Great Denham Primary School

Great Denham Primary has achieved an outstanding rating across all domains in its latest Ofsted inspection, a significant improvement from its previous grade of good. The school provides a vibrant learning environment where pupils are engaged in a wide range of activities that foster a love for learning and prepare them well for future challenges. With a strong emphasis on personal development, the school cultivates values of compassion, community involvement, and resilience among its pupils, which contributes positively to their overall school experience.

Strengths

• Exceptional quality of education with a well-structured curriculum.
• Strong emphasis on reading and writing with practical applications.
• Highly effective teaching and support for pupils with special educational needs.
• Broad and high-quality personal development program.
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils creating a supportive environment.
• Strong pupil leadership and community involvement.

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 Great Denham Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.8% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Great Denham Primary 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 Great Denham Primary School had 24.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 13.2% 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, 12.6% of pupils at Great Denham Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.8% 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 Great Denham Primary School received £6,619 and spent £6,486 for each of its 677 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £33,000 (-£49 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 Bedford · Bedford local authority: places and applications

What is Great Denham Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Great Denham Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in July 2024.

When was Great Denham Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Great Denham Primary School was last inspected in July 2024.

How many pupils does Great Denham Primary School have?

Great Denham Primary School has 677 pupils on roll.

What age range does Great Denham Primary School cover?

Great Denham Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Great Denham Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Great Denham Primary School?

Great Denham Primary School is at Greenkeepers Road, Great Denham, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4GG.