Caldecote Church of England Academy

About Caldecote Church of England Academy

Caldecote Church of England Academy is a small primary school in Central Bedfordshire, one of 95 state primary schools in the local authority. It sits in a landscape where only three schools hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating, making its Good rating a solid and realistic benchmark for families in the area. Among its local peers, the school is outranked by Lark Rise Academy, Totternhoe Church of England Academy, and Raynsford Church of England Academy, which score higher on the ranking metric used by the website. With just 71 pupils on roll against a capacity of 120, Caldecote is significantly undersubscribed, which is unusual for a Church of England school in this region. The school serves a community where 27.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, above the national average, and it offers nursery provision for children from age three. Headteacher Sarah Evans leads a mixed-gender, non-selective primary that operates within a faith context but is open to all local families.

Academically, Caldecote’s most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024 rated it Good across all five key areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This marks a clear improvement from its previous inspection in November 2021, when the school was judged to Require Improvement overall, with a score of 3 in every category. The turnaround is notable, particularly in early years and leadership, both now rated Good. The school does not publish Key Stage 2 SATs results in the data provided, so it is not possible to compare its academic performance directly against the local authority average of 54 points. However, the Ofsted report’s focus on behaviour and attitudes being Good suggests a calm and purposeful learning environment. The school has no sixth form, as it is a primary, and its small size means class sizes are likely to be very manageable, with just 11 total places available in the 2025/26 admissions round.

For families considering Caldecote, the practical picture is mixed. The school is oversubscribed, with 19 applications for 11 places and 10 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.73. This suggests it is popular among local parents despite its small size. Facilities are strong for a primary of this scale, including a sensory room, forest school area, sports hall, gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports provision covers swimming, netball, dance, cricket, rounders, and cross country, while clubs include art, coding, chess, and gardening. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and hearing impairment. This makes the school a viable option for families whose children require targeted support within a mainstream setting. The school’s Church of England character is reflected in its chapel and likely assemblies, but the data does not specify any faith-based admissions criteria. Caldecote will suit families who value a small, community-focused primary with strong pastoral support and a broad range of activities, particularly those who prefer a school that has demonstrably improved its quality in recent years.

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