Bushmead Primary & Nursery School

Bushmead Primary School is an inclusive and welcoming institution that has demonstrated a strong commitment to pupil achievement and personal development. The school has established a well-structured curriculum that allows pupils to revisit and build upon their prior knowledge effectively. The environment is conducive to learning, characterized by good behavior and positive relationships among pupils, which reinforces their pride in being part of the school community. However, challenges remain regarding attendance, with some pupils missing school too often, which hinders their overall learning experience.

Strengths

• Strong relationships among pupils and staff contribute to a positive school atmosphere.
• The curriculum is well-planned and allows for the progression of knowledge.
• Most pupils achieve well and are prepared for the next steps in learning.
• Pupils with SEND receive appropriate support and interventions.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding within the school.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not consistently introduce new vocabulary or concepts effectively.
• A few pupils have attendance issues that impact their learning.

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 Bushmead Primary & Nursery School attended 94.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.6% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Bushmead Primary & Nursery 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 Bushmead Primary & Nursery School had 24.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.3% 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, 4.0% of pupils at Bushmead Primary & Nursery 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 Bushmead Primary & Nursery School received £6,497 and spent £6,568 for each of its 701 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £474,000 (-£677 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 Bushmead Primary & Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bushmead Primary & Nursery School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Bushmead Primary & Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bushmead Primary & Nursery School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Bushmead Primary & Nursery School have?

Bushmead Primary & Nursery School has 720 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bushmead Primary & Nursery School cover?

Bushmead Primary & Nursery School for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Bushmead Primary & Nursery School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 60% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bushmead Primary & Nursery School?

Bushmead Primary & Nursery School is at Bushmead Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 7EU.