Elstow School
Primary · Academy converter · Ages 4–11 · Bedford
Last distance offered · Reception 2026
Every applicant was offered a place
From Bedford Borough Council · offers on 16 April 2026
2025 figure 🔒
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
Elstow School is a primary school in Bedford for ages 4–11 (academy converter). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Standards maintained, from the inspection on 26 February 2025. Bedford has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2025 to 2026 entry.
Elstow School catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Reception 2026 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2025 | 🔒 With a pass |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- In 2024/25, 74% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), and 5% reached the higher standard (England 8%).
- Every applicant for Reception in 2026 was offered a place, as at 43 of the 53 other Bedford primary schools with a published Reception 2026 outcome.
- Reception 2026 had 39 first-choice applications for 42 offers; every first-choice family was offered a place and 3 offers went to families ranking it second or lower.
- 21.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, against a middle figure of 28.5% across the 8 nearest primary schools in Bedford.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Bedford schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Abbey Fields, Elstow, Bedford, MK42 9GP
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4–11
- Council
- Bedford
- Pupils on roll
- 413 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 21.1% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 22
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Standards maintained Inspected 26 February 2025
Strengths
- “Very high expectations of behaviour underpin everything at Elstow.”
- “Pupils successfully follow the consistent and well-established routines of the school day.”
- “They always display commendable behaviour.”
To improve
- “On some rare occasions, there are instances where teachers do not fully align with the school’s established expectations.”
- “When this occurs, opportunities for pupils to rehearse and practise may not be fully optimised.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 3 April 2025 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 74% | 62% |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Reception entry: 39 first-preference applications, 42 offers in total, 39 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby primary schools
Straight-line distance, in Bedford.
- Shackleton Primary School 0.8 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- King's Oak Primary School 0.9 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Springfield Primary School 0.9 mi Good Last distance published
- Camestone School 1.0 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Cauldwell School 1.0 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Shortstown Primary School 1.4 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Bedford Road Primary Academy 1.4 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Lakeview School 1.5 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published