The Mary Bassett Lower School, Leighton Buzzard
The Mary Bassett Lower School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 9 in Leighton Buzzard. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024. It was 93% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- 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
The Mary Bassett Lower School in detail
The Mary Bassett Lower School in its own words
In its own words: "Please see the green menu on the right-hand side of this page for further information."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am very proud to introduce myself to you as Headteacher of The Mary Bassett Lower School. I have been at the school since January 2022. This is a welcoming and warm school and I feel privileged to be part of the team here."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, dance, choir, cooking and cheerleading.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at The Mary Bassett Lower School
For September 2026 entry, 50 families put The Mary Bassett Lower School as their first choice and 139 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 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 The Mary Bassett Lower School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Mary Bassett Lower School are Pulford CofE VA Lower School (0.3 miles, Good); The Rushmere Park Academy (0.5 miles, Good); Clipstone Brook Lower School (0.6 miles, Good); and Linslade Lower School (0.6 miles, Good).
Pulford CofE VA Lower SchoolThe Rushmere Park AcademyClipstone Brook Lower SchoolLinslade Lower School
Who goes there
16.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 27 pupils (7.1%) received SEN support and 11 (2.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leighton Buzzard Rail Station, about 860 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is West Street, 90 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 180 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Mary Bassett Lower School issued 17 suspensions, 4.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Mary Bassett Lower School are Leighton Middle School (0.2 miles), Brooklands Middle School (0.8 miles), Linslade School (0.8 miles) and Cedars Upper School (0.9 miles).
Leighton Middle SchoolBrooklands Middle SchoolLinslade SchoolCedars Upper School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils enjoy coming to school, especially to spend time with their friends at playtimes. They are respectful of each other and others' opinions. Pupils work to resolve any friendship issues sensibly. They know that they can go to any member of staff who will help them if they need it. Furthermore, they have their 'handy people', who they can turn to if they prefer.
Pupils are engaged, focused, and well behaved in lessons. They work well together and contribute enthusiastically to discussions. Due to recent changes in the curriculum, pupils enjoy the topics that they are learning about. They found their recent visit to Bletchley Park fascinating. They could see what they had learned about the Second World War first hand.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
There have been a considerable number of changes that have taken place at the school. The school has updated its vision and from this a new ambitious curriculum has been written. This curriculum starts in the early years. The school has ensured that the curriculum is relevant for its pupils. The curriculum is carefully organised so that it builds on pupils' previous knowledge. The school highlights the key vocabulary that pupils should know and be able to use. Teachers display this vocabulary prominently around the classrooms and refer to it regularly to help pupils remember it.
Subject leaders are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subjects. In most subjects, staff have good subject knowledge, which enables the pupils to learn more. However, staff do not have the detailed knowledge that they need of a few topics in some subjects. Therefore, staff cannot teach what is set out in these topics, or check pupils' understanding, accurately.
From Ofsted's May 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Early years.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
16.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
29.1
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
28.3
KS2
9
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with The Mary Bassett Lower School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Mary Bassett Lower School.
- Kidz Zone Club - Leighton Middle School250m away · Not yet graded
- Kik-Back Ltd850m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Mary Bassett Lower School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Mary Bassett 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)
- Collisions
- 40
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 36 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
10 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 The Mary Bassett Lower School
Will you get a place at The Mary Bassett Lower School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Mary Bassett Lower School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Mary Bassett Lower School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Mary Bassett 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 The Mary Bassett 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
93%
Near capacity
280 pupils
300 places
20 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Leighton Buzzard
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Leighton Buzzard
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)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
27
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
10.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
378
Total Pupils
200
Boys
178
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
25.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,543
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,482
Per pupil
£1692k
Total funding
£65k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
19.7%
Persistent absence
234
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
Questions parents ask about The Mary Bassett Lower School
What is The Mary Bassett Lower School's Ofsted rating?
The Mary Bassett Lower School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.
What is the catchment area for The Mary Bassett Lower School?
No fixed boundary. When The Mary Bassett 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 The Mary Bassett Lower School?
The Mary Bassett Lower School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 300 places.
How big are the classes at The Mary Bassett Lower School?
Classes at The Mary Bassett Lower School average 29.1 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Mary Bassett Lower School?
The Mary Bassett Lower School has around 378 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Mary Bassett Lower School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at The Mary Bassett Lower School in 2024/25. 19.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Mary Bassett Lower School?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Mary Bassett 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.
Does The Mary Bassett Lower School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of The Mary Bassett Lower School: Kidz Zone Club - Leighton Middle School (250m away, registered, not yet graded) and Kik-Back Ltd (850m 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 The Mary Bassett Lower School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 40 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 36 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 10 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 The Mary Bassett Lower School?
The Mary Bassett Lower School is at Bassett Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 1AR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)