Stanbridge Lower School

Stanbridge Lower School is performing well overall, maintaining a 'Good' rating across all inspected areas. The school has created a positive environment where pupils feel valued and supported, leading to high levels of respect and good behavior among students. The curriculum is designed thoughtfully to build pupils' knowledge over time and is enriched by various extra-curricular activities, making school a vibrant place for learning. Parents appreciate the school’s role in the community and the caring relationship staff have with families and students alike.

Strengths

• Well-thought-out curriculum that builds knowledge over time.
• High levels of respect and good behavior among pupils.
• Strong emphasis on reading from early years.
• Effective support for pupils struggling with reading.
• Commitment to inclusion and understanding of diverse cultures.

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum areas have recently been reviewed and are in early stages of development.
• Leaders need to ensure all teachers receive adequate training for the new curriculum.

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 Stanbridge Lower School attended 93.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.3% 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, 0.8% of pupils at Stanbridge 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 Stanbridge Lower School had 16.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.9% 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, 8.3% of pupils at Stanbridge Lower School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.2% 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 Stanbridge Lower School received £8,608 and spent £8,365 for each of its 115 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £56,000 (-£487 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 Leighton Buzzard · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Stanbridge Lower School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Stanbridge Lower School is Good, from an inspection in November 2022.

When was Stanbridge Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?

Stanbridge Lower School was last inspected in November 2022.

How many pupils does Stanbridge Lower School have?

Stanbridge Lower School has 120 pupils on roll.

What age range does Stanbridge Lower School cover?

Stanbridge Lower School for pupils aged 3 to 9.

Where is Stanbridge Lower School?

Stanbridge Lower School is at Tilsworth Road, Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 9HY.