Voluntary aided school · Central Bedfordshire

John Donne Church of England Primary School

3–11Ages
119Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
109615URN

High Street, Blunham, Bedford, MK44 3NL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.6 below Central Bedfordshire median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Central Bedfordshire

23 applications for 15 places · 73rd of 82 in Central Bedfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

29%met the expected standard

Central Bedfordshire 57% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 23 June 2026Published 15 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard	Needs attention
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement			Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

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

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

23 June 2026
Report card · 6 Expected standard, 1 Needs attention
28 November 2023
Graded inspection: Requires improvement
9 February 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

1.5applications per place, Reception

0.6 below Central Bedfordshire median (2.1) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

23 applications · 15 places offered · 14 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 2.1
2025 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.9
2024 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2023 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2022 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7
2021 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7
2020 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2019 1.1; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2018 1.2; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2017 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2016 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.8
2015 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.7
2014 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.6

More applications per place than the Central Bedfordshire median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Central Bedfordshire 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	15	23	1.5	14	0.93
Sep 2025	11	17	1.6	11	1.00
Sep 2024	20	26	1.3	19	0.95
Sep 2023	19	25	1.3	19	1.00
Sep 2022	16	22	1.4	16	1.00
Sep 2021	18	24	1.3	18	1.00
Sep 2020	24	37	1.5	28	1.17
Sep 2019	14	16	1.1	14	1.00
Sep 2018	12	14	1.2	12	1.00
Sep 2017	13	18	1.4	13	1.00
Sep 2016	15	23	1.5	15	1.00
Sep 2015	22	28	1.3	21	0.95
Sep 2014	9	13	1.4	8	0.89

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 59% · Writing 71% · Maths 35% → all three 29% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard29%35th of 36 in Central Bedfordshire

Central Bedfordshire 57% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard59%

Central Bedfordshire 72% England 78%

Higher standard24%

Central Bedfordshire 29% England 33%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Central Bedfordshire 71% England 75%

Greater depth12%

Central Bedfordshire 0% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard35%

Central Bedfordshire 67% England 77%

Higher standard6%

Central Bedfordshire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Central Bedfordshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	29%	6%	102	100
2023/24	42%	0%	103	97
2022/23	50%	8%	106	101

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

John Donne Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.5applications per place 29%met the SATs standard
Maple Tree Primary School
1.7 km · Central Bedfordshire

Remains Good2023

1.9applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Moggerhanger Primary School
2.1 km · Central Bedfordshire

Remains Good · concerns noted2024

2.2applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Laburnum Primary School
2.5 km · Central Bedfordshire

Serious weaknesses 2025

2.2applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Robert Peel Primary School
2.5 km · Central Bedfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.4applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Great Barford Church of England Primary Academy
2.6 km · Bedford

Good2022

2.0applications per place 0%met the SATs standard
St Swithun's Church of England VC Primary School
3.2 km · Central Bedfordshire

Remains Good2022

2.9applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Roxton Church of England Academy
3.3 km · Bedford

Good2023

1.9applications per place 27%met the SATs standard
Northill CofE Academy
4.7 km · Central Bedfordshire

Standards maintained2024

2.3applications per place

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: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 109615 · 823/3302
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 208 pupils · 119 on roll
Free school meals: 17.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: High Street, Blunham, Bedford, MK44 3NL
Local authority: Central Bedfordshire

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources