The Linden Academy

Free schools·Primary school Luton·LU1 3HJ
Composite score
49.8
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#7,325
National rank
#783
In East of England
#22
In Luton
Top 50%
Nationally

Performance (KS2 SATs)

% meeting expected RWM
64%
% achieving higher RWM
7%
Reading average scaled score
105.0
National avg ≈ 105
Maths average scaled score
103.0
National avg ≈ 104
Reading progress
—
Maths progress
—

Ofsted judgements

Legacy framework · Read full report ↗

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding effective?
Yes
Early years provision
Good

Getting a place

Offered a place after putting it first
100%
45 first choices, 56 places
First choices per place
0.80
fewer first choices than places
Applications naming the school
132
any preference, for 56 places
First preferences per place, last five years▲ 0.22
00.511.5
1 per place
1.0020220.8120230.8220240.5920250.802026

Red dashed line = one first choice per place. How to read this

Every child who put The Linden Academy first was offered a place in 2026, so no distance cut-off applied: living further away did not cost a place that year.

Application figures: DfE, school level applications and offers (2026 intake).

School profile

Age range
4–11
Pupils on roll
445
Gender
Mixed

Pupil background

% FSM ever-6
34.4%
Typical primary: 21.5%
% EAL
49.4%
Typical primary: 9.6%

Special educational needs

% SEN support
5.8%
Typical primary: 14.3%
% with an EHC plan
1.6%
Typical primary: 3.0%

Attendance

Overall absence
6.5%
Typical primary: 5.3%
Persistently absent
24.6%
Typical primary: 13.3%

Staffing & funding

Pupils per teacher
16.0
Typical primary: 20.7
Spend per pupil
£6,422
Typical primary: £6,960

“Typical” = the median primary school in England. What this means

Nearby primary schools

Location

About The Linden Academy

The Linden Academy is a primary school in Luton, classified by the DfE as a free school. Around 445 pupils aged 4 to 11 attend the school. The school holds a 'Good' judgement from Ofsted. In the most recent Key Stage 2 SATs, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — broadly in line with the national average of 61%. That marks an improvement of 17.0 percentage points in the proportion reaching the expected standard on the previous year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it around the middle of primary schools nationally.

Pupils achieved an average scaled score of 105 in reading and 103 in maths (national averages are about 105 and 104). 7% reached the higher standard across all three subjects (around 8% do so nationally). The Linden Academy was not oversubscribed for September 2026: all 45 families who put it first were offered a place. Overall pupil absence was 6.5%. There are about 16.0 pupils per teacher. When comparing schools, it is still worth visiting in person to see whether the atmosphere and approach suit your child. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.

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