Gravenhurst Academy
About Gravenhurst Academy
Gravenhurst Academy is a small state primary school in Central Bedfordshire, one of only three schools in the local authority to hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. It sits among 95 primary schools in the area, with its closest top-performing peers being Lark Rise Academy, Totternhoe Church of England Academy, and Raynsford Church of England Academy. The school serves children aged 5 to 9, with a current roll of 72 pupils against a capacity of 75, making it a notably intimate setting. Just 12.5 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. Headteacher Debbie Randall leads a school that is clearly in demand: for the 2025/26 intake, Gravenhurst received 36 applications for just 15 places, with 21 of those coming as first preferences. That oversubscription ratio of 2.4 to one tells you local families are keen to get in, and the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, awarded top marks across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership, and early years provision all rated Outstanding.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Mar 2024Source: Ofsted, 24 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:20
Source: gravenhurstacademy.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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