Southill Lower School, Biggleswade
Southill Lower School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 9 in Biggleswade. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2011. That was 15 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. It was 77% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Central Bedfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Southill Lower School in detail
Getting a place at Southill Lower School
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Southill Lower School as their first choice and 33 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 2 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Southill Lower School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Southill Lower School are Clifton All Saints Academy (2.2 miles, Good, 80% reading, 70% maths); Shefford Lower School (2.2 miles, Good); Langford Village Academy (2.3 miles, Good, 76% reading, 67% maths); and Caldecote Church of England Academy (2.5 miles, Good).
Clifton All Saints AcademyShefford Lower SchoolLangford Village AcademyCaldecote Church of England Academy
What parents say
26 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Southill Lower School (as of April 2026): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (96%).
Who goes there
16.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (85%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 7 pupils (9%) received SEN support and 5 (6.4%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Staffing
Southill Lower School had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Biggleswade Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.
1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is White Horse (outside), 340 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47).
Suspensions and exclusions
Southill Lower School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 11 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, welcoming environment where children quickly settle and develop genuine enthusiasm for learning. With excellent behaviour, strong attendance and above-average achievement in reading and maths, pupils receive tailored support to succeed. The school is particularly strong at including all learners - those with additional needs and disadvantaged pupils thrive alongside their peers through carefully planned support and high expectations.
Key Strengths
- Pupils achieve above national averages in phonics screening and multiplication checks with swift support to close learning gaps
- Consistently high attendance and impeccable behaviour with pupils showing self-discipline and respect for themselves and others
- Highly inclusive culture with effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils who achieve well
- Rich personal development programme focusing on positive relationships, mental health, British values and cultural diversity
- Strong federation partnership maximising professional learning opportunities and managing staff workload
Areas for Improvement
- Some children in early years who engage less readily with others do not consistently receive frequent, high-quality adult interactions to strengthen their learning and language skills
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met with leaders establishing an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed, keeping pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
School trips, Black History Month events, visits from people of different faiths, sports events, outdoor activities, school council, playtime ambassadors, lunchtime club for service children
Southill Lower School is a welcoming and nurturing school where pupils achieve well and develop strong foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have created a highly inclusive culture with excellent attendance, behaviour and personal development opportunities.
At a Glance
16.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
26 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
24.5
Avg class size
22.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Southill Lower School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Southill Lower School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Southill 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 Southill Lower School
Will you get a place at Southill Lower School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Southill Lower School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Southill Lower School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Southill 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 Southill 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
77%
Available places
58 pupils
75 places
17 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Biggleswade
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Biggleswade
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
15.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
78
Total Pupils
45
Boys
33
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
13.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,997
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£8,171
Per pupil
£526k
Total funding
£8k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
8.3%
Persistent absence
48
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Southill Lower School
What is Southill Lower School's Ofsted rating?
Southill Lower School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Southill Lower School?
No fixed boundary. When Southill 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 Southill Lower School?
Southill Lower School was not full in 2025: it ran at 77% of its 75 places.
How big are the classes at Southill Lower School?
Classes at Southill Lower School average 24.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Southill Lower School?
Southill Lower School has around 78 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Southill Lower School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at Southill Lower School in 2024/25. 8.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Southill Lower School?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Southill 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.
How many road collisions happen near Southill 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 Southill Lower School?
Southill Lower School is at School Lane, Southill, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 9JA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)