Classpot

The Vale Academy

Central Bedfordshire, LU5 4QPPrimaryAges 2–11MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
Jun 2025
KS2 Results
75%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
58 1st-choice / 61 places
Ranking
🏆Top 25%
#2822 of 13,686 nationally

About The Vale Academy

Parents responding to the Parent View survey between September 2024 and September 2025 gave The Vale Academy a strong vote of confidence, with 85% saying they would recommend the school. That's a solid endorsement from the 93 families who took part. The school is also clearly popular on the ground: for 2025/26 reception places, it received 88 applications for 61 spots, an oversubscription ratio of 1.44, and 57 of the 58 families who put it as their first choice were offered a place. The headteacher, Jordan Campbell, leads a primary that's noticeably larger than its capacity — 602 pupils on roll against a capacity of 563 — which tells you something about local demand. On the individual survey questions, the standout result was on happiness: 89% of parents either agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 86% felt their child does well there.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range2 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressWilbury Drive, Dunstable, Central Bedfordshire, LU5 4QP
HeadteacherJordan Campbell
Local AuthorityCentral Bedfordshire
Number of Pupils602
Free School Meals (FSM)11.2%
School Capacity602 / 563 (107% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

What 93 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

3 Jun 2025
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 13 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Forest SchoolArt StudiosGymnasiumOutdoor PlaygroundLibrarySensory RoomPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

DanceGymnasticsTennisCross CountryAthletics

Clubs & Activities

CodingEco ClubChessChoirGardening

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:45-08:30

After-school care

15:15-17:30

Source: thevaleacademy.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Vale Academy

The Vale Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.