St Mary's VA CofE Lower School, Clophill

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades St Mary's VA CofE Lower School on 7 areas: 5 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders promote the importance of regular attendance from the moment children join the Nursery Year."

Early years - Strong standard. "Early years provision builds firm foundations for children at the start of their educational journey."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Leaders build relationships with pupils and their families as soon as they join the school."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders maintain strong oversight of each area of the school's provision."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Pupils' personal development and wellbeing are highly valued."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Overall, pupils progress well through the curriculum in all subjects and are ready for their next stage of learning."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders ensure the school's ambitious curriculum clearly defines what pupils will learn in each subject and the sequence of learning."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure consistently high-quality teaching is embedded across all subjects and year groups, including effective use of questioning to check pupils' understanding and provide further challenge"; "Leaders should continue to embed the new curriculum for English so that standards of attainment improve, particularly in pupils' foundational knowledge and skills for writing, for example spelling, punctuation and grammar".

For September 2026 entry, 23 families put St Mary's VA CofE Lower School as their first choice and 47 named it as one of their preferences, for 26 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's VA CofE Lower School are Maulden Lower School (1.9 miles, Good); Silsoe CofE VC Lower School (1.9 miles, Good); Gravenhurst Academy (1.9 miles, Outstanding); and Campton Academy (2.4 miles, Good).

30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's VA CofE Lower School (as of April 2026): 83% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

9.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (90%) and Mixed (5%).

St Mary's VA CofE Lower School had 11 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 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 St Mary's VA CofE Lower School.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Mary's Church (outside), 150 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 6 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47).

In 2024/25, St Mary's VA CofE Lower School issued 9 suspensions, 6.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.