Flitwick Lower School

Flitwick Lower School has consistently maintained its status as a good school, demonstrating a positive environment where pupils feel safe and cared for. The school emphasizes high expectations, fostering a love for learning, and actively involves pupils in their educational journey. With effective leadership, strong support for special educational needs, and a commitment to the mental and physical well-being of students, the school is well-positioned to continue supporting its pupils' academic and personal growth. However, some areas require attention, particularly in enhancing the reading support for struggling pupils and the development of activities in the preschool setting to better align with educational goals.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and valued in a positive learning environment.
• High expectations from staff help pupils achieve their best.
• Strong support and progress made by pupils with special educational needs.
• Ambitious curriculum aimed at promoting a love of learning.
• Effective management of behaviour that rewards positive actions.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils struggle with blending sounds in reading despite receiving support.
• Preschool staff require better training to implement curricular aims effectively.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Flitwick Lower School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.6% of pupils at Flitwick Lower School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Flitwick Lower School had 25.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 8.6% of pupils at Flitwick Lower School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Flitwick Lower School received £6,335 and spent £6,356 for each of its 313 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £8,000 (-£25 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bedford · Bedford local authority: places and applications

What is Flitwick Lower School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Flitwick Lower School is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

When was Flitwick Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?

Flitwick Lower School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Flitwick Lower School have?

Flitwick Lower School has 336 pupils on roll.

What age range does Flitwick Lower School cover?

Flitwick Lower School for pupils aged 2 to 9.

Where is Flitwick Lower School?

Flitwick Lower School is at Temple Way, Flitwick, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 1LU.