Linslade Lower School
77%
Capacity
173
Pupils
2.7x
Demand
About Linslade Lower School
Linslade Lower School is a state primary in Central Bedfordshire, a local authority where just three of 95 similar schools hold an Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The school itself sits comfortably within the local landscape, ranked among the middle tier of its peers. Its closest high-performing neighbours include Lark Rise Academy, Totternhoe Church of England Academy, and Raynsford Church of England Academy, all of which score higher on the local ranking index. For families seeking an Outstanding-rated alternative, the nearest is Dovery Academy, 2.1 kilometres away. Linslade caters for children aged three to nine, with a nursery on site, and is led by headteacher Hazel Farlam. The school has a capacity of 225 pupils but currently enrols 173, meaning there is some room to grow. Its religious character is listed as not applicable, and it is a mixed, non-boarding school.
In its most recent graded inspection in 2012, Ofsted rated Linslade Lower School as Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. An ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good, with no change to its rating. The previous inspection in 2009 also awarded a Good rating, so the school has held a consistent standard over time. Academic outcomes at Key Stage 2 are not provided in the data, but the local authority average for KS2 attainment is 54, which gives a useful benchmark for parents to compare against when results become available. The school’s Progress 8 score is also absent from the data, so it is not possible to comment on pupil progress relative to peers. What is clear is that the school has maintained a stable Ofsted record across three inspections spanning more than a decade.
Linslade offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, outdoor playground, art studios, playing fields, an ICT suite, and a chapel. Sports on offer include gymnastics, swimming, cross country, athletics, and netball, while clubs range from book club and chess to gardening, film club, art club, and eco club. The school has identified five SEND provisions: specific learning difficulty (dyslexia), social emotional and mental health, speech language and communication, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed with 80 applications for 30 places, a ratio of 2.67 applicants per place. Of those, 37 were first-preference applications, and 29 first-preference offers were made. This level of demand suggests the school is well-regarded locally, and families should plan accordingly for admissions.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 9 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Leopold Road, Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire, LU7 2QU |
| Headteacher | Hazel Farlam |
| Local Authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 173 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 3.1% |
| School Capacity | 173 / 225 (77% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
27 Jan 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (27 Jan 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 30 May 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
6Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed30
80
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
37 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.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:30
Source: linsladelower.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British85.0%
- Mixed10.4%
- White (other)2.9%
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
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
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
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.
8
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
5
Primary
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Linslade Lower School
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KS2 SATs Explained
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SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Leopold Road, Leighton Buzzard
Central Bedfordshire, LU7 2QU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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