Maulden Lower School

Maulden Lower School is performing well, continuing to be classified as a good school during its recent inspection. Pupils thrive in a supportive environment where they exhibit strong values such as truthfulness and determination. The school emphasizes community involvement and encourages students to take on leadership roles, particularly older pupils who assist younger students. While most teachers are effective in promoting student learning, a few are still developing their curriculum expertise in some subjects. Therefore, some pupils could achieve even better with targeted support.

Strengths

• Pupils thrive in a supportive and values-driven environment.
• Effective curriculum for early reading and phonics supports fluent reading.
• Strong community engagement with local initiatives and support for residents.
• Pupils feel safe and are confident in sharing concerns with staff.
• Inclusive practices ensure pupils with SEND receive appropriate support.

Areas for Improvement

• A few teachers are still developing their subject knowledge in certain areas.
• New middle leaders need to establish consistent systems to evaluate and improve curriculum provision.

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 Maulden Lower School attended 94.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 10.1% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Maulden 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 Maulden Lower School had 25.6 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, 10.2% of pupils at Maulden Lower School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% 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 Maulden Lower School received £6,813 and spent £7,344 for each of its 156 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £82,000 (-£528 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

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What is Maulden Lower School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Maulden Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?

Maulden Lower School was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does Maulden Lower School have?

Maulden Lower School has 166 pupils on roll.

What age range does Maulden Lower School cover?

Maulden Lower School for pupils aged 2 to 9.

Where is Maulden Lower School?

Maulden Lower School is at Church Road, Maulden, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 2AU.