Holywell School
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Holywell School is a converter academy in Bedford for boys and girls aged 9 to 13. It has 668 pupils and room for 720. About 17 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 51 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 29% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Red Lion Close, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0JA01234 750381holywellschool.co.ukHeadteacher Michael Simpson headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 12 July 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
184 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 | Central Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 184 | 179 | 180 | 157 | 158 | 157 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 27% | 58% | 54% | 60% | 68% | 64% | 53% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 1% | 3% | 7% | 7% | 12% | 11% | 3% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 103.0 | 104.0 | 103.0 | 104.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 104.4 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 103.0 | 104.0 | 103.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 102.9 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 102.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 103.6 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 65% | 72% | 70% | 73% | 79% | 75% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 71% | 74% | 75% | 82% | 82% | 78% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 29% | 72% | 70% | 71% | 80% | 82% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -3.6 | -1.9 | -1.2 | -2.5 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -2.9 | -0.7 | -1.0 | -1.5 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 17% | 33% | 24% | 27% | 61% | 57% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 30% | 61% | 61% | 65% | 69% | 65% | – | – |
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 3 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.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Central Bedfordshire council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
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.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (49), emotional and mental health (34), language and communications needs (15), Autistic spectrum disorder (12), Specific learning difficulty (11), Physical disability (2).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 668 | 711 | 722 | 719 | 730 | 698 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 17% | 17% | 16% | 15% | 15% | 12% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 8% | 6% | 7% | 9% | 8% | 8% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 14% | 6% | 15% | 13% | 11% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.7% | 5.8% | 6.0% | 5.3% | 3.3% | 3.9% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 4.3% | 2.7% | 3.3% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.6% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 15.3% | 14.0% | 15.0% | 14.2% | 6.5% | 7.9% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 9.9 | 5.0 | 11.7 | 7.4 | 8.6 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | – | – |
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 secondary 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 secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cranfield Church of England Academy | Academy | 200 m | 511 | Good 2019 | 57 | Compare |
| Cranfield University | Higher education institutions | 1.1 miles | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| North Crawley CofE School | Church of England | 2.4 miles | 28 | Good 2024 | 56 | Compare |
| Marston Moreteyne VC School | Church of England | 2.5 miles | 624 | Good 2024 | 54 | Compare |
| Lidlington Primary School | Council | 2.7 miles | 92 | Good 2022 | 76 | Compare |
| St Mary's Wavendon CofE Primary | Academy | 3.2 miles | 489 | Good 2024 | 61 | Compare |
| Wootton Academy | Academy | 3.2 miles | 822 | No overall grade 2024 | 40 | Compare |
| Brooklands Academy | Academy | 3.4 miles | – | Not inspected | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Holywell School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Holywell School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland Middle School Academy | Academy | 6.4 miles | 645 | Good 2023 | 59 | Compare |
| Lincroft Academy | Academy | 7.7 miles | 923 | No overall grade 2024 | 63 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 51 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 51% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 31 to 71. 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 | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.04 | Ofsted grade, 3.2 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.27 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.23 | 2024/25; 733 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| What pupils do next | 0% | no data | – | |
| 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 Holywell School a good school?
It is about average. Holywell School scores 51 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 29% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 31 to 71, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Holywell School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Holywell School good at its last full inspection on 12 July 2023.
How good are Holywell School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 27% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 1% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Holywell School have?
668 pupils aged 9 to 13 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 720 places, so it is 93% full.
Is Holywell School oversubscribed?
Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.
What is attendance like at Holywell School?
Pupils were in school 94.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 15% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Holywell School?
The average class had 26.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 29% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Holywell School have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Red Lion Close, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0JA
- Telephone
- 01234 750381
- Website
- www.holywellschool.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Michael Simpson
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Middle school, ages 9-13
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of St Albans
- Single-academy trust
- Holywell Church of England Academy (1 schools)
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Ward
- Cranfield & Marston Moretaine
- Constituency
- Mid Bedfordshire
- Setting
- Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 October 2012 (academy converter)
- URN
- 138844 · LAESTAB 8235408 · UKPRN 10038942
- Formerly
- Holywell CofE VA Middle 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.
- 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.