St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School, Bedford
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bedford, part of Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Academies Trust Ltd. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 38th-highest of the 53 schools in Bedford with published results, and 11,866th of 14,452 across England. It was 68% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bedford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School in detail
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School in its own words
On phones, the school says: "The use of mobile phones is not permitted on our school premises."
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School reached the expected standard in reading and 63% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 70% in Bedford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 71% in reading and 49% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
For September 2026 entry, 20 families put St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 21 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School are Westfield Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 68% reading, 60% maths); Queen's Park Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 84% reading, 79% maths); Great Ouse Primary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 82% reading, 76% maths); and St James' CofE Academy (0.6 miles, 79% reading, 64% maths).
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Westfield Primary SchoolQueen's Park AcademyGreat Ouse Primary AcademySt James' CofE Academy
The trust
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School is one of 12 schools run by Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Academies Trust Ltd, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 12 schools in Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Academies Trust Ltd
Who goes there
81.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (33%), Black (28%) and Mixed (9%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedford Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Gregorys & St Josephs Sch (opposite), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 8th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 435 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School issued 7 suspensions, 2.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School are Biddenham International School and Sports College (0.2 miles), Bedford Free School (1.2 miles) and Daubeney Academy (1.8 miles).
Biddenham International School and Sports CollegeBedford Free SchoolDaubeney Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
32.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 71% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 49% to 63% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 53% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.6
Avg class size
21.0
Infant (KS1)
27.5
KS2
11
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School.
- SSG Services520m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Bedford's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School is in Bedford; for families living there:
Apply to Bedford for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 11 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
6 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
Your chances of a place at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
Will you get a place at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bedford, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School for 2018 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bedford 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
68%
Available places
286 pupils
420 places
134 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 Bedford council
Places available
2,655
Applications
1,990
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Bedford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
40
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
18.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
271
Total Pupils
131
Boys
140
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
20.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,205
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,997
Per pupil
£1925k
Total funding
£132k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.5%
Overall absence
16.1%
Persistent absence
286
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
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
Questions parents ask about St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
What are SATs results like at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
Of the pupils at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 63% did so in maths.
What is St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School's Ofsted rating?
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
No fixed boundary. When St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School is oversubscribed, Bedford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School was not full in 2025: it ran at 68% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
Classes at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School average 24.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School has around 271 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
5.5% of sessions were missed at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School in 2024/25. 16.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
Apply through Bedford's coordinated admissions process, naming St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-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 St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School: SSG Services (520m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 11 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 6 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 St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School?
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School is at Biddenham Turn, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4AT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)