UKSchoolSearch
OpenPrimaryURN 109615

John Donne Church of England Primary School

Voluntary aided school · Bedford · MK44 3NL

Compare school

Phase

Primary

Age range

Ages 3–11

Pupils

119

Local authority

Central Bedfordshire

Age range

Ages 3–11

05111619

Provision snapshot

Based on official GIAS characteristics

1 / 6

  • NurseryHas Nursery Classes
  • Sixth formDoes not have a sixth form
  • BoardingNo boarders
  • Special school
  • Independent
  • Academy

Local context

How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.

Mixed voluntary aided school (primary), Ages 3–11, in Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, 119 pupils on roll. Notable characteristics: nursery. Free school meals: 17%. Religious character: Church of England. Diocese: Diocese of St Albans.

Open schools in Bedford
104
Primary schools in Bedford
67
Academies among open schools in Bedford
46% (48)
Open schools in MK44
14
Primary in MK44
12
Open schools in Central Bedfordshire LA
135
Primary in Central Bedfordshire LA
95

Nearby primary schools

Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.

Compare with theseAll in BedfordNear MK44

Overview

School type
Voluntary aided school
Phase
Primary
Age range
3–11
Gender
Mixed
Status
Open
URN
109615

Location

Address
High Street, Blunham
Postcode
MK44 3NL
Town
Bedford
County
Bedfordshire
Local authority
Central Bedfordshire
District
Central Bedfordshire
Constituency
North Bedfordshire
Urban/rural
Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Size & intake

Pupil numbers and free school meals come from the GIAS school census fields. Capacity fill is calculated when both pupils and capacity are published. Census date: 15 Jan 2026.

Pupils on roll
119
Boys / girls
56 / 63
School capacity
208
Capacity fill
119 / 208 (57%)
Free school meals
17%
FSM pupils
18
Gender
Mixed

School characteristics

Nursery provision
Has Nursery Classes
Sixth form
Does not have a sixth form
Boarding
No boarders
Special classes
No Special Classes
Religious character
Church of England
Diocese
Diocese of St Albans
Governance
Voluntary aided school
Federation
The Riverbank Federation

Contact

Headteacher
Mrs Anita Whitehurst
Telephone
01767640346
Website
www.johndonne.co.uk

Official links

Ofsted

Latest inspection outcomes from Ofsted monthly management information. Report-card grades use the current framework where published; older OEIF grades are shown when that is the latest graded inspection.

Headline

Requires improvement

Inspection date

2023-11-28

Overall effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Requires improvement
Personal development
Requires improvement
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
Safeguarding effective
Yes

Read the Ofsted report

Source: Ofsted monthly management information

Performance

Official school-level results from DfE school and college performance tables. Figures are not rankings — suppressed or unavailable values are omitted.

Key stage 2 (2023/24)

Expected standard (RWM)
50%
Higher standard (RWM)
8%
Avg scaled score — reading
106.0
Avg scaled score — maths
101.0
Avg scaled score — GPS
100.0

Source: DfE school and college performance tables

Absence

Pupil absence rates from DfE pupil absence in schools in England. Persistent absence means 10% or more of sessions missed; severe absence means 50% or more. Lower figures are better.

Academic year 2023/24

Overall absence

5.6%

Persistent absence

14.0%

Unauthorised

1.6%

Authorised absence
4.0%
Severe absence (50%+)
1.2%
Enrolments in measure
86

Recent years

2022/23
Overall 6.4% · Persistent 17.7%
2021/22
Overall 7.3% · Persistent 17.3%

Source: DfE pupil absence in schools in England