Community school · Leicestershire

Little Bowden School

5–11Ages
368Pupils
PrimaryPhase
119936URN

Scotland Road, Little Bowden, Market Harborough, LE16 8AY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jan 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

2.6per place

close to Leicestershire median (2.7)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Leicestershire

120 applications for 47 places · 92nd of 176 in Leicestershire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

68%met the expected standard

Leicestershire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 14 January 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

2.6applications per place, Reception

close to Leicestershire median (2.7) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

120 applications · 47 places offered · 45 named it first

2026 2.6; Leicestershire median median 2.7
2025 3.1; Leicestershire median median 2.8
2024 2.6; Leicestershire median median 2.4
2023 3.0; Leicestershire median median 2.3
2022 1.7; Leicestershire median median 1.9
2021 2.2; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2020 1.9; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2019 2.2; Leicestershire median median 1.9
2018 2.2; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2017 2.4; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2016 2.1; Leicestershire median median 1.8
2015 2.1; Leicestershire median median 1.7
2014 2.0; Leicestershire median median 1.7

This school
Leicestershire 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	47	120	2.6	45	0.96
Sep 2025	40	122	3.1	35	0.88
Sep 2024	46	119	2.6	43	0.93
Sep 2023	38	113	3.0	37	0.97
Sep 2022	59	101	1.7	59	1.00
Sep 2021	43	96	2.2	43	1.00
Sep 2020	54	104	1.9	53	0.98
Sep 2019	60	132	2.2	67	1.12
Sep 2018	60	133	2.2	68	1.13
Sep 2017	55	129	2.4	68	1.24
Sep 2016	56	115	2.1	61	1.09
Sep 2015	56	119	2.1	66	1.18
Sep 2014	56	111	2.0	65	1.16

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 76% · Writing 78% · Maths 76% → all three 68% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard68%81st of 211 in Leicestershire

Leicestershire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard76%

Leicestershire 80% England 78%

Higher standard34%

Leicestershire 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard78%

Leicestershire 74% England 75%

Greater depth5%

Leicestershire 7% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard76%

Leicestershire 79% England 77%

Higher standard25%

Leicestershire 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Leicestershire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	68%	3%	106	105
2023/24	56%	4%	104	104
2022/23	69%	0%	106	106

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

Little Bowden SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.6applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy
1.0 km · Leicestershire

Standards maintained2025

2.3applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Farndon Fields Primary School
1.2 km · Leicestershire

Remains Good2023

2.5applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
Meadowdale Primary School
1.2 km · Leicestershire

Remains Good2024

3.2applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Market Harborough Church of England Academy
1.3 km · Leicestershire

Standards maintained2025

2.8applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Ridgeway Primary Academy
1.6 km · Leicestershire

2026

4.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Great Bowden Academy, A Church of England Primary School
2.1 km · Leicestershire

Graded · no overall grade2024

4.0applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Wellington Place Primary School
2.8 km · Leicestershire

Not yet inspected

2.8applications per place
Lubenham All Saints Church of England Primary School
3.4 km · Leicestershire

Remains Good · improving2023

4.3applications per place 90%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: 119936 · 855/2068
Capacity: 420 pupils · 368 on roll
Free school meals: 13.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Scotland Road, Little Bowden, Market Harborough, LE16 8AY
Local authority: Leicestershire · Harborough

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