farley Junior Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Farley Junior Academy was last inspected in March 2024.

How many pupils does Farley Junior Academy have?

Farley Junior Academy has 334 pupils on roll.

What age range does Farley Junior Academy cover?

Farley Junior Academy for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Farley Junior Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Farley Junior Academy?

Farley Junior Academy is at Northdrift Way, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 5JF.