Linslade Lower School, Leighton Buzzard
Linslade Lower School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 9 in Leighton Buzzard. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2012. That was 14 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. For 2026 entry it had 1.6 first-choice applications for every place. It was 67% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- 1.6 first choices per place
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Central Bedfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Linslade Lower School in detail
Linslade Lower School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Linslade Lower School is a friendly, forward thinking school where we strive to make sure that our pupils are happy, safe and secure. We provide high quality teaching and support and an inspiring, creative curriculum to enable pupils to progress academically and socially. Please feel free to contact the school with any queries you may have."
The school runs after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Linslade Lower School
For September 2026 entry, 48 families put Linslade Lower School as their first choice and 119 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.6 first choices for every place. 18 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Linslade Lower School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Linslade Lower School are Southcott Lower School (0.2 miles, Good); Greenleas School (0.6 miles, Good); The Mary Bassett Lower School (0.6 miles, Good); and Pulford CofE VA Lower School (0.7 miles, Good).
Southcott Lower SchoolGreenleas SchoolThe Mary Bassett Lower SchoolPulford CofE VA Lower School
What parents say
109 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Linslade Lower School (as of April 2026): 99% would recommend the school, 99% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).
Who goes there
3.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (12%).
In 2026, 4 pupils (2.2%) received SEN support and 8 (4.4%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leighton Buzzard Rail Station, about 270 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Springfield Road (ne-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Linslade Lower School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 126 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Linslade Lower School issued 1 suspension, 0.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Linslade Lower School are Leighton Middle School (0.6 miles), Linslade School (0.7 miles), Cedars Upper School (0.8 miles) and Brooklands Middle School (1.4 miles).
Leighton Middle SchoolLinslade SchoolCedars Upper SchoolBrooklands Middle School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 11 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Linslade Lower School excels at creating a welcoming, caring environment where every child feels they belong. Pupils make strong progress in reading and maths, with the school quickly identifying any children who need extra support and providing effective help. Staff build warm relationships with families and work hard to remove any barriers to learning, resulting in excellent attendance and behaviour.
Key Strengths
- Strong achievement in reading, phonics and multiplication tables with pupils securing important building blocks of knowledge
- Excellent behaviour and attendance with pupils caring for each other and bullying being incredibly rare
- Well-identified needs for pupils with SEND, with barriers to learning addressed quickly and effectively
- Warm, positive relationships between staff and pupils creating a calm learning environment
- Inclusive community where pupils respect differences and feel they belong
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils not progressing quickly enough in writing despite school prioritising this area
- Need for more consistent support for certain pupils to help them close writing gaps
- Leaders and governors could be clearer about the intended impact of school improvement priorities to better measure success
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding where all legal requirements are met and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Leo football teams (boys and girls), school singing club, eco-monitors positions, young leaders roles, trips to local museums and zoos, themed days
Linslade Lower School is an effective school where pupils typically achieve well across subjects and enjoy attending regularly. The school has created a warm, inclusive community where pupils feel safe and cared for.
At a Glance
3.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
109 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
29.3
Avg class size
30.3
Infant (KS1)
30.5
KS2
6
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Linslade Lower School
From Linslade Lower School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Linslade Lower School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Linslade Lower School.
- Kidz Zone Club - Southcott Lower Sch410m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Linslade Lower School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Linslade Lower 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)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 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 Linslade Lower School
Will you get a place at Linslade Lower School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Linslade Lower School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Linslade Lower School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Linslade Lower 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 Linslade Lower 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
67%
Available places
150 pupils
225 places
75 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Leighton Buzzard
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leighton Buzzard
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: 1.6 first choices per place
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
6.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
181
Total Pupils
105
Boys
76
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
20.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,083
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,580
Per pupil
£904k
Total funding
£5k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.7%
Overall absence
1.7%
Persistent absence
121
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
Questions parents ask about Linslade Lower School
What is Linslade Lower School's Ofsted rating?
Linslade Lower School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Linslade Lower School?
No fixed boundary. When Linslade Lower 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 Linslade Lower School?
Linslade Lower School was not full in 2025: it ran at 67% of its 225 places.
How big are the classes at Linslade Lower School?
Classes at Linslade Lower School average 29.3 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Linslade Lower School?
Linslade Lower School has around 181 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Linslade Lower School?
2.7% of sessions were missed at Linslade Lower School in 2024/25. 1.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Linslade Lower School?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Linslade Lower 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.
Does Linslade Lower School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Linslade Lower School: Kidz Zone Club - Southcott Lower Sch (410m 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 Linslade Lower School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 9 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 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 Linslade Lower School?
Linslade Lower School is at Leopold Road, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 2QU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)