Classpot
Biggleswade Academy

Biggleswade Academy

Central Bedfordshire, SG18 8JUPrimary School·Ages 2-11
Goodby Ofsted

91%

Capacity

875

Pupils

1.4x

Demand

About Biggleswade Academy

Biggleswade Academy, a large state primary in Central Bedfordshire, has held a Good rating from Ofsted across its two most recent inspections, the latest of which took place in 2024. The most telling academic metric for this school is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2. At 72%, this figure sits well above the local authority average of 54%, placing the school sixth out of 34 primaries in Central Bedfordshire and in the top 25% nationally. The Ofsted report itself backs this up, awarding Good marks for quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. The early years provision, however, was rated Requires Improvement, which is worth noting for parents of younger children.

Looking deeper at the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the school's strengths are clear. In reading, 79% of pupils met the expected standard, with an average scaled score of 105. Maths performed similarly, with 79% at the expected level and an average score of 106. Writing was slightly lower at 75% reaching the expected standard. At the higher standard, the picture is more modest: just 3% of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, though 28% did so in maths alone and 24% in reading. The school's overall ranking score of 72 places it among the top 50 primaries in the East of England region, though it sits behind local peers like Lark Rise Academy and Totternhoe Church of England Academy, which scored 82 and 80 respectively.

Biggleswade Academy is a large school with 875 pupils on roll, operating well within its capacity of 957. It offers nursery provision for children from age two and has a chapel, library, sports hall, ICT suite and playing fields. Sports on offer include athletics, football, gymnastics and cricket, while clubs range from Eco Club and Science Club to Drama and Film Club. The school is oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 150 applications for 109 places and 68 first-preference offers made. It provides support for a range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health. This is a solid, well-regarded local school that delivers above-average academic outcomes, particularly in maths and reading, and suits families who value a broad range of activities alongside strong core results.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range2 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressMead End, Biggleswade, Central Bedfordshire, SG18 8JU
HeadteacherMark Steer
Local AuthorityCentral Bedfordshire
Number of Pupils875
Free School Meals (FSM)13.3%
School Capacity875 / 957 (91% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

1 May 2024
View Report

Overall Effectiveness

Good

Unchanged
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Additional Provisions

Early Years Provision
Requires improvement

Source: Ofsted, 9 Jun 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

League Table Position

Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (72%)

3479th of 13,686

Nationally

Top 50%

346th of 1,612

In East of England

Top 25%

6th of 34

In Central Bedfordshire

Top 25%

Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data

KS2 SATs Results

2023/24

Reading, Writing & Maths Combined

72%

Expected Standard

3%

Higher Standard

ReadingAvg Score: 105
Expected:79%
Higher:24%
Writing
Expected:75%
Higher:3%
MathsAvg Score: 106
Expected:79%
Higher:28%
RWM Expected Standard % over timeImproving +5%

'22/23

67%

'23/24

72%

Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Facilities

5
LibraryPlaying FieldsSports HallICT SuiteChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

AthleticsCross CountryFootballGymnasticsDanceCricket

Clubs & Activities

Eco ClubDramaFilm ClubArt ClubScience Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

Admissions

2025/26Oversubscribed
Places

109

Applications

150

Balanced

Applications roughly match available places

Applications to places ratio1.4x
0x1x2x3x5x+

69 families put this school as their 1st choice (46% of all applications)

Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.

Class profile

2024/25
Pupils per teacherBelow average
21.4pupils per qualified teacher

Half of schools in England do better than this.

Average class sizeAbove average
24.3pupils per class

Better than half of schools in England.

Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Pupils & demographics

2024/25
Free school meals13.3%

Below the national average (25%).

English as additional language11.7%

Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.

Ethnic background

  • White British77.8%
  • Mixed7.4%
  • White (other)3.0%
  • Asian3.0%
  • Black0.1%

Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.

Attendance & Behaviour

2024/25
Overall attendanceBelow average
94.6%

Half of schools in England do better than this.

Persistent absenteesAbove average
12.1%

Better than half of schools in England.

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

Fixed-period suspensionsBelow average
2.7 per 100

Half of schools in England do better than this.

A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.

Permanent exclusionsLike most schools
None

Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.

Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.

Catchment & Local Competition

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1 mile reference · no real data

No catchment data published for this school

The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.

⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.

Schools within 1 mile (reference area)

1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.

4

Total schools

3

Oversubscribed

3

Primary

Medium competition area

Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.

Frequently Asked Questions About Biggleswade Academy

Biggleswade Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.

Contact Information

01767660515www.biggleswadeacademy.org

Mead End, Biggleswade

Central Bedfordshire, SG18 8JU

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Mead End, Biggleswade

Central Bedfordshire, SG18 8JU

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Opening Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

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