Ashton St Peter's VA C of E School

About Ashton St Peter's VA C of E School

Ashton St Peter’s VA C of E School is a primary school in Central Bedfordshire that runs very close to full capacity, with 209 pupils against a published capacity of 210. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 14.4%, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools and suggests a moderately diverse intake in terms of economic background. Demand for places is notably high: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 87 applications for just 30 places, with 52 of those coming as first preferences. That works out at an oversubscription ratio of 2.9 applicants per place, a clear signal that local families are keen to secure a spot here. The school has a Church of England religious character and is led by headteacher David Bower. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in 2022, rated the school Good overall, a significant improvement from the Requires Improvement grade it received in its previous inspection in 2018.

Academically, the school’s Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 57%, which is just above the local authority average of 54% for Central Bedfordshire. However, the school ranks 15th out of 34 primary schools in the local authority on this metric, placing it in the bottom half regionally and nationally. Looking at individual subjects, reading and writing performed better: 77% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in writing, while maths lagged slightly at 67%. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in all three subjects was low, at just 3%. Average scaled scores were 105 in reading and 103 in maths, both close to the national average of 100. The school’s Ofsted report highlights behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding, with leadership and management, quality of education, personal development and early years provision all rated Good.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including an ICT suite, sensory room, sports hall, art studios, forest school area, music rooms, outdoor playground and a chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, athletics, swimming, rounders and cricket, while clubs include coding, film club, choir, art club, chess and drama. For children with additional needs, the school has identified five areas of SEND provision: specific learning difficulty (dyslexia), moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Given the high level of oversubscription, families living closest to the school or with a strong church connection are likely to have the best chance of securing a place. This is a school that has clearly turned a corner since its previous inspection and now offers a stable, well-regarded option for primary education in the Dunstable area, particularly for families who value a Church of England ethos and strong behaviour standards.

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