Weatherfield Academy

Special academy · All-through, ages 7 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form

Part of WHIPPERLEY ACADEMY TRUST

Brewers Hill Road, Dunstable, LU6 1AF

01582 605632 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedNo overall gradeInspected 5 November 2024
Pupils166Room for 133 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 134 in 2019, 155 in 2021, 147 in 2022, 165 in 2023, 164 in 2024, 166 in 2025, 166 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals43%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

At the inspection that started on 5 November 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
Sixth formGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

49 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 88% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 90% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 94% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 15 parents whose child had been bullied 60% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 35 parents who had raised a concern 74% 76%
My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 49 parents of children with SEND 90% 68%
I would recommend this school to another parent 90%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 30%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

5 pupils in this year group.

Only 5 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths Not published 50% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths Not published 3% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading Not published 70% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing Not published 61% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths Not published 66% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 104 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 103 105

"Not published": Not published: too few pupils, so individual pupils could be identified.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time

2022/232023/242024/25
Not published0%Not published

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

21 pupils in this year group.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths Not published 42% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. Not published 43.6 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. Not published 3.8 4.1

"Not published": No pupils were entered.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time

2022/232023/242024/25
Not published0%Not published

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

24 pupils in this year group.

96% — 3 points above the Central Bedfordshire average, and 4 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 96% 93% 92%
School sixth form 0% 43% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 2% 13%
Further education college 8% 40% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 3% 3%
Work 0% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
100%96%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Central Bedfordshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Central Bedfordshire

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Moderate learning difficulties.

PupilsThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 43.4% 41.6%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 100.0%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.0%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 0.0% 8.1%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 9.2% 12.2%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 28.4% 34.1%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 13.9 10.4 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 4.2% 5.5% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.00% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 8.5 4.6 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3.6 1.5 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 19.8% 10.9%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Weatherfield Academy's Ofsted rating?

At its inspection in 5 November 2024, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.

How did Weatherfield Academy do in its GCSEs?

DfE didn't publish this figure for 2024/25. No pupils were entered.

Would parents recommend Weatherfield Academy?

90% of the 49 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Weatherfield Academy to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.