Schools by area › Bedford › St John Rigby Catholic Primary School
St John Rigby Catholic Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Academy
Polhill Avenue, Bedford MK41 9DQ · stjohnrigby.org · 01234 401900
On the mapSearch near MK41 9DQ
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Sept 2023
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 49%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Bedford 57%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 268
- 64% of 420 places
- Local authority
- Bedford
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 11.9%
- First language not English
- 29.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 16 families put the school first and 18 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 18 | 16 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 18 | 15 | 0.8 | 93% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 30 | 28 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 28 | 26 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 49% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 4% the higher standard. Across Bedford it was 57%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼49% | 62% | ||
| ▼4% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ▼102 | 105 | ||
| ●104 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
St John Rigby Catholic Primary School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 26 September 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 26 Sept 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Dec 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Dec 2019Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jun 2007Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding
What parents said
75% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (67 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 75%
- Replies
- 67
- 2 Sept 2024
based on the 84% who raised concerns
based on the 40% who had a child bullied
based on 14 parents (21%) with SEND