Little Bowden School, Market Harborough

From the headteacher's welcome: "Little Bowden is a two-form entry school that places the community and children at the heart of everything it does. Our school motto "Working together to love learning!" encapsulates this vision. At Little Bowden Primary School, in partnership with parents, the children are the centre of everything we do."

The school runs a breakfast club from 8:15am and after-school care.

In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Little Bowden School reached the expected standard in reading and 76% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 77% in Leicestershire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (77% in reading, 72% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 45 families put Little Bowden School as their first choice and 120 named it as one of their preferences, for 47 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Little Bowden School are St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 87% reading, 77% maths); Farndon Fields Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 70% reading, 66% maths); Meadowdale Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 71% reading, 71% maths); and Market Harborough Church of England Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 93% reading, 87% maths).

Little Bowden School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

81 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Little Bowden School (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (86%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).

13.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 9.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (79%) and Mixed (8%).

In 2026, 41 pupils (11.1%) received SEN support and 7 (1.9%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Market Harborough Rail Station, about 700 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (adjacent), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Little Bowden School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 8th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 141 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 Leicestershire (58), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Little Bowden School issued 1 suspension, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Little Bowden School are Welland Park Academy (0.5 miles) and The Robert Smyth Academy (1 mile).