Lark Rise Academy

About Lark Rise Academy

Lark Rise Academy sits at the very top of the primary school rankings in Central Bedfordshire, placing first out of 34 schools in the local authority. Its nearest competitors in the league table are Totternhoe Church of England Academy, Raynsford Church of England Academy, and The Vale Academy, all of which are strong performers in their own right. The school is one of only three primary schools in the entire local authority to hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across both its most recent inspections. In its March 2025 graded inspection, inspectors awarded top marks across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school is led by headteacher Romina Lang and serves 359 pupils, just one short of its full capacity of 360, which gives a sense of how sought-after it is locally.

Academically, Lark Rise Academy delivers results that comfortably exceed both the national and local averages. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 82% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Central Bedfordshire average of just 54%. The school’s maths average score was 108, and reading averaged 109, both well above the national benchmark of 100. At the higher standard, 14% of pupils achieved the top level across all three subjects, while 50% did so in maths and 45% in reading. Nationally, Lark Rise ranks in the top 8% of all primary schools for its combined expected standard score, and in the East of England region it sits in the top 7%. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the raw attainment figures alone make it clear that this is a high-performing school where most children leave Year 6 working at or above the level expected for their age.

The school is heavily oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 131 applications for just 44 places, with 68 families putting it as their first preference. Only 5.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is low compared with the national average, and 16% of parents responding to the Parent View survey said their child receives SEND support. The school lists provisions for moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and multi-sensory impairment. Facilities include a forest school, sensory room, sports hall, library, art studios, music rooms, and a chapel. There is a nursery provision for children from age three, and the school runs a wide range of clubs including drama, choir, chess, coding, art and film club. With its Outstanding rating, strong results and high demand, Lark Rise Academy is an obvious choice for families in Central Bedfordshire who want a consistently excellent state primary.

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