Community school · Bedford

Cotton End Forest School

2–11Ages
435Pupils
PrimaryPhase
109446URN

High Road, Cotton End, Bedford, MK45 3AG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2025 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

close to Bedford median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bedford

109 applications for 51 places · 21st of 38 in Bedford

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

77%met the expected standard

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 20 May 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.1applications per place, Reception

close to Bedford median (2.2) close to England median (2.2)

109 applications · 51 places offered · 48 named it first

2026 2.1; Bedford median median 2.2
2025 1.8; Bedford median median 1.9
2024 1.9; Bedford median median 1.8
2023 1.8; Bedford median median 1.8
2022 2.0; Bedford median median 1.8
2021 1.9; Bedford median median 1.9
2020 1.8; Bedford median median 1.9
2019 1.8; Bedford median median 1.9
2018 2.1; Bedford median median 1.9
2017 2.5; Bedford median median 1.8
2016 2.7; Bedford median median 2.0
2015 2.5; Bedford median median 1.9
2014 2.1; Bedford median median 1.9

This school
Bedford median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	51	109	2.1	48	0.94
Sep 2025	59	104	1.8	67	1.14
Sep 2024	60	114	1.9	64	1.07
Sep 2023	48	84	1.8	48	1.00
Sep 2022	60	119	2.0	68	1.13
Sep 2021	60	115	1.9	80	1.33
Sep 2020	56	101	1.8	55	0.98
Sep 2019	44	77	1.8	39	0.89
Sep 2018	30	64	2.1	30	1.00
Sep 2017	14	35	2.5	14	1.00
Sep 2016	15	41	2.7	20	1.33
Sep 2015	15	37	2.5	19	1.27
Sep 2014	15	31	2.1	17	1.13

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 93% · Writing 77% · Maths 83% → all three 77% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard77%2nd of 49 in Bedford

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard93%

Bedford 73% England 78%

Higher standard40%

Bedford 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard77%

Bedford 70% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Bedford 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard83%

Bedford 71% England 77%

Higher standard30%

Bedford 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Bedford median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	77%	0%	107	106
2023/24	59%	0%	102	103
2022/23	41%	0%	101	102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Cotton End Forest SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Shortstown Primary School
2.0 km · Bedford

2026

1.8applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Wilstead Primary School
2.6 km · Bedford

Good2023
Lakeview School
2.8 km · Bedford

Good2022

2.3applications per place
Wixams Tree Primary Academy
3.4 km · Bedford

Good2024

2.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Haynes Lower School
3.5 km · Central Bedfordshire

Good2023

2.5applications per place
Elstow School
3.6 km · Bedford

Standards maintained2025

2.1applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
King's Oak Primary School
3.7 km · Bedford

2026

1.8applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Sheerhatch Primary School
3.8 km · Bedford

2026

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 109446 · 822/2041
Capacity: 630 pupils · 435 on roll
Free school meals: 17.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: High Road, Cotton End, Bedford, MK45 3AG
Local authority: Bedford

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources