Sheerhatch Primary School

About Sheerhatch Primary School

Sheerhatch Primary School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2021, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018. The inspection gave the school Good marks across the board, including for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. However, the school's academic outcomes tell a more complicated story. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, just 39% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is well below the local authority average of 57% for Bedford, and it places Sheerhatch 42nd out of 46 primary schools in the area. The school's ranking score of 39 puts it in the bottom 50 nationally. While the Ofsted report reflects a school that has turned a corner in its overall effectiveness, the exam data suggests there is still work to be done on core academic attainment.

Looking more closely at the individual subject results, the picture is mixed. In reading, 72% of pupils met the expected standard and 33% achieved the higher standard, with an average score of 105. That is a solid result. But in maths, only 50% reached the expected standard and 17% hit the higher mark, with an average score of 101. Writing was similar, with 50% at expected and none at the higher level. No pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined. The school's progress scores are not available, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. What is clear is that while reading is a relative strength, maths and writing lag behind both the national picture and the local average. For parents weighing up options, these figures suggest that if your child needs extra support in maths or writing, it is worth asking the school directly how it addresses those gaps.

Sheerhatch is a small primary school with 127 pupils against a capacity of 210, so there is plenty of space. It was oversubscribed for 2025/26, with 25 applications for 19 places and 18 first-preference offers made. The school offers a range of facilities including a sensory room, forest school, library, chapel, and playing fields. Sports on offer include swimming, dance, cricket, netball, football and rounders, and there are clubs such as book club, art club, film club and eco club. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families who want a school that has improved its Ofsted rating and offers a broad set of activities in a small setting, Sheerhatch could be a good fit, though the academic results are worth scrutinising carefully.

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