Westoning Lower School
Westoning Lower School is an academy converter in Bedford for pupils aged 2 to 9. It has 115 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Westoning Lower School is Good, from an inspection in February 2019 of its predecessor, Westoning Lower School. It has more teachers for its size than most primary schools: 15.7 pupils for each teacher in 2025/26, against 20.7 nationally.
Ofsted inspection: June 2024.
| Type | Primary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 2-9 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | High Street Westoning Bedford Bedfordshire MK45 5JH |
| Reference Number | 147994 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 115 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 53.04%
Girls: 46.96% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 27.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 13% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 20.6 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 20 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 21.5 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | 9 | 24 |
| 2 | 8 | 7 | 15 |
| 3 | 10 | 13 | 23 |
| 4 | 10 | 10 | 20 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 76.5% |
| White & Asian | 4.3% |
| White, Other | 3.5% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 3.5% |
| African | 3.5% |
| Unclassified | 1.7% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.7% |
| Irish | 0.9% |
This school has not been graded since it changed URN, usually on converting to an academy. The rating shown is from its predecessor, Westoning Lower School, inspected in February 2019.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 05 Jun 2024 – no overall grade published for this inspection |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 05 Jun 2024 | School inspection |
| 06 Jun 2020 | Academy conversion letter |
| 20 Feb 2019 | Short inspection |
| Previously as Westoning Lower School | |
| 01 Jul 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 12 Jan 2015 | Monitoring visit |
| 06 Feb 2014 | Full inspection: |
| 23 Jun 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 05 Nov 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 13 May 2002 | Full inspection |
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 5 | 1 |
| Third Preference | 12 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 2 | 2 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Westoning Lower School had 98 pupils for 150 places. 52 places (34.7%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Harlington Primary” planning area
Central Bedfordshire counted 262 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 253 in 2029–30, down 3%.
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 135 | 135 | 135 | 150 | 150 |
| Pupils | 97 | 89 | 91 | 95 | 98 |
| Unfilled | 28.1% | 34.1% | 32.6% | 36.7% | 34.7% |
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 Westoning Lower School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 1.5% | 4.9% | 4.3% | 5.1% | 3.3% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.5% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.8% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 0.0% |
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 Westoning Lower School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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 Westoning Lower School had 15.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 9.3 | 9.8 | 10.9 | 11.0 | 10.8 | 9.9 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 16.7% | 41.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6.2% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – |
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, 10.4% of pupils at Westoning Lower School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Social, emotional and mental health | 5 | 1 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 4 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 3 | 0 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 0 | 1 |
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 Westoning Lower School received £7,322 and spent £7,181 for each of its 111 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £9,000 (-£83 per pupil).
Across all 10 schools of The Pyramid Schools Trust, income was £6,877 and spending £6,932 per pupil.
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £6,000 | £30,000 | £68,000 | -£15,000 | -£9,000 |
| per pupil | £54 | £289 | £682 | -£140 | -£83 |
| In-year balance | £5,000 | -£33,000 | -£17,000 | £14,000 | £16,000 |
| per pupil | £48 | -£320 | -£172 | £125 | £141 |
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.
| Name | Distance |
|
Harlington Lower School
Westoning Road, Harlington, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 6PD |
1.08 miles |
|
Flitwick Lower School
Temple Way, Flitwick, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 1LU |
1.26 miles |
|
Kingsmoor Lower School
Kingsmoor Close, Flitwick, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 1EY |
1.51 miles |
|
Woodland Middle School Academy
Malham Close, Flitwick, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 1NP |
1.52 miles |
|
Templefield Lower School
Malham Close, Flitwick, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 1AJ |
1.55 miles |
|
Greenfield CofE VC Lower School
Pulloxhill Road, Greenfield, Bedfordshire, MK45 5ES |
1.9 miles |
|
Parkfields Middle School
Park Road, Toddington, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 6AB |
2.77 miles |
|
Toddington St George Church of England School
Manor Road, Toddington, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 6AJ |
2.92 miles |
|
Sundon Lower School
Streatley Road, Upper Sundon, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 3PQ |
3.07 miles |
|
The Firs Lower School
Station Road, Ampthill, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 2QR |
3.07 miles |
|
Russell Lower School
Queens Road, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, MK45 2TD |
3.12 miles |
|
Silsoe CofE VC Lower School
Chestnut Avenue, Silsoe, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4GP |
3.15 miles |
|
Eversholt Lower School
Church End, Eversholt, Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, MK17 9DU |
3.19 miles |
|
Alameda Middle School
Station Road, Ampthill, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 2QR |
3.21 miles |
|
Orchard School & Nursery
Higham Gobion Road, Barton-le-Clay, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4RB |
3.29 miles |
|
Ramsey Manor Lower School
Manor Road, Barton-le-Clay, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4NS |
3.43 miles |
|
Arnold Academy
Hexton Road, Barton-le-Clay, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4JZ |
3.45 miles |
|
Maulden Lower School
Church Road, Maulden, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 2AU |
3.58 miles |
|
Chalton Lower School
Luton Road, Chalton, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 9UJ |
3.87 miles |
|
Ridgmont Lower School
High Street, Ridgmont, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK43 0TS |
4.22 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Harlington Upper School
Goswell End Road, Harlington, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 6NX |
1.07 miles |
|
Redborne Upper School and Community College
Flitwick Road, Ampthill, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 2NU |
2.55 miles |
|
Esland Bedford School
Unit 54, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HS |
4.1 miles |
|
Lealands High School
Sundon Park Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 3AL |
4.51 miles |
|
The Chiltern School
Parkside Drive, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 5PX |
4.67 miles |
|
Lea Manor High School
Northwell Drive, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 3TL |
4.72 miles |
|
Houstone School
Parkside Drive, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, LU5 5PX |
4.73 miles |
|
Woodlands Secondary School
Northwell Drive, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU3 3SP |
4.96 miles |
All schools in Bedford · Bedford local authority: places and applications
Westoning Lower School is part of The Pyramid Schools Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:
- Harlington Upper School Dunstable
- Harlington Lower School Dunstable
- Redborne Upper School and Community College Bedford
- Parkfields Middle School Dunstable
- Sundon Lower School Luton
- Ramsey Manor Lower School Bedford
- Arnold Academy Bedford
- Beecroft Academy Dunstable
- Brooklands Middle School Leighton Buzzard
What is Westoning Lower School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Westoning Lower School is Good, from an inspection in February 2019 of its predecessor, Westoning Lower School.
When was Westoning Lower School last inspected by Ofsted?
Westoning Lower School was last inspected in June 2024.
How many pupils does Westoning Lower School have?
Westoning Lower School has 115 pupils on roll.
What age range does Westoning Lower School cover?
Westoning Lower School for pupils aged 2 to 9.
Where is Westoning Lower School?
Westoning Lower School is at High Street, Westoning, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 5JH.