Silsoe CofE VC Lower School

Silsoe CofE VC Lower School has been rated as good overall, demonstrating a caring ethos that builds positive relationships among pupils and staff. The school creates an inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and valued, contributing to their happiness and enthusiasm for learning. While the curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced in most areas, some subjects lack clarity which affects pupil learning. The school's recent transition to a new site and growth in size, coupled with a new headteacher, offers a significant context for understanding this inspection.

Strengths

• Caring ethos fostering positive relationships
• Strong reading culture with effective support for struggling readers
• Enthusiastic and respectful pupils
• Well-planned early years curriculum promoting independence
• Effective training for teachers enhancing teaching quality
• Strong safeguarding culture ensuring pupil safety

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum areas lack precise sequencing and detail
• Older readers do not always have appropriately matched books
• Minor concerns regarding communication with some parents

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 Silsoe CofE VC Lower School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.8% 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, 3.2% of pupils at Silsoe CofE VC Lower School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Silsoe CofE VC Lower School had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.6% 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, 6.8% of pupils at Silsoe CofE VC Lower School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.0% 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 Silsoe CofE VC Lower School received £7,702 and spent £7,884 for each of its 251 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £34,000 (£137 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 Silsoe CofE VC Lower School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Silsoe CofE VC Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?

Silsoe CofE VC Lower School was last inspected in June 2023.

How many pupils does Silsoe CofE VC Lower School have?

Silsoe CofE VC Lower School has 251 pupils on roll.

What age range does Silsoe CofE VC Lower School cover?

Silsoe CofE VC Lower School for pupils aged 4 to 9.

Where is Silsoe CofE VC Lower School?

Silsoe CofE VC Lower School is at Chestnut Avenue, Silsoe, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4GP.