Gravenhurst Academy, Bedford
Gravenhurst Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 9 in Bedford, part of Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2024. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was 95% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Central Bedfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Gravenhurst Academy in detail
Gravenhurst Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome and thank you for your interest in our school. We think that the children here are fantastic. From gardeners to writers, explorers to sports people (sometimes all in the same day!) our children make this school a happy place to be. We offer a rich, exciting curriculum, friendly and knowledgeable teachers and a fantastic environment."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama and gardening.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Gravenhurst Academy
For September 2026 entry, 20 families put Gravenhurst Academy as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Gravenhurst Academy are Shillington Lower School (1.1 miles, Good); Meppershall Church of England Academy (1.6 miles, Good, 63% reading, 44% maths); Campton Academy (1.8 miles, Good); and St Mary's VA CofE Lower School (1.9 miles, Good).
Shillington Lower SchoolMeppershall Church of England AcademyCampton AcademySt Mary's VA CofE Lower School
The trust
Gravenhurst Academy is one of 12 schools run by Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
9.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 9 pupils (12.5%) received SEN support and 2 (2.8%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Gravenhurst Academy had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Gravenhurst Academy.
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lower School (outside), 10 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 5 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, public order offences and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Gravenhurst Academy issued 17 suspensions, 23.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
9.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
24.0
Avg class size
22.0
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Gravenhurst Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Gravenhurst Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Gravenhurst Academy is in Central Bedfordshire; for families living there:
- Central Bedfordshire's school travel policy: Apply for school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 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 Gravenhurst Academy
Will you get a place at Gravenhurst Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Gravenhurst Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Gravenhurst Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Gravenhurst Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Central Bedfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Gravenhurst Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Central Bedfordshire 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
95%
Near capacity
71 pupils
75 places
4 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 Central Bedfordshire council
Places available
4,158
Applications
3,678
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
97.7%
All primary applications across Central Bedfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
9
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
15.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
72
Total Pupils
31
Boys
41
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
14.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,991
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,929
Per pupil
£501k
Total funding
£5k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.1%
Overall absence
18.3%
Persistent absence
60
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Gravenhurst Academy
What is Gravenhurst Academy's Ofsted rating?
Gravenhurst Academy was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2024.
What is the catchment area for Gravenhurst Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Gravenhurst Academy is oversubscribed, Central Bedfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Gravenhurst Academy?
Gravenhurst Academy was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Gravenhurst Academy?
Classes at Gravenhurst Academy average 24 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Gravenhurst Academy?
Gravenhurst Academy has around 72 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Gravenhurst Academy?
7.1% of sessions were missed at Gravenhurst Academy in 2024/25. 18.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Gravenhurst Academy?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Gravenhurst 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.
How many road collisions happen near Gravenhurst Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Gravenhurst Academy?
Gravenhurst Academy is at High Street, Gravenhurst, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)