Swallowfield Primary, Milton Keynes
Swallowfield Primary is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Milton Keynes. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 39th-highest of the 60 schools in Milton Keynes with published results, and 8,057th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Central Bedfordshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Swallowfield Primary in detail
Swallowfield Primary in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Swallowfield Primary is a values school. The ethos of our school is based on our values of and this includes good manners, respect, kindness and hard work. We have very high expectations of behaviour at Swallowfield."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Swallowfield Primary reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 72% and 66% in Central Bedfordshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 63% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Swallowfield Primary
For September 2026 entry, 45 families put Swallowfield Primary as their first choice and 86 named it as one of their preferences, for 46 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Swallowfield Primary are St Mary's Wavendon CofE Primary (1.1 miles); Aspley Guise Village School (1.2 miles); Wavendon Gate School (1.3 miles, Good, 72% reading, 77% maths); and Bow Brickhill CofE VA Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 92% reading, 85% maths).
Swallowfield Primary's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
St Mary's Wavendon CofE PrimaryAspley Guise Village SchoolWavendon Gate SchoolBow Brickhill CofE VA Primary School
What parents say
115 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Swallowfield Primary (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 73% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (73%).
Who goes there
9.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 37 pupils (8.1%) received SEN support and 7 (1.5%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Woburn Sands Rail Station, about 250 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Woburn Sands Railway Station (opposite), 200 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
Swallowfield Primary recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Swallowfield Primary are Fulbrook School (0.2 miles), Glebe Farm School (1.1 miles) and Walton High (1.7 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from December 2011, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Swallowfield Primary excels at creating a warm, inclusive environment where children thrive both academically and personally. The school provides outstanding opportunities for wider learning through residential trips, woodland activities and community projects that develop well-rounded, responsible citizens. Reading is taught very well, with pupils developing confidence and enjoying books from an early age.
Key Strengths
- Pupils develop strong reading skills with effective phonics teaching and a well-considered reading curriculum
- Personal development is outstanding with rich enrichment activities including residential trips, woodland learning, and community projects
- Behaviour is calm and respectful with warm relationships between staff and pupils
- Early years provision is good with stimulating activities that prepare children well for Year 1
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs ensures they can access the curriculum well
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching of writing is inconsistent, particularly in spelling, handwriting and grammar, which limits how well some pupils express their ideas
- Teachers do not check carefully enough what pupils know in some foundation subjects, so teaching is not always adjusted to meet pupils' needs
- Some pupils do not receive clear guidance on how to improve the quality of their work
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, cricket, art, woodland learning, residential trips, community projects, anti-bullying ambassadors, school parliament
Swallowfield Primary is a welcoming and inclusive school where pupils are proud to learn and behave respectfully. The school has successfully transitioned from a lower school to a primary school and maintains good standards across most areas.
At a Glance
9.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
115 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 63% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 70% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 42% to 71% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.2
Avg class size
28.8
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Swallowfield Primary
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Swallowfield Primary.
- Stagecoach Milton Keynes East650m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Swallowfield Primary from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Swallowfield Primary 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)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
2 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 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 Swallowfield Primary
Will you get a place at Swallowfield Primary? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Swallowfield Primary's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Swallowfield Primary:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Swallowfield Primary.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Central Bedfordshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Swallowfield Primary 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
97%
Near capacity
406 pupils
420 places
14 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Milton Keynes
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Milton Keynes
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: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
9.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
458
Total Pupils
239
Boys
219
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
21.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,891
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,023
Per pupil
£2193k
Total funding
£65k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
8.7%
Persistent absence
356
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
Swallowfield Primary
Questions parents ask about Swallowfield Primary
What are SATs results like at Swallowfield Primary?
Of the pupils at Swallowfield Primary who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Swallowfield Primary's Ofsted rating?
Swallowfield Primary's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Swallowfield Primary?
No fixed boundary. When Swallowfield Primary 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 Swallowfield Primary?
Swallowfield Primary was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Swallowfield Primary?
Classes at Swallowfield Primary average 29.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Swallowfield Primary?
Swallowfield Primary has around 458 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Swallowfield Primary?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Swallowfield Primary in 2024/25. 8.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Swallowfield Primary?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Swallowfield Primary 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 Swallowfield Primary have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Swallowfield Primary: Stagecoach Milton Keynes East (650m 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 Swallowfield Primary?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 2 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 Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Swallowfield Primary?
Swallowfield Primary is at Weathercock Close, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, MK17 8SR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)