Buckden CofE Primary School
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Buckden CofE Primary School is a converter academy in St Neots for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 331 pupils and room for 350. About 11 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 27 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 12% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.
School Lane, Buckden, St Neots, PE19 5TT01480 810241buckdenschool.co.ukMrs Michelle Heather headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 23 April 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
45 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Cambridgeshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 45 | 52 | 54 | 44 | 43 | 30 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 56% | 52% | 63% | 82% | 58% | 73% | 60% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 4% | 2% | 4% | 16% | 9% | 17% | 8% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 103.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 104.0 | 108.0 | 106.0 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 102.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 101.0 | 105.0 | 104.6 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 102.0 | 106.0 | 107.0 | 106.0 | 103.0 | 108.0 | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 71% | 81% | 80% | 89% | 70% | 83% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 60% | 71% | 70% | 89% | 63% | 83% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 73% | 73% | 89% | 93% | 91% | 97% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -1.3 | -1.1 | -0.8 | +3.1 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -2.2 | -3.0 | -3.2 | +0.7 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 33% | 42% | 13% | – | 29% | – | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 64% | 55% | 72% | – | 64% | – | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 4 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.
The last child to get a place lived 3.2 miles away in 2025, 3.8 miles away in 2021, 4.9 miles away in 2020. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2025. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 3.2 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.
| Entry | Places | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Primary | 50 | 50 | 3.2 miles | LA |
| 2021 Primary | 50 | 50 | 3.8 miles | LA |
| 2020 Primary | 50 | 50 | 4.9 miles | LA |
The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 11 pupils, for autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, other needs, physical disability, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, specific learning difficulties.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Cambridgeshire with autism provision.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 22.8 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 24.3 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (19), Specific learning difficulty (19), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (18), language and communications needs (14), Moderate learning difficulty (12), Autistic spectrum disorder (6).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 331 | 328 | 341 | 327 | 344 | 327 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 11% | 12% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 11% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 5% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 17% | 21% | 18% | 13% | 16% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 4.5% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 6.2% | 3.3% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.8% | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.4% | 3.0% | 2.6% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.6% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 8.6% | 11.6% | 11.2% | 14.6% | 7.1% | 4.0% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.6 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 0.6 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offord Primary School | Academy | 1.6 miles | 95 | Good 2024 | 69 | Compare |
| Brampton Village Primary School | Council | 2.0 miles | 609 | Good 2023 | 23 | Compare |
| Great Paxton CofE Primary School | Church of England | 2.5 miles | 73 | Good 2023 | 53 | Compare |
| Cromwell Academy | Academy | 3.3 miles | 233 | Report card 2026 | 28 | Compare |
| Little Paxton Primary School | Council | 3.3 miles | 292 | Good 2024 | 14 | Compare |
| St Anne's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.6 miles | 214 | No overall grade 2025 | 64 | Compare |
| Godmanchester Community Academy | Academy | 3.6 miles | 402 | Good 2023 | 66 | Compare |
| Stukeley Meadows Primary School | Council | 3.8 miles | 371 | Not inspected | 21 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Buckden CofE Primary School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 27 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 27% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 15 to 47. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.05 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 45 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 1.4 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.10 | DfE progress measure; 45 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | below | -0.10 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.06 | 2024/25; 301 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well below | -0.11 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 45 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Buckden CofE Primary School a good school?
The figures are weak. Buckden CofE Primary School scores 27 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 12% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 15 to 47, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Buckden CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Buckden CofE Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 23 April 2025.
How good are Buckden CofE Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 56% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 4% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Buckden CofE Primary School have?
331 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 350 places, so it is 95% full.
Is Buckden CofE Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?
Yes. For September 2025 the last place went to a child living 3.2 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.
What is attendance like at Buckden CofE Primary School?
Pupils were in school 95.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Buckden CofE Primary School?
The average class had 23.6 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does Buckden CofE Primary School have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, other needs, physical disability, social, emotional and mental health, speech, language and communication, specific learning difficulties. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- School Lane, Buckden, St Neots, PE19 5TT
- Telephone
- 01480 810241
- Website
- www.buckdenschool.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Michelle Heather
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 5-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of Ely
- Multi-academy trust
- Act Multi Academy Trust (5 schools)
- Local authority
- Cambridgeshire
- Ward
- Buckden
- Constituency
- Huntingdon
- Setting
- Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 November 2011 (academy converter)
- URN
- 137639 · LAESTAB 8733063 · UKPRN 10035513
- Formerly
- Buckden CofE Primary School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Cambridgeshire council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2020, 2021, 2025.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.