Lidlington Primary School, Bedford
Lidlington Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bedford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. For 2026 entry it had 1.5 first-choice applications for every place. It was 90% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- 1.5 first choices per place
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
Lidlington Primary School in detail
Lidlington Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At TJLS, we are always striving to improve what we do to make sure the children we serve are provided with the best education possible. We want to work alongside parents and carers to ensure our children grow into life-long learners, have a positive attitude to both success and failure, and have opportunities to develop both academically and personally."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Lidlington Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put Lidlington Primary School as their first choice and 44 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.5 first choices for every place. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Lidlington Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Lidlington Primary School are Marston Moreteyne VC School (1.5 miles, Good); Ridgmont Lower School (2 miles, Requires improvement); Husborne Crawley Lower School (2.6 miles, Good); and Cranfield Church of England Academy (2.7 miles, Good).
Marston Moreteyne VC SchoolRidgmont Lower SchoolHusborne Crawley Lower SchoolCranfield Church of England Academy
Who goes there
8.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (75%) and Mixed (13%).
In 2026, 16 pupils (17.4%) received SEN support and 1 (1.1%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Lidlington Primary School had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lidlington Rail Station, about 280 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hurst Grove (adjacent), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47).
Suspensions and exclusions
Lidlington Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
8.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
14.0
Avg class size
15.5
Infant (KS1)
15.5
KS2
5
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Lidlington Primary School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Lidlington Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Lidlington Primary School 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Lidlington Primary School
Will you get a place at Lidlington Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Lidlington Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Lidlington Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Lidlington Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Central Bedfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Lidlington Primary School 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
90%
Near capacity
81 pupils
90 places
9 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: 1.5 first choices per place
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
16
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
18.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
92
Total Pupils
54
Boys
38
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
11.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,889
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,753
Per pupil
£605k
Total funding
£11k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
11.8%
Persistent absence
68
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Lidlington Primary School
What is Lidlington Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Lidlington Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022.
What is the catchment area for Lidlington Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Lidlington Primary School 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 Lidlington Primary School?
Lidlington Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 90 places.
How big are the classes at Lidlington Primary School?
Classes at Lidlington Primary School average 14 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Lidlington Primary School?
Lidlington Primary School has around 92 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Lidlington Primary School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Lidlington Primary School in 2024/25. 11.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Lidlington Primary School?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Lidlington 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.
How many road collisions happen near Lidlington Primary School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Lidlington Primary School?
Lidlington Primary School is at Hurst Grove, Lidlington, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK43 0SB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)