Cardinal Newman Catholic School A Specialist Science College
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,655 pupils
94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.0
Community special school
Woodlands Secondary School
- Pupils on roll
- 262of 265 places
- Free school meals
- 45.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 38
- Ofsted
- Outstanding, 8 May 2024Read the Ofsted report
What the data says
Of the 42 pupils who finished Year 11 at Woodlands Secondary School in 2023, 0% stayed on in Woodlands Secondary School’s own sixth form (Luton average 13%), 17% went to a further education college and none started an apprenticeship.
Every pupil in the 2023 cohort went on to a sustained destination, against 92% across England.
Almost every leaver found a sustained destination: only 0% were not in education, work or training six months on, against 6% nationally.
Almost nobody goes straight into an apprenticeship or a job: none took an apprenticeship and none went into work, against 3% and 3% across England.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Luton and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Woodlands Secondary School | Luton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 42 | 3,003 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 100% | 91% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 100% | 89% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 0% | 13% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | 47% | 13% |
| — further education college | 17% | 27% | 37% |
| — other education | 83% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 1% | 3% |
| Employment | 0% | 1% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 0% | 6% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 0% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.
GCSE results 2025
No published Key Stage 4 results for this school.
Other secondary schools in Luton
Challney High School for Boys
Academy converter · 1,197 pupils
94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.7
Challney High School for Girls
Academy converter · 1,062 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.1
Chiltern Academy
Free schools · 1,203 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.5
Denbigh High School
Academy converter · 1,130 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 52.6
Icknield High School
Academy converter · 1,452 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 49.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.