Located in Bedford, Cotton End Forest School is a primary school, serving pupils aged 2 to 11. The school is a community school and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
Cotton End Forest School currently has around 418 pupils on roll, which is about 66% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 54.8% boys and 45.2% girls. Around 17.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The student population reflects a mixed community across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 4.6%. Persistent absence is recorded at 9.5%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (59.6%).
Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | High Road, Bedford, MK45 3AG |
| Website: | www.cottonendforestschool.co.uk/ |
| Telephone: | 01234740100 |
| School Type: | Community school |
| Education phase: | Primary |
| Local authority: | Bedford |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mrs Karen Headland |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 109446 |
Ofsted inspection date: 20/05/2025
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 2 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 630 |
| Number of Pupils: | 418 |
| Number of Boys: | 229 |
| Number of Girls: | 189 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 4.6% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 9.5% | 8.2% |
| White British | 59.60% | 249 |
| Other White | 6.70% | 28 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 6.00% | 25 |
| African | 5.70% | 24 |
| White and Asian | 5.50% | 23 |
| Other Mixed | 3.30% | 14 |
| White and Black African | 3.30% | 14 |
| Indian | 3.10% | 13 |
| Unclassified | 1.90% | 8 |
| Caribbean | 1.40% | 6 |
| Other Asian | 1.00% | 4 |
| Other Black | 0.70% | 3 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.70% | 3 |
| Irish | 0.50% | 2 |
| Pakistani | 0.20% | 1 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.20% | 1 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Chinese | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton End Forest School High Road , MK45 3AG | - not rated | 0 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Shortstown Primary School Beauvais Square , Shortstown MK42 0GS | - not rated | 2,147 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Shortstown Primary School Beauvais Square , Shortstown MK42 0GS | 3out of 4 | 2,147 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Wilstead Primary School Cotton End Road , Wilstead MK45 3BX | 3out of 4 | 2,825 yd | Foundation school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Lakeview School School Lane , Off Brooklands Avenue MK42 6BH | 3out of 4 | 3,017 yd | Academy converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.