John Donne Church of England Primary School
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John Donne Church of England Primary School is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Bedford for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 119 pupils and room for 208. About 17 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 3 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was requires improvement, back in 2023.
High Street, Blunham, Bedford, MK44 3NL01767 640346johndonne.co.ukMrs Anita Whitehurst headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 28 November 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Requires improvement overall.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 9 February 2022 | Ungraded | School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
17 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | Central Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 17 | 12 | 12 | 8 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 29% | 42% | 50% | 50% | 53% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 6% | 0% | 8% | 0% | 3% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 102.0 | 103.0 | 106.0 | 103.0 | 104.4 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 100.0 | 97.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 102.9 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 100.0 | 100.0 | 101.0 | 102.0 | 103.6 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 59% | 83% | 83% | 75% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 35% | 42% | 67% | 63% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 71% | 67% | 58% | 63% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -0.1 | -0.7 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -3.6 | -2.7 | – | – |
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.
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.
103 places were empty (49% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 5% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 18.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 16.0 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (8), Moderate learning difficulty (6), language and communications needs (4), Autistic spectrum disorder (3), Specific learning difficulty (3), Physical disability (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 119 | 121 | 119 | 120 | 128 | 131 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 16% | 16% | 18% | 15% | 17% | 19% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 5% | 5% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 20% | 29% | 23% | 18% | 12% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 3% | 3% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.5% 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 | 5.5% | 5.6% | 6.4% | 7.3% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.8% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 2.2% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.7% | 1.6% | 2.5% | 2.9% | 1.0% | 1.7% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 14.1% | 14.0% | 17.7% | 17.4% | 6.8% | 10.0% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.8 | 5.9 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.5 | – | – |
| 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 council school accounts, year to March 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Tree Primary School | Foundation | 1.1 miles | 241 | Good 2023 | 54 | Compare |
| Moggerhanger Primary School | Foundation | 1.3 miles | 119 | Good 2024 | 11 | Compare |
| Laburnum Primary School | Academy | 1.5 miles | 174 | Report card 2025 | 34 | Compare |
| Robert Peel Primary School | Foundation | 1.6 miles | 386 | No overall grade 2025 | 55 | Compare |
| Great Barford Church of England Primary Academy | Academy | 1.6 miles | 176 | Good 2022 | 12 | Compare |
| St Swithun's Church of England VC Primary School | Church of England | 2.0 miles | 172 | Good 2022 | 16 | Compare |
| Roxton Church of England Academy | Academy | 2.0 miles | 70 | Good 2023 | 3 | Compare |
| Northill CofE Academy | Academy | 2.9 miles | 66 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares John Donne Church of England Primary School with the 48 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 48 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 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than John Donne Church of England Primary 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weston Primary & Nursery School | Church of England | 14.8 miles | 104 | Good 2023 | 34 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 3 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 3% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 1 to 7. 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% | below | -0.17 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 17 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | well below | -0.57 | Ofsted grade, 2.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.14 | DfE progress measure; 17 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.15 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | in line | -0.01 | 2024/25; 85 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | well below | -0.20 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 17 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 John Donne Church of England Primary School a good school?
The figures are weak. John Donne Church of England Primary School scores 3 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 4% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 1 to 7, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is John Donne Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated John Donne Church of England Primary School requires improvement at its last full inspection on 28 November 2023.
How good are John Donne Church of England Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 29% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 6% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does John Donne Church of England Primary School have?
119 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 208 places, so it is 57% full.
Is John Donne Church of England Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 103 places were empty in 2024/25 (49% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at John Donne Church of England Primary School?
Pupils were in school 94.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 14% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at John Donne Church of England Primary School?
The average class had 16.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- High Street, Blunham, Bedford, MK44 3NL
- Telephone
- 01767 640346
- Website
- www.johndonne.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Anita Whitehurst
- Type of school
- Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England, Diocese of St Albans
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Ward
- Sandy
- Constituency
- North Bedfordshire
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- URN
- 109615 · LAESTAB 8233302 · UKPRN 10075930
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, consistent financial reporting 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.