Ridgmont Lower School, Bedford
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 10 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This is a small, welcoming school where every child matters and feels valued. Staff are highly skilled at understanding how each child learns and providing the right support, whether they need extra help or are ready for greater challenge. Pupils develop strong character alongside their learning - showing kindness, resilience, and teamwork - which prepares them brilliantly for their next stage of education.
Key Strengths
- Excellent behaviour and attendance with calm, purposeful classrooms and strong relationships between pupils and staff
- Highly effective phonics teaching and reading support for all learners, including those joining mid-year
- Strong focus on pupils' emotional wellbeing and personal development, helping them build resilience and confidence
- Inclusive approach with effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
- Well-trained staff who understand individual learning needs and provide tailored support
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils need greater support to develop secure writing skills across the curriculum
- Inconsistency in pupils' application of grammar skills, such as correct use of capital letters, in wider curriculum subjects
- Further development needed to ensure all curriculum subjects are taught as consistently well as reading, writing and mathematics
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Physical education, art, singing, parkour
Ridgmont Lower School is a small, caring school where pupils arrive eager to learn and develop strong relationships. The school has made positive progress addressing previous inspection priorities, particularly in reading and early years communication skills.
At a Glance
22.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
3.0
Avg class size
2.0
Infant (KS1)
2.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
12%
Available places
11 pupils
90 capacity
79 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Bedford
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bedford
Admissions Demand - Central Bedfordshire
Places available
4,163
Applications
3,574
Got 1st preference
90.0%
Got preferred school
97.0%
Primary admissions across Central Bedfordshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(8)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2023/24
5.46875%
Overall absence
16.66667%
Persistent absence
6
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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