Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #36 in Central Bedfordshire public Top 98% UK

John Donne Church of England Primary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Anita Whitehurst

location_onBedford, MK44 3NL

language Visit Website phone 1767640346

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

120

school

Expected Standard

29%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.9x

summarize

John Donne Church of England Primary School is a Voluntary aided school primary school in Bedford, serving ages 3-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 98% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

John Donne Church of England Primary School is a voluntary aided school in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, admitting pupils aged 3-11. The school has approximately 121 pupils on roll, of whom 17% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 29% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 6% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #36 of 36 primaries in Central Bedfordshire and #13,911 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Requires improvement, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 16.1:1. There is 1 teaching vacancy.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

29%

LA 50%

Reading59% LA 68%

Writing71% LA 62%

Maths35% LA 62%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

42%

LA 49%England 61%

Reading83% LA 68% · Eng 74%

Writing67% LA 61% · Eng 72%

Maths42% LA 62% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

50%

LA 48%England 60%

Reading83% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Writing58% LA 61% · Eng 71%

Maths67% LA 63% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.1

Read

LA -1.4

-3.6 to 3.5

-2.1

Write

LA -2.4

-5.5 to 1.4

-3.6

Maths

LA -2.0

-6.9 to -0.3

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

50%

LA 57%England 65%

Reading75% LA 66% · Eng 73%

Writing63% LA 71% · Eng 78%

Maths63% LA 69% · Eng 79%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.7

Read

LA -2.0

-5.0 to 3.6

-3.5

Write

LA -2.1

-7.4 to 0.5

-2.7

Maths

LA -2.3

-6.5 to 1.0

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

LA 55%

Reading-% LA 66%

Writing-% LA 70%

Maths-% LA 65%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA -2.2

Write

LA -1.9

Maths

LA -2.1

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

28 November 2023

Inspection Report

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09 February 2022

Inspection Report

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17 January 2017

Inspection Report

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15 March 2016

Inspection Report

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08 March 2012

Inspection Report

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25 September 2008

Inspection Report

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20 September 2004

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

5 Evaluations

2023-11-28

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Requires improvement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2017-01-17

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2016-03-15

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2012-03-08

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2008-09-25

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 121 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	121	0	0.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	115	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	122	1	0.8%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	119	0	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	118	6	5.1%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	125	1	0.8%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	120	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	122	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	130	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	128	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	119	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	124	2	1.6%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	131	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	125	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	120	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	120	1	0.8%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	106	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	97	2	2.1%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	89	4	4.5%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	87	1	1.1%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	79	3	3.8%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	77	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	72	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	82	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	82	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	75	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 11 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 4 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 4 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 4 pupils

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John Donne Church of England Primary School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Central Bedfordshire

The Vale Academy

Lark Rise Academy

Clifton All Saints Academy

Raynsford Church of England Academy

Derwent Primary School

Slip End Village School