Bedford Primary School

About Bedford Primary School

Bedford Primary School is a popular choice among local families, with 51 first-preference applications for 57 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 1.25 applications per place. While the school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, the oversubscription figure suggests a solid local reputation. The school is a mixed, state primary in Sefton, for children aged 4 to 11, with a non-religious character. It has a capacity of 420 pupils and currently hosts 407, so it's running very close to full. The headteacher is Ruth Braithwaite. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2017, the school was rated Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management, and early years provision. An ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. That's a notable improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, when it was rated Requires Improvement.

Academically, Bedford Primary's Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 39%, which is significantly below the Sefton local authority average of 59%. This places the school 52nd out of 59 primary schools in the borough, putting it in the bottom half locally and in the bottom 10% nationally. Looking at individual subjects, 57% of pupils met the expected standard in maths and writing, and 53% in reading. The average scaled scores in reading and maths were both 100, exactly in line with the national average. However, the proportion reaching the higher standard was low: 14% in maths, 10% in reading and just 4% in writing. The school's ranking score of 39 reflects these outcomes, and it's worth noting that the nearest Outstanding school, St Robert Bellarmine Catholic Primary, is 2.4 km away.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a library, playing fields, gymnasium, sports hall and even a chapel. Sports on offer include football, tennis, dance and cross country, while clubs extend to drama, choir, film club, eco club, art club and gardening. For families with children who have additional needs, Bedford Primary has a wide-ranging SEND offer, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language needs, visual impairment, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. With 51.1% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a community with above-average deprivation. This is a school that suits families who value a Good-rated local option with strong SEND support and a full programme of extracurricular activities, but who may want to look closely at the academic outcomes compared with other Sefton primaries.

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