Elstow School, Bedford

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~664m)Possible (~949m)Unlikely (~1.2km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Sarah Ciantar
Pupils:413 / 420 capacity
LA:Bedford
Phone:01234302300
Address:Abbey Fields, Elstow, Bedford, MK42 9GP
Trust:ADVANTAGE SCHOOLS
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 April 2017

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 25 February 2025View full report
URN:144039
UKPRN:10063100
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Mid Bedfordshire
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2016 inspection — down from Outstanding.

Rated Good for

Leadership & management.

A plain-English summary of the full inspection report is coming soon.

At a Glance

21.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

56 responses
Would recommend96%
Child is happy98%
Well taught95%
Good progress89%
Feels safe98%
Well behaved96%
Bullying dealt with30%
Kept informed93%
Handles concerns70%
Wider development79%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+5ppMathsWriting-2pp

Reading has improved from 82% to 87%. Maths has remained stable at around 82%. Writing has remained stable at around 80%.

Class Sizes

29.9

Avg class size

29.5

Infant (KS1)

30.1

KS2

14

Total classes

2 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Social & online

Getting There

Bus Stops

Elstow Lower School (opp)
74m · 1 min walk
Elstow Lodge (adj)
205m · 3 min walk
Medical Centre (opp)
282m · 5 min walk
Abbey School (opp)
429m · 7 min walk
The Red Lion (adj)
452m · 7 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

98%

Near capacity

413 pupils

420 capacity

7 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Bedford

Medium pressure
New homes approved:9,345
Projected new pupils:2,336

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bedford

Admissions Demand - Bedford

Low demand0.78x oversubscription

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(3)

25 February 2025
8 January 2020
2 November 2016
Good
Leadership & ManagementGood

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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.87422%

Overall absence

11.47541%

Persistent absence

366

Enrolments

Authorised3.89784%
Unauthorised0.97638%
Persistent (10%+)11.47541%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.22765%
18/19
3.36097%
20/21
7.61715%
21/22
6.21573%
22/23
4.89323%
23/24
4.87422%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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