Balliol Primary School, Bedford
Balliol Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bedford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 49th-highest of the 53 schools in Bedford with published results, and 13,747th of 14,452 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bedford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Balliol Primary School in detail
Balliol Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is with great pleasure and pride that I welcome you to Balliol Primary School, Nursery and Pre-school. We are a thriving community Primary School in Kempston, maintained by Bedford Borough. The staff are hardworking, creative and dedicated; enthusiastic about making learning fun."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, hockey, dance, choir, recorder, chess, photography and maths club.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care until 6:00pm.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils at Balliol Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 49% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 70% in Bedford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 65% in reading and 67% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Balliol Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put Balliol Primary School as their first choice and 67 named it as one of their preferences, for 24 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Balliol Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Balliol Primary School are Bedford Road Primary Academy (0.5 miles, 73% reading, 54% maths); Kempston Rural Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 82% maths); Springfield Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 69% reading, 57% maths); and Camestone School (0.9 miles, Good, 67% reading, 52% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Balliol Primary School.
Bedford Road Primary AcademyKempston Rural Primary SchoolSpringfield Primary SchoolCamestone School
Who goes there
36.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (39%), Black (20%) and Asian (12%).
In 2026, 70 pupils (19.7%) received SEN support and 8 (2.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kempston Hardwick Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Williamson Road Shops (outside), 180 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Balliol Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Balliol Primary School are Kempston Academy (0.3 miles) and Daubeney Academy (0.8 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
30.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 65% to 57% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 67% to 49% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 58% to 63% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.7
Avg class size
25.7
Infant (KS1)
22.9
KS2
12
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Balliol Primary School
3.7.26 digital-devices-wellbeing
3 Jul 2026
Easter 2026 - E-safety newsletter
Friday Update 17th April
Friday Update 1st May
E-safety Newsletter - May 2026
Friday Update 5th June
From Balliol Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Balliol Primary School
Term dates
Balliol Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Bedford. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Balliol Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Balliol Primary School is in Bedford; for families living there:
Apply to Bedford for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 30
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 25 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bedford is 6 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Balliol Primary School
Will you get a place at Balliol Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Balliol Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Balliol Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Balliol Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bedford, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Balliol Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bedford got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
315 pupils
364 places
49 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Bedford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bedford
Across Bedford council
Places available
2,655
Applications
1,990
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Bedford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
70
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
22.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
355
Total Pupils
182
Boys
173
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
19.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,218
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,899
Per pupil
£2195k
Total funding
£164k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
9.8%
Persistent absence
307
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Balliol Primary School
Questions parents ask about Balliol Primary School
What are SATs results like at Balliol Primary School?
Of the pupils at Balliol Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 57% reached the expected standard in reading and 49% did so in maths.
What is Balliol Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Balliol Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2022.
What is the catchment area for Balliol Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Balliol Primary School is oversubscribed, Bedford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Balliol Primary School?
Balliol Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 364 places.
How big are the classes at Balliol Primary School?
Classes at Balliol Primary School average 24.7 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Balliol Primary School?
Balliol Primary School has around 355 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Balliol Primary School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Balliol Primary School in 2024/25. 9.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Balliol Primary School?
Apply through Bedford's coordinated admissions process, naming Balliol Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
What are Balliol Primary School's term dates?
Balliol Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Bedford. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Balliol Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 30 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 25 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bedford is 6 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Balliol Primary School?
Balliol Primary School is at Balliol Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7ER.
Sources: Bedford term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)