Polam School, Bedford
Polam School is an independent school for pupils aged 1 to 9 in Bedford. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in June 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Polam School in detail
Polam School in its own words
In its own words: "For over a century, Polam has offered a warm, home-like environment where children feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. By placing wellbeing first, we create the conditions for children to grow in confidence and build strong academic foundations. Our approach is guided by our CORE values, which shape daily life at Polam and support both learning and personal development."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include swimming, cooking and art.
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 4 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 2 December 2026, an open day on Wednesday 3 February 2027 and an open day on Wednesday 5 May 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Bedford
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Polam School are Bedford Modern School (0.5 miles, selective); Bedford School (0.6 miles); Bedford Girls' School (0.9 miles); and Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School (1 mile).
Bedford Modern SchoolBedford SchoolBedford Girls' SchoolPilgrims Pre-Preparatory School
Who goes there
In 2026, 3 pupils (3%) received SEN support and 1 (1%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedford Rail Station, about 510 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Warwick Avenue (adjacent), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 779 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 Bedford (136), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted. Ofsted last inspected this school in 13 October 2009, before the latest ISI inspection.
Routine Inspection
23 June 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
4 July 2023
Regulatory Compliance
10 May 2018
Fees for 2026/27
Day fees, per year
£13,908
about £4,636 a term
Including VAT. From the school's own fee schedule; check with the school before you rely on it.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Polam School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 75
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 15
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 75 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 15 serious and 60 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
21 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 Bedford is 6 (the median across 85 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
48%
Available places
99 pupils
207 places
108 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bedford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bedford
Across Bedford council
Places available
2,556
Applications
2,095
Got 1st preference
90.6%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All secondary applications across Bedford council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
3
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
4.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
99
Total Pupils
50
Boys
49
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Polam School
When was Polam School last inspected?
Polam School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in June 2026.
How many pupils go to Polam School?
Polam School has around 99 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Polam School?
Polam School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Polam School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 75 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 15 serious and 60 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 21 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 Bedford is 6 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Polam School?
Polam School is at 45 Lansdowne Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 2BU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)