Foundation school · Bedford

Great Denham Primary School

3–11Ages
677Pupils
PrimaryPhase
135996URN

Greenkeepers Road, Great Denham, Bedford, MK40 4GG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2024 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.7per place

0.4 above Bedford median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bedford

236 applications for 89 places · 9th of 38 in Bedford

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

72%met the expected standard

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 22 May 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

Inspection history

22 May 2024
Graded inspection: Outstanding
23 March 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Improving)

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

2.7applications per place, Reception

0.4 above Bedford median (2.2) 0.5 above England median (2.2)

236 applications · 89 places offered · 115 named it first

2026 2.7; Bedford median median 2.2
2025 2.1; Bedford median median 1.9
2024 1.8; Bedford median median 1.8
2023 1.9; Bedford median median 1.8
2022 2.0; Bedford median median 1.8
2021 1.9; Bedford median median 1.9
2020 2.0; Bedford median median 1.9
2019 1.8; Bedford median median 1.9
2018 1.5; Bedford median median 1.9
2017 2.3; Bedford median median 1.8
2016 2.4; Bedford median median 2.0
2015 2.2; Bedford median median 1.9
2014 1.6; 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	89	236	2.7	115	1.29
Sep 2025	90	193	2.1	117	1.30
Sep 2024	90	161	1.8	96	1.07
Sep 2023	89	170	1.9	97	1.09
Sep 2022	90	178	2.0	103	1.14
Sep 2021	89	173	1.9	95	1.07
Sep 2020	89	174	2.0	99	1.11
Sep 2019	75	132	1.8	73	0.97
Sep 2018	89	135	1.5	85	0.96
Sep 2017	60	135	2.3	79	1.32
Sep 2016	60	145	2.4	84	1.40
Sep 2015	60	134	2.2	77	1.28
Sep 2014	74	117	1.6	76	1.03

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 80% · Writing 79% · Maths 84% → all three 72% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard72%8th of 49 in Bedford

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard80%

Bedford 73% England 78%

Higher standard34%

Bedford 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard79%

Bedford 70% England 75%

Greater depth8%

Bedford 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard84%

Bedford 71% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Bedford 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (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	72%	7%	106	104
2023/24	68%	5%	107	105
2022/23	70%	6%	106	105

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

Great Denham Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2024

2.7applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
St James' CofE Academy
0.8 km · Bedford

Standards maintained2025

4.1applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Westfield Primary School
1.0 km · Bedford

2026

2.5applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
1.2 km · Bedford

Good2023

1.9applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
Queen's Park Academy
1.2 km · Bedford

Good2022

1.5applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Bedford Road Primary Academy
1.5 km · Bedford

2025

2.2applications per place 46%met the SATs standard
Great Ouse Primary Academy
1.8 km · Bedford

2026

2.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Kempston Rural Primary School
1.8 km · Bedford

Good2023

2.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Camestone School
2.1 km · Bedford

Remains Good2022

1.9applications per place 48%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: Foundation school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 135996 · 822/3024
Trust: The Biddenham Campus Trust
Capacity: 650 pupils · 677 on roll
Free school meals: 12.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2012
Address: Greenkeepers Road, Great Denham, Bedford, MK40 4GG
Local authority: Bedford

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