Maulden Lower School, Bedford
Maulden Lower School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 9 in Bedford. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade. It was 90% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
Maulden Lower School in detail
Maulden Lower School in its own words
In its own words: "It is our aim that children will be happy, kind and successful with a thirst for life and learning. They will be motivated by their school experience to achieve their personal potential in readiness for the next chapter of their lives. Maulden Lower will provide a richly inspiring curriculum, suitable for all."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is a real privilege to welcome you to Maulden Lower School. Maulden is a small, friendly and inclusive community school for children aged two to nine, set in a beautiful rural location in the heart of the village."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Maulden Lower School
For September 2026 entry, 23 families put Maulden Lower School as their first choice and 57 named it as one of their preferences, for 23 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Maulden Lower School are Russell Lower School (1.4 miles, Good); The Firs Lower School (1.7 miles, Good); Greenfield CofE VC Lower School (1.9 miles, Good); and St Mary's VA CofE Lower School (1.9 miles, Good).
Russell Lower SchoolThe Firs Lower SchoolGreenfield CofE VC Lower SchoolSt Mary's VA CofE Lower School
Who goes there
9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (87%) and Mixed (7%).
In 2026, 17 pupils (10.2%) received SEN support and 5 (3%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Flitwick Rail Station, about 2.3 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Maulden Lower School (adjacent), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47).
Suspensions and exclusions
Maulden Lower School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Maulden Lower School are Alameda Middle School (1.7 miles) and Redborne Upper School and Community College (1.8 miles).
Alameda Middle SchoolRedborne Upper School and Community College
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from October 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2012 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
9.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
27.2
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
26.0
KS2
5
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Maulden Lower School
Before and after school care
Maulden Lower School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Central Bedfordshire
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Maulden Lower School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Maulden 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)
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 Maulden Lower School
Will you get a place at Maulden Lower School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Maulden Lower School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Maulden Lower School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Maulden 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 Maulden 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
90%
Near capacity
135 pupils
150 places
15 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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
17
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
13.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
166
Total Pupils
91
Boys
75
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
27.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,184
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,818
Per pupil
£825k
Total funding
£20k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.0%
Overall absence
10.1%
Persistent absence
109
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
Maulden Lower School
Questions parents ask about Maulden Lower School
What is Maulden Lower School's Ofsted rating?
Maulden Lower School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Maulden Lower School?
No fixed boundary. When Maulden 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 Maulden Lower School?
Maulden Lower School was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 150 places.
How big are the classes at Maulden Lower School?
Classes at Maulden Lower School average 27.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Maulden Lower School?
Maulden Lower School has around 166 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Maulden Lower School?
6% of sessions were missed at Maulden Lower School in 2024/25. 10.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Maulden Lower School?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Maulden 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 Maulden Lower School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Maulden Lower School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Maulden Lower 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 Maulden Lower School?
Maulden Lower School is at Church Road, Maulden, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 2AU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)