Edith Cavell Primary School, Bedford
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school excels at helping all children make good progress, regardless of their background or ability. The strong leadership team and effective teaching mean standards are rising quickly, especially in reading and writing. Pupils thrive in this culturally diverse, welcoming community where behaviour is excellent and children feel safe and valued.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership by the headteacher and senior leadership team driving improvements in teaching and achievement
- Effective teaching across the school ensuring all pupils make good progress regardless of background or ability
- Pupils behave well, feel safe, and have positive attitudes to learning in this culturally diverse community
- Rapid improvements in reading and writing standards throughout the school
- Good governance with governors who check closely on pupil progress and hold leaders to account
Areas for Improvement
- Too few pupils exceeded national expectations in the Year 1 phonics check in 2014
- Need to consolidate phonics teaching so pupils use this skill across all subjects
- Implementation of National Curriculum arrangements and assessment procedures for recording pupil progress not yet finalised
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school prioritises children's safety through secure buildings, staff suitability checks, and pupils having a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Educational visits, sporting activities and clubs, various sporting competitions
Edith Cavell Lower School is a good school where the headteacher provides strong leadership and pupils achieve well because teaching is effective. Standards are rising rapidly, particularly in reading and writing, and pupils behave well with positive attitudes to learning.
At a Glance
36.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 70%. Maths has remained stable at around 70%. Writing has improved from 59% to 64%.
Class Sizes
26.2
Avg class size
22.6
Infant (KS1)
30.0
KS2
11
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
93%
Near capacity
292 pupils
315 capacity
23 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Bedford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bedford
Admissions Demand - Bedford
Places available
2,690
Applications
2,103
Got 1st preference
93.6%
Got preferred school
99.3%
Primary admissions across Bedford (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.20119%
Overall absence
17.16418%
Persistent absence
268
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Edith Cavell Primary School
Nearby Schools
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