Vandyke Upper School, based in Leighton Buzzard, provides secondary education, serving pupils aged 13 to 18. The school is a academy converter and operates as a mixed school. It follows a non-selective admissions policy. It has a none religious character. The school also offers a sixth form, allowing students to continue into post-16 education on site.
Vandyke Upper School currently has around 1507 pupils on roll, which is about 105% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 50.9% boys and 49.1% girls. Around 14.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. Pupil backgrounds are varied across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 7.6%. Persistent absence is recorded at 20.6%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (79.4%).
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good. This suggests the school is performing well overall. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
Around 95% of pupils move on to sustained destinations after Year 11. Most continue into education (87%) , including 51% who stay in school sixth forms and 36% progressing to further education , while 4% enter apprenticeships .
| Address: | Vandyke Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 3DY |
| Website: | http://www.vandyke.beds.sch.uk/ |
| Telephone: | 01525636700 |
| School Type: | Academy converter |
| Education phase: | Secondary |
| Local authority: | Central Bedfordshire |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Leah Ferguson-Moore |
| Religious character: | None |
| Admissions policy: | Non-selective |
| Unique reference: | 137169 |
Ofsted inspection date: 10/03/2015
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 13 - 18 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 1440 |
| Number of Pupils: | 1507 |
| Number of Boys: | 767 |
| Number of Girls: | 740 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 7.6% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 20.6% | 8.2% |
| White British | 79.40% | 1197 |
| Unclassified | 7.30% | 110 |
| Other White | 4.40% | 67 |
| Other Mixed | 1.90% | 28 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 1.70% | 25 |
| White and Asian | 1.70% | 25 |
| White and Black African | 1.00% | 15 |
| African | 0.60% | 9 |
| Caribbean | 0.50% | 8 |
| Indian | 0.30% | 5 |
| Other Asian | 0.30% | 5 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.30% | 4 |
| Irish | 0.20% | 3 |
| Other Black | 0.10% | 2 |
| Pakistani | 0.10% | 2 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.10% | 2 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaudesert Lower School Appenine Way , LU7 3DX | 3out of 4 | 783 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Rushmere Park Academy East Street , LU7 1EW | 3out of 4 | 932 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| St George's Lower School East Street , LU7 1EW | - not rated | 932 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Heathwood Lower School Heath Road , LU7 3AU | 3out of 4 | 1,286 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Dovery Down Lower School Heath Road , LU7 3AG | - not rated | 1,311 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vandyke Upper School Vandyke Road , LU7 3DY | 3out of 4 | 0 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Vandyke Upper School and Community College Vandyke Road , LU7 3DY | - not rated | 0 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilbert Inglefield Academy Vandyke Road , LU7 3FU | 1out of 4 | 211 yd | Academy converter | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Gilbert Inglefield Middle School Vandyke Road , LU7 3FU | - not rated | 211 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Brooklands Middle School Brooklands Drive , LU7 3PF | 3out of 4 | 1,372 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Brooklands Middle School Brooklands Drive , LU7 3PF | - not rated | 1,372 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Leighton Middle School Church Square , LU7 1EX | 3out of 4 | 2,061 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin College Benjamin UK, Coach House, White House Court , Hockliffe Street LU7 1FD | - not rated | 1,472 yd | Other independent special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Oak Bank School Sandy Lane , LU7 3BE | - not rated | 1,548 yd | Community special school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Oak Bank School Sandy Lane , LU7 3BE | 4out of 4 | 1,548 yd | Academy special converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Sutherlands School Stoke Road , Linslade LU7 2SR | - not rated | 2,192 yd | Other independent school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.