Wilstead Primary School, Bedford
Wilstead Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bedford, part of Heart Academies Trust.
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bedford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Wilstead Primary School in detail
Wilstead Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "We work in active partnership to enable all children to realise their potential. We follow the National Curriculum here at Wilstead. Full details are available on the Curriculum page."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our school lies at the heart of Wilstead and holds its position within it with pride and joy. It sits at the centre of the village, surrounded by the beautiful Bedfordshire countryside."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, rugby, multi-sports and dance.
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open evening on Wednesday 18 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 9 December 2026 and an open evening on Wednesday 9 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Bedford
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
Wilstead Primary School has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2026, under its previous registration (URN 109492), 64% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.
Getting a place at Wilstead Primary School
Across Bedford, 93% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Bedford lodged 18 appeals against primary school offers; 8 reached a hearing and 2 succeeded (25% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Wilstead Primary School are Lakeview School (0.9 miles); Wixams Tree Primary Academy (1 mile, Good, 77% reading, 78% maths); Willow Grove Primary School (1.4 miles); and Cotton End Forest School (1.6 miles, Requires improvement, 93% reading, 83% maths).
Lakeview SchoolWixams Tree Primary AcademyWillow Grove Primary SchoolCotton End Forest School
The trust
Wilstead Primary School is one of 6 schools run by Heart Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Kempston Hardwick Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dines Close (opposite), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 42 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bedford (136).
Sources: DfE school performance data; GIAS establishment links; DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
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
Wilstead Primary School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2026. Before that, as Wilstead Primary School (URN 109492), it was rated Good in October 2023.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Results at Wilstead Primary School before it took its current form in 2026 (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25Published under the school's previous registration (URN 109492). There are no figures for it in its current form yet, so these are shown separately.
KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 64% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 84% to 64% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 68% to 72% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Wilstead Primary School
Young Carers Breakfast
22 Sep 2026
Eco Council Meeting
15 Sep 2026
Wilstead Primary School Launches Walking Bus to Promote Active Travel and Climate Awareness
7 Sep 2026
Wilstead’s Young Musicians Shine Throughout the Year
30 Jul 2026
Wilstead Primary Recognised for Supporting Young Carers
30 Jul 2026
Wilstead Primary Celebrates a Fantastic Year of Sporting Success
17 Jul 2026
From Wilstead Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Wilstead Primary School
Term dates
Wilstead Primary 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 Wilstead Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Wilstead Primary 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)
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 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
Will you get a place at Wilstead Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Wilstead Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Wilstead Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Wilstead Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bedford, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- 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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Applications and offers at Wilstead Primary School before it took its current form in 2026
Published under the school's previous registration (URN 109492). There are no figures for it in its current form yet, so these are shown separately.
| Entry year | Places offered | First choices | Named at all | First choices per place | First choices not offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | 20 | 55 | 0.9 | 0 |
| 2024 | 25 | 25 | 77 | 1.0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 29 | 29 | 68 | 1.0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 29 | 27 | 73 | 0.9 | 0 |
| 2021 | 22 | 18 | 69 | 0.8 | 0 |
| 2020 | 30 | 34 | 78 | 1.1 | 4 |
| 2019 | 21 | 21 | 60 | 1.0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 28 | 27 | 62 | 1.0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 30 | 28 | 64 | 0.9 | 0 |
| 2016 | 30 | 26 | 66 | 0.9 | 0 |
| 2015 | 26 | 25 | 69 | 1.0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 29 | 30 | 65 | 1.0 | 3 |
Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers (school-level file). "Places offered" is the number of offers made on national offer day, which can differ from the school's published admission number.
Capacity & Demand
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.
Absence at Wilstead Primary School before it took its current form in 20262024/25
Published under the school's previous registration (URN 109492). There are no figures for it in its current form yet, so these are shown separately.
4.3%
Overall absence
8.4%
Persistent absence
178
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
Wilstead Primary School
Questions parents ask about Wilstead Primary School
Are there exam results for Wilstead Primary School?
Wilstead Primary School has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2026, under its previous registration (URN 109492), 64% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.
What is Wilstead Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Wilstead Primary School has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2026. Before that, as Wilstead Primary School (URN 109492), it was rated Good in October 2023.
What is the catchment area for Wilstead Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Wilstead Primary School is oversubscribed, Bedford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How do I apply to Wilstead Primary School?
Apply through Bedford's coordinated admissions process, naming Wilstead Primary 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 Wilstead Primary 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 Bedford is 6 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Wilstead Primary School?
Wilstead Primary School is at Cotton End Road, Wilstead, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 3BX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)