Best secondary schools in Luton (2026)
Luton has 13 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Denbigh High School, in the top 21% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 45.6, against 46.1 for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 3 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Luton has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 21% in England |
Denbigh High School Luton |
53.4 | 52.6 | 56% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 25% in England |
Chiltern Academy Luton |
51.3 | 49.5 | 48% | Good | |
3 Top 29% in England |
Challney High School for Girls Luton · Girls |
50.7 | 50.1 | 48% | Outstanding | |
4 Top 29% in England |
Icknield High School Luton |
49.3 | 49.4 | 58% | Good | |
5 Top 36% in England |
Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College Luton · Roman Catholic |
49.3 | 50.0 | 46% | No rating | |
6 Top 36% in England |
Challney High School for Boys Luton · Boys |
47.7 | 47.7 | 54% | Outstanding | |
7 Top 38% in England |
Putteridge High School Luton |
48.3 | 49.2 | 46% | No rating | |
8 Bottom 50% in England |
The Chalk Hills Academy Luton |
45.3 | 45.7 | 45% | No rating | |
9 Bottom 35% in England |
Lealands High School Luton |
43.1 | 44.3 | 34% | Good | |
10 Bottom 30% in England |
Queen Elizabeth School Luton |
41.7 | 39.9 | 34% | Good | |
11 Bottom 29% in England |
Stopsley High School Luton |
40.9 | 42.3 | 38% | Good | |
12 Bottom 8% in England |
Lea Manor High School Luton |
35.3 | 36.3 | 29% | Report card | |
13 Bottom 8% in England |
The Stockwood Park Academy Luton |
36.4 | 35.9 | 21% | Not judged |
Other towns in Bedfordshire
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Luton?
On exam results over the last three years, Denbigh High School is the top-ranked secondary school in Luton, in the top 21% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.