Russell Lower School

Russell Lower School continues to perform well as a good school, demonstrating positive learning outcomes and a happy environment for its pupils. The relationships between staff and students are underlined by respect and positivity, which contributes to good behavior and a supportive atmosphere for learning. The curriculum is broad and well thought out, enabling pupils to develop a good understanding and skills in preparation for their transition to middle school. Parents express positive feedback, highlighting the nurturing environment and progress made by their children.

Strengths

• Pupils show positive attitudes to learning and take pride in their work.
• Leaders and staff have high expectations that contribute to effective learning.
• The curriculum is well-structured, allowing pupils to build on prior knowledge.
• Strong emphasis on reading, with effective phonics teaching.
• Pupils with SEND make strong progress due to tailored support.
• Pupils engage in and are enthusiastic about broader educational experiences.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils read books that do not match their phonics knowledge, hindering their reading fluency.
• A few teachers lack secure subject knowledge in certain curriculum areas.

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 Russell Lower School attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.9% 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 Russell 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 Russell Lower School had 26.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 12.6% 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, 9.2% of pupils at Russell 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 Russell Lower School received £6,685 and spent £6,919 for each of its 437 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £237,000 (£543 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 Central Bedfordshire · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Russell Lower School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Russell Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?

Russell Lower School was last inspected in December 2022.

How many pupils does Russell Lower School have?

Russell Lower School has 437 pupils on roll.

What age range does Russell Lower School cover?

Russell Lower School for pupils aged 5 to 9.

Where is Russell Lower School?

Russell Lower School is at Queens Road, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, MK45 2TD.