⌘ K
Overview
SCHOOL PROFILE

Watling Lower School

Primary Academy converter URN 151796
Open
Pupils 8,834,192 Latest school census
Capacity 150 Published school capacity
Capacity used 126.7% Pupils as a share of capacity
Age range 2 – 9 Statutory age range
OFSTED

Latest ungraded inspection

18 December 2024
Latest published outcome Some aspects not as strong
Published 23 January 2025 View Ofsted record
SCHOOL DETAILS

About this school

School type Academy converter
Phase Primary
Gender Mixed
Religious character Does not apply
Local authority Central Bedfordshire
Trust SCHOLARS' EDUCATION TRUST
Census date 15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE

School community

Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.

2025/26
Total pupils 190 186 full-time · 4 part-time
Female pupils 99 52.1% of pupils
Male pupils 91 47.9% of pupils

Free school meals

Pupils eligible for free school meals.

7.4%
17.4 pts below England
School 7.4%
Central Bedfordshire 14.8%
East of England 19.7%
England 24.8%

English as an additional language

Pupils whose first language is not English.

12.1%
8.2 pts below England
School 12.1%
Central Bedfordshire 10.7%
East of England 16.4%
England 20.3%

Young carers

Pupils recorded as young carers.

1.1%
0.1 pts above England
School 1.1%
Central Bedfordshire 2.0%
East of England 1.7%
England 1.0%

Ethnicity

Largest recorded pupil groups.

White British
67.4%
128
Any other White background
5.8%
11
Unclassified
3.7%
7
White and Asian
3.2%
6
Any other Asian background
2.6%
5
Any other Mixed background
2.6%
5
Council, regional and national comparisons are pupil-weighted using published school census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS

Special educational needs

Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.

2025/26
Pupils with SEN 22.1% 42 of 190 pupils
1.3 pts above England England: 20.8%
School 22.1%
Central Bedfordshire 18.2%
East of England 19.8%
England 20.8%
SEN support 17.4% 33 pupils
England 14.8% 2.6 pts above
EHC plans 4.7% 9 pupils
England 6.0% 1.3 pts below
PRIMARY NEEDS

Most common identified needs

Pupils
Speech, language & communication 14
No specialist assessment yet 10
Moderate learning difficulty 6
Social, emotional & mental health 5
Autistic spectrum disorder 4
Physical disability 3

SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

School context

Comparison with open primary schools.

CAPACITY

Capacity utilisation

126.7% 38.5 pts above England
Watling Lower School
126.7%
Central Bedfordshire
92.8%
East of England
87.4%
England
88.2%
Benchmarks use open schools in the same phase. Capacity utilisation is calculated from published pupil and capacity figures.
Sources: Department for Education · Get Information about Schools · Ofsted monthly management information