Ardley Hill Academy
Lowther Road, Dunstable, LU6 3NZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Ardley Hill Academy is a primary school in Dunstable for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 134 schools in Central Bedfordshire. It ranks 7th of 19 primary schools in Dunstable. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 16 July 2024, report published 8 September 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 16 July 2024
Pupils endeavour to embody the school's 'REACH' values: resilience, engagement, aspiration, communication, and health. They relish the five-step reward programme. It includes receiving a certificate at the 'REACH' assembly or sharing a pizza with the headteacher. Pupils and their families appreciate this approach. It boosts pupils' happiness and sense of being a valued member of the school community. There are increasing opportunities for pupils to be community minded. The 'safeguarding squad', for example, look out for others. They let trusted adults know if a peer is unhappy or behaving inappropriately. There is also well-thought- through pastoral support. It helps vulnerable pupils express their wishes and feelings. Having peers and adults in school who want to help them, keeps pupils safe. The curriculum is continuously being updated. The teaching of it helps pupils to develop a broad understanding across various subjects. For instance, by Year 1 in computing, pupils learn basic keyboard skills for formatting text. While, by Year 4 in history, they grasp concepts like 'civilisation' and 'invasion'. This approach focuses on improving pupils' vocabulary and understanding of key ideas and skills. It prepares pupils more effectively for their next steps.
What the school should improve
- Although leaders have plans, the support provided is not effectively improving reading fluency and expression for the weaker readers, which affects their comprehension. The school should offer staff the necessary training to help these pupils read confidently and proficiently.
- The school's current approach to supporting pupils with SEND varies in its effectiveness. While some methods, such as clear explanations and demonstrations, help pupils showcase their knowledge, this level of support is not consistently applied across all pupils and subjects. The school should strengthen its strategies to ensure that all pupils with SEND receive the support they need to achieve their very best.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
59 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
422 pupils on roll, with places for 520
Schools near Ardley Hill Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watling Lower School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Lark Rise Academy | 0.4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | 88% met the expected standard |
| St. Augustine's Academy | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 32% met the expected standard |
| Dunstable Icknield Lower School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Not published |
| St Mary's Catholic Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 62% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- CHILTERN LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Romina Lang
- Phone
- 01582667955
- Address
- Lowther Road, Dunstable, LU6 3NZ
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- URN
- 138209
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.