Academy converter · Bedford

Shortstown Primary School

2–11Ages
479Pupils
PrimaryPhase
144546URN

Beauvais Square, Shortstown, Bedford, MK42 0GS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.4 below Bedford median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bedford

103 applications for 56 places · 29th of 38 in Bedford

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

60%met the expected standard

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 3 February 2026Published 19 March 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
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

3 February 2026
Report card · 7 Expected standard
12 October 2021
Graded inspection: 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

1.8applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Bedford median (2.2) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

103 applications · 56 places offered · 56 named it first

2026 1.8; Bedford median median 2.2
2025 1.8; Bedford median median 1.9
2024 1.8; Bedford median median 1.8
2023 1.6; Bedford median median 1.8
2022 1.9; Bedford median median 1.8
2021 1.4; Bedford median median 1.9
2020 1.5; Bedford median median 1.9
2019 1.3; Bedford median median 1.9
2018 1.6; Bedford median median 1.9
2017 1.5; Bedford median median 1.8
2016 1.8; Bedford median median 2.0; as the previous school
2015 1.7; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 1.6; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Bedford median in 1 of 10 years.

This school
Bedford median

Dashed bars: as Shortstown Primary School (URN 109498), the previous school.

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	56	103	1.8	56	1.00
Sep 2025	60	107	1.8	66	1.10
Sep 2024	59	106	1.8	61	1.03
Sep 2023	59	92	1.6	56	0.95
Sep 2022	60	114	1.9	70	1.17
Sep 2021	52	75	1.4	47	0.90
Sep 2020	40	61	1.5	39	0.98
Sep 2019	59	77	1.3	61	1.03
Sep 2018	60	93	1.6	59	0.98
Sep 2017	59	89	1.5	57	0.97
Sep 2016 *	60	107	1.8	61	1.02
Sep 2015 *	46	79	1.7	42	0.91
Sep 2014 *	60	93	1.6	67	1.12

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 70% · Maths 77% → all three 60% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard60%21st of 49 in Bedford

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Bedford 73% England 78%

Higher standard25%

Bedford 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard70%

Bedford 70% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Bedford 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard77%

Bedford 71% England 77%

Higher standard25%

Bedford 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (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	60%	0%	104	105
2023/24	45%	0%	103	101
2022/23	45%	0%	102	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

Shortstown Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.8applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
King's Oak Primary School
1.8 km · Bedford

2026

1.8applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Cotton End Forest School
2.0 km · Bedford

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Elstow School
2.3 km · Bedford

Standards maintained2025

2.1applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Shackleton Primary School
2.6 km · Bedford

2026

2.6applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Lakeview School
2.9 km · Bedford

Good2022

2.3applications per place
Sheerhatch Primary School
3.2 km · Bedford

2026

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Cauldwell School
3.4 km · Bedford

2025

2.3applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Goldington Green Academy
3.5 km · Bedford

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place 62%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: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 144546 · 822/2150
Trust: Heart Academies Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 479 on roll
Free school meals: 26.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 June 2017
Replaced: Shortstown Primary School (URN 109498)
Address: Beauvais Square, Shortstown, Bedford, MK42 0GS
Local authority: Bedford

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