OFSTED
22 May 2024
Latest ungraded inspection
Latest published outcome
School remains Good
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Local authority
Luton
Trust
ST THOMAS CATHOLIC ACADEMIES TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,655
1,655 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
779
47.1% of pupils
Male pupils
876
52.9% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
7.1 pts
below England
School
17.7%
Luton
27.3%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
10.5 pts
above England
School
30.8%
Luton
49.4%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.6 pts
below England
School
0.4%
Luton
0.6%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
26.6%
441
Any other White background
20.8%
345
African
20.1%
333
Indian
5.4%
90
Any other Asian background
4.8%
80
Caribbean
3.9%
64
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
15.6%
258 of
1,655 pupils
5.2 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
3.5 pts
below
England
6.0%
1.7 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
50.0
10.8 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.38 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
6.55%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.33 pts
higher than
England
School
6.55%
Luton
6.08%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
16.95%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
1.13 pts
higher than
England
School
16.95%
Luton
16.56%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
1.28%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.53 pts
lower than
England
School
1.28%
Luton
1.45%
East of England
1.83%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
118.2%
25.9 pts
above England
Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College
118.2%
Luton
97.3%
East of England
92.9%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.