Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available

St Leonards, Heath and Reach, VA Lower School

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

personMrs Sarah Bowley

location_onLeighton Buzzard, LU7 0AX

language Visit Website phone 1525237253

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

118

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Demand Ratio

0.8x

summarize

St Leonards, Heath and Reach, VA Lower School is a Voluntary aided school primary school in Leighton Buzzard, serving ages 5-9. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

St Leonards, Heath and Reach, VA Lower School is a voluntary aided school in Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire, admitting pupils aged 5-9. The school has approximately 119 pupils on roll, of whom 10% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.8× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 20.0:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.8 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

Inspection Report

31 August 2025

Inspection Report

19 March 2024

Inspection Report

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10 November 2011

Inspection Report

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30 June 2010

Inspection Report

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01 November 2006

Inspection Report

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30 April 2001

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-03-19

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2011-11-10

S5 Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2006-11-01

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

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

1.7%per term

warning Above Average

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.8%(1 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 119 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.7%, which is above 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)	119	2	1.7%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	122	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	128	1	0.8%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	124	2	1.6%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	126	0	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	120	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	118	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	114	0	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	107	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	104	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	104	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	105	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	111	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	113	1	0.9%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	110	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	110	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	110	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	108	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	107	1	0.9%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	108	1	0.9%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	105	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	106	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	106	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	105	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	102	1	1.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	102	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 7 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 6 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 5 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

98.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

94.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

25.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree68%

agree25%

disagree4%

don't know4%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree64%

agree34%

disagree2%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree63%

agree14%

disagree4%

strongly disagree2%

not applicable18%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes18%

no82%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree90%

disagree10%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree55%

agree29%

disagree7%

don't know9%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree63%

agree34%

disagree2%

don't know2%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree61%

agree32%

disagree5%

don't know2%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree70%

agree27%

disagree4%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree77%

agree18%

disagree4%

strongly disagree2%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree57%

agree32%

disagree7%

don't know4%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes98%

no2%

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School Summary

Academic Performance

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)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

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