Sheerhatch Primary School, Bedford

Ofsted's report card from its 6 January 2026 inspection grades Sheerhatch Primary School on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "School leaders have ensured that pupils, along with their parents and carers, understand the importance of attending school regularly."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have established an inclusive culture throughout the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal development offer is broad and designed to build character and prepare pupils for life beyond school."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Over the past 3 years, too few pupils have achieved the expected standard in writing and mathematics by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Across the school, there are inconsistencies in the way the curriculum is taught."

Early years - Needs attention. "In the past, too few children have left early years prepared well enough for Year 1."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Current leaders, including governors, have provided stability and strategic direction for the school following a significant period of turbulence."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders must further train and support staff to strengthen their subject knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of teaching across the school. • Leaders must support staff to further develop the use of formative and summative assessment strategies to consistently meet the learning needs of pupils. • Leaders should ensure that teaching in the early years further supports children to learn, apply and practise the important skills they need to be ready for Year 1. • Leaders need to implement proposed curriculum changes, including the development of the writing curriculum, promptly to ensure pupil outcomes improve more quickly".

In its own words: "Sheerhatch Primary School runs across two sites, a mile and a half apart, occupying central village locations in Cople and Willington, which are situated off the A603 between Bedford and Sandy, with Cople to the South and Willington to the North."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, cross-country, dance, drama, orchestra, ukulele, Lego, STEM and book club.

The school runs after-school care until 5:10pm.

In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at Sheerhatch Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 56% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 70% in Bedford and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 72% in reading and 50% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Sheerhatch Primary School as their first choice and 27 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Sheerhatch Primary School are Shortstown Primary School (2 miles, Good, 75% reading, 77% maths); Goldington Green Academy (2.1 miles, Good, 79% reading, 73% maths); Cotton End Forest School (2.3 miles, Requires improvement, 93% reading, 83% maths); and Moggerhanger Primary School (2.5 miles, Good, 69% reading, 62% maths).

Sheerhatch Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

56 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sheerhatch Primary School (as of April 2026): 96% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 83% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (83%).

7% 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 (9%).

In 2026, 30 pupils (23.3%) received SEN support and 3 (2.3%) 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.

Sheerhatch Primary School had 9 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Sheerhatch Primary School.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is All Saints Church (s-bound), 30 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, other theft and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bedford (136).

In 2024/25, Sheerhatch Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 1.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.