Classpot

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School

Bedford, MK40 4ATPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Oct 2023
KS2 Results
35%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
25 1st-choice / 26 places
Ranking
#12,987
of 13,686 nationally

About St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School in Bedford has been rated Good across the board in its most recent Ofsted inspection, a significant improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement. The school’s 2023 inspection awarded Good for overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. When it comes to academic outcomes, the most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined: just 35 per cent. That figure is well below the Bedford local authority average of 57 per cent for primary schools, and it places the school 46th out of 46 primary schools in the authority. In the East of England, it ranks in the bottom 10 per cent of schools nationally for this measure. The school’s ranking score of 35 reflects these challenges, though it’s worth noting that individual subject results tell a more mixed story.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressBiddenham Turn, Bedford, Bedford, MK40 4AT
HeadteacherGemma Otter
Local AuthorityBedford
Number of Pupils328
Free School Meals (FSM)30.6%
School Capacity328 / 525 (62% full)

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 English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

17 Oct 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 15 Nov 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

6
Music RoomsICT SuiteSports HallPlaying FieldsArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

NetballAthleticsFootballCricketRoundersCross CountryTennis

Clubs & Activities

DramaFilm ClubChoir

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:15

Source: stfrancisofassisiprimarybedford.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.