Gravenhurst Academy

Gravenhurst Academy has achieved an outstanding rating across all key areas in its first routine inspection. The school has demonstrated exceptional quality in education, behaviour, personal development, leadership, and management, along with early years provision. The learning environment fosters curiosity and enthusiasm, allowing pupils to thrive, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). With a strong curriculum supported by the Bedfordshire Schools Trust, the school is well-prepared for the challenges ahead, ensuring that each pupil, irrespective of their background, can achieve their potential. Teachers are committed to delivering an engaging curriculum that emphasizes subject-specific vocabulary, enabling students to connect their learning effectively. The school's success is also attributed to its nurturing atmosphere where strong relationships among students and staff contribute to high attendance and exemplary behaviour. The commitment shown by leaders to staff development and well-being further enhances the school's community spirit and overall effectiveness.

Strengths

• Outstanding quality of education across all subjects.
• Strong curriculum with a focus on key knowledge and vocabulary.
• High expectations for student behaviour and engagement.
• Nurturing and supportive environment for all pupils.
• Effective support and adaptations for pupils with SEND.
• Impressive personal development programme with a variety of extracurricular activities.
• Strong leadership and management prioritizing staff well-being.

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 Gravenhurst Academy attended 92.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 18.3% 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, 5.6% of pupils at Gravenhurst 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 Gravenhurst Academy had 20.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.3% 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, 12.5% of pupils at Gravenhurst Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% 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 2024–25 Gravenhurst Academy received £7,493 and spent £6,959 for each of its 72 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £67,000 (£925 per pupil).

Across all 11 schools of Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited, income was £7,313 and spending £7,140 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 Bedford · Bedford local authority: places and applications

Gravenhurst Academy is part of Bedfordshire Schools Trust Limited, which runs 11 schools. The nearest others:

• Campton Academy Shefford
• Robert Bloomfield Academy Shefford
• Samuel Whitbread Academy Shefford
• Gothic Mede Academy Arlesey
• Etonbury Academy Arlesey
• Langford Village Academy Biggleswade
• Pix Brook Academy Stotfold
• Lawnside Academy Biggleswade
• St Christophers Academy Dunstable
• Castle Newnham School Bedford

What is Gravenhurst Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Gravenhurst Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Gravenhurst Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Gravenhurst Academy was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Gravenhurst Academy have?

Gravenhurst Academy has 72 pupils on roll.

What age range does Gravenhurst Academy cover?

Gravenhurst Academy for pupils aged 5 to 9.

Where is Gravenhurst Academy?

Gravenhurst Academy is at High Street, Gravenhurst, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HY.