Ofsted: Requires improvement

Marston Vale Middle School

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

personMrs Estelle Jennings

corporate_fareCHILTERN LEARNING TRUST

location_onBedford, MK43 9NH

language Visit Website phone 1234768224

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

580

school

Expected Standard

54%

cake

Age Range

9-13

summarize

Marston Vale Middle School is a Academy converter secondary school in Bedford, serving ages 9-13. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

article

School Summary

Marston Vale Middle School is an academy converter in Bedford, admitting pupils aged 9-13. It is part of CHILTERN LEARNING TRUST. The school has approximately 571 pupils on roll, of whom 22% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 54% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 4% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #30 of 54 primaries in Bedford and #10,615 of 15,231 nationally.

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

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.2:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 3.5 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

54%

LA 53%

Reading71% LA 70%

Writing73% LA 64%

Maths62% LA 66%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

38%

LA 54%England 61%

Reading62% LA 70% · Eng 74%

Writing61% LA 64% · Eng 72%

Maths59% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

54%

LA 51%England 60%

Reading73% LA 66% · Eng 73%

Writing67% LA 61% · Eng 71%

Maths66% LA 66% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-1.0

Read

LA 0.2

-2.0 to 0.0

-2.7

Write

LA -1.2

-3.7 to -1.8

-1.7

Maths

LA -0.1

-2.7 to -0.7

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

54%

LA 55%England 65%

Reading65% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Writing79% LA 67% · Eng 78%

Maths68% LA 71% · Eng 79%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-3.2

Read

LA -1.5

-4.3 to -2.2

-1.5

Write

LA -2.5

-2.5 to -0.5

-2.9

Maths

LA -2.1

-3.8 to -2.0

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

49%

LA 45%

Reading62% LA 56%

Writing79% LA 65%

Maths68% LA 57%

Read SS

102

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.2

Read

LA -2.9

-5.3 to -3.1

-1.7

Write

LA -2.4

-2.7 to -0.7

-3

Maths

LA -2.7

-4 to -2

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

08 October 2024

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

07 June 2022

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

07 February 2018

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

Inspection Report

Inspection History

4 Evaluations

2024-10-08

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2022-06-07

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2018-02-07

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2016-01-26

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

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

Suspension Rate

4.4%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.2%(18 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: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 571 pupils. During this period, there were 25 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 4.4%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	571	25	4.4%	7.3%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	583	15	2.6%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	595	13	2.2%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	599	16	2.7%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	603	26	4.3%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	583	37	6.3%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	580	20	3.4%	6.4%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	582	28	4.8%	5.9%	1
2021/22 (Summer term)	547	31	5.7%	4.7%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	548	25	4.6%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	539	18	3.3%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	496	15	3.0%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	486	1	0.2%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	485	19	3.9%	3.9%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	479	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	479	11	2.3%	3.2%	1
2019/20 (Autumn term)	466	17	3.6%	4.2%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	467	25	5.4%	3.1%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	464	31	6.7%	3.8%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	459	20	4.4%	3.8%	1
2017/18 (Summer term)	522	28	5.4%	3.4%	1
2017/18 (Spring term)	0	30	-	3.0%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	0	17	-	3.7%	0

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

accessibility_new

psychology_alt

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 16 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 13 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 10 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 9 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 7 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 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.

86.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

89.0%Positive

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

17.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree25%

agree57%

disagree6%

strongly disagree4%

don't know8%

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

strongly agree20%

agree45%

disagree25%

strongly disagree4%

don't know5%

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

strongly agree27%

agree27%

disagree13%

strongly disagree6%

don't know1%

not applicable26%

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

yes24%

no76%

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

strongly agree29%

agree29%

disagree29%

strongly disagree6%

dont know6%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree36%

agree42%

disagree5%

strongly disagree5%

don't know13%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree33%

agree45%

disagree9%

strongly disagree2%

don't know13%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree21%

agree53%

disagree15%

strongly disagree5%

don't know6%

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

strongly agree38%

agree55%

disagree4%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

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

strongly agree44%

agree50%

disagree2%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree20%

agree45%

disagree15%

strongly disagree6%

don't know13%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes77%

no23%

Top Secondary Schools in Bedford

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Goldington Academy

Good

location_on Bedford, MK41 9BX

emoji_events #1 in LA

Sharnbrook Academy

Requires improvement

location_on Bedford, MK44 1JL

emoji_events #2 in LA

Wixams Academy

Requires improvement

location_on Bedford, MK42 6BA

emoji_events #3 in LA

Bedford Free School

Outstanding

location_on Bedford, MK42 9AD

emoji_events #4 in LA

St Thomas More Catholic School

Good

location_on Bedford, MK41 7UL

emoji_events #5 in LA

Lincroft Academy

Requires improvement

location_on Bedford, MK43 7RE

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Bedford arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

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 Secondary Schools in Bedford

Goldington Academy

Sharnbrook Academy

Wixams Academy

Bedford Free School

St Thomas More Catholic School

Lincroft Academy