Bedford Road Primary Academy, Bedford
Bedford Road Primary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Bedford, part of Knowledge Schools Trust. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 42nd-highest of the 53 schools in Bedford with published results, and 12,253rd of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
Bedford Road Primary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at Bedford Road Primary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 54% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 70% in Bedford and 77% and 75% across England.
Getting a place at Bedford Road Primary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Bedford Road Primary Academy as their first choice and 92 named it as one of their preferences, for 41 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Bedford Road Primary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bedford Road Primary Academy are Camestone School (0.5 miles, Good, 67% reading, 52% maths); Balliol Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 57% reading, 49% maths); Springfield Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 69% reading, 57% maths); and Kempston Rural Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 82% reading, 82% maths).
Bedford Road Primary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Camestone SchoolBalliol Primary SchoolSpringfield Primary SchoolKempston Rural Primary School
The trust
Bedford Road Primary Academy is one of 9 schools run by Knowledge Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
33 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Bedford Road Primary Academy (as of April 2026): 79% would recommend the school, 79% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (82%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
33.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (32%), Asian (23%) and Mixed (15%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedford Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bedford Road Lower School (adjacent), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 246 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bedford (136), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Bedford Road Primary Academy issued 10 suspensions, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Bedford Road Primary Academy are Daubeney Academy (0.6 miles), Kempston Academy (0.8 miles), Biddenham International School and Sports College (1.2 miles) and Bedford Academy (1.9 miles).
Daubeney AcademyKempston AcademyBiddenham International School and Sports CollegeBedford Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 10 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Bedford Road Primary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in January 2024. Before that, as Bedford Road Primary School (URN 109461), it was rated Requires Improvement in May 2022.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Bedford Road Primary Academy excels at teaching reading and has made impressive improvements in this area. The school creates a positive, welcoming environment where pupils feel safe and well cared for, with clear behaviour expectations that keep classrooms calm and productive. Leaders are ambitious and unwavering in their drive to raise standards, and staff have responded positively to the improvements made since joining the trust.
Key Strengths
- Teaching of reading is a particular strength with trained staff checking pupils' understanding carefully
- Leaders have created clear behaviour expectations with productive classrooms and minimal disruption
- Early years children make a positive start and are well-prepared for Year 1
- School has improved attendance rates, particularly for disadvantaged pupils
- Personal development programme prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain
Areas for Improvement
- Achievement in reading, writing and mathematics at end of key stage 2 is typically below national averages
- Some older pupils have significant gaps in important knowledge such as number facts and catch-up is not happening quickly enough
- Assessment approaches in some subjects are at an earlier stage of development
- Support to address knowledge gaps in some subjects lacks precision
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
School choir, clubs, trips, visits to different places of worship
Bedford Road Primary Academy became part of a trust in January 2024 and has made significant improvements in safeguarding, behaviour, and curriculum. The school is working to raise achievement, particularly for older pupils who have gaps in key knowledge.
At a Glance
30.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
33 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
26.1
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
25.4
KS2
14
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Bedford Road Primary Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Bedford Road Primary Academy.
- Junior Adventures Group @ Springfield940m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
Bedford Road Primary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Bedford's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Bedford Road Primary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Bedford Road Primary Academy 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
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 20 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
1 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 Bedford Road Primary Academy
Will you get a place at Bedford Road Primary Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bedford Road Primary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bedford Road Primary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bedford Road Primary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bedford, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bedford Road Primary Academy for 2024 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
90%
Near capacity
376 pupils
420 places
44 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
55
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
19.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
365
Total Pupils
177
Boys
188
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
22
Teachers
16.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,829
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,463
Per pupil
£2283k
Total funding
£154k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
17.0%
Persistent absence
342
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
Bedford Road Primary Academy
Questions parents ask about Bedford Road Primary Academy
What are SATs results like at Bedford Road Primary Academy?
Of the pupils at Bedford Road Primary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 54% did so in maths.
What is Bedford Road Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Bedford Road Primary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in January 2024. Before that, as Bedford Road Primary School (URN 109461), it was rated Requires Improvement in May 2022.
What is the catchment area for Bedford Road Primary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Bedford Road Primary Academy is oversubscribed, Bedford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bedford Road Primary Academy?
Bedford Road Primary Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Bedford Road Primary Academy?
Classes at Bedford Road Primary Academy average 26.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Bedford Road Primary Academy?
Bedford Road Primary Academy has around 365 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bedford Road Primary Academy?
5.4% of sessions were missed at Bedford Road Primary Academy in 2024/25. 17% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bedford Road Primary Academy?
Apply through Bedford's coordinated admissions process, naming Bedford Road Primary Academy 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.
Does Bedford Road Primary Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Bedford Road Primary Academy: Junior Adventures Group @ Springfield (940m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Bedford Road Primary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 20 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 1 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 Bedford Road Primary Academy?
Bedford Road Primary Academy is at Hillgrounds Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8QH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)