Raynsford Church of England Academy

Raynsford Church of England Academy has effectively maintained its standards since the last inspection, demonstrating a commitment to its core values of respect and inclusivity. Pupils feel safe and are proud of their school, exhibiting good behavior and a positive attitude towards their education. The school has introduced an ambitious curriculum, particularly in reading, writing, and mathematics, which has resulted in most pupils attaining expected standards by the time they complete Year 6. This ungraded inspection reveals the school's strengths in supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), ensuring they feel included and making good progress.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate strong behaviors and interactions based on core values.
• The school has a well-thought-out and ambitious curriculum in core subjects.
• Effective training for staff enhances expertise in English and mathematics.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND, allowing them to make good progress.
• Early years curriculum helps children develop rapidly and engage in learning.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils in early stages of writing require more practice for fluent handwriting.
• Wider curriculum training for staff needs improvement to enhance delivery.

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 Raynsford Church of England Academy attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 2.9% 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 Raynsford Church of England Academy 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 Raynsford Church of England Academy had 25.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.9% 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, 11.0% of pupils at Raynsford Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.3% 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 2024–25 Raynsford Church of England Academy received £7,298 and spent £7,084 for each of its 225 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £22,000 (£98 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Central Bedfordshire · Central Bedfordshire local authority: places and applications

What is Raynsford Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Raynsford Church of England Academy is Good, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was Raynsford Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Raynsford Church of England Academy was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does Raynsford Church of England Academy have?

Raynsford Church of England Academy has 246 pupils on roll.

What age range does Raynsford Church of England Academy cover?

Raynsford Church of England Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Raynsford Church of England Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Raynsford Church of England Academy?

Raynsford Church of England Academy is at Park Lane, Henlow, Bedfordshire, SG16 6AT.