Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 23 Sept 2015
Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 151796.
Pupils at the January school census.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Total pupils | 190 |
| Girls | 99 |
| Boys | 91 |
| Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals. | 7.4% |
| First language not English | 12.1% |
| SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school. | 33 |
| EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs. | 9 |
| Average class size | 29.5 |
Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.
Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.
Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.
Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Pupils per teacher | 28.5 |
| Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants. | 9.9 |
| Teachers (FTE) | 6.6 |
| Teaching assistants (FTE) | 11.63 |
| Support staff (FTE) | 15.86 |
Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.
Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day. | 28 |
| Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed. | 114 |
| First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice. | 35 |
| First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place. | 28 |
| Applications from another local authority (Reception) | 2 |
Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.
Share of possible sessions missed.
| Measure | This school | Central Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall absence | 4.8%, similar to England, similar to Central Bedfordshire | 4.8% | 5.1% |
| Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions. | 15.3%, worse than England, worse than Central Bedfordshire | 11.5% | 13.2% |
| Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions. | 0.8%, similar to England, similar to Central Bedfordshire | 1.1% | 1% |
Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.
Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.
| Distance | Phase | Name | Type | Rating | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.3 mi | Primary | Ardley Hill Academy | Academy converter | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 16 Jul 2024. | |
| 0.3 mi | All-through | Priory Academy | Academy converter | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 13 Jun 2017. | |
| 0.4 mi | Primary | Dunstable Icknield Lower School | Academy converter | Requires improvement Ofsted rating. Inspected 14 Nov 2023. | |
| 0.4 mi | Secondary | Queensbury Academy | Academy sponsor led | Requires improvement Area360 rating. Inspected 22 Oct 2024. | |
| 0.5 mi | Primary | Lark Rise Academy | Academy converter | Outstanding Area360 rating. Inspected 11 Mar 2025. | |
| 0.6 mi | Primary | Ashton St Peter's VA C of E School | Voluntary aided school | Good Area360 rating. Inspected 28 Apr 2026. | |
| 0.7 mi | Primary | St. Augustine's Academy | Academy converter | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 12 Jun 2018. | |
| 1.0 mi | Primary | Beecroft Academy | Academy converter | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 26 Mar 2024. | |
| 1.0 mi | Secondary | Manshead Church of England Academy | Academy sponsor led | Requires improvement Area360 rating. Inspected 3 Feb 2026. | |
| 1.0 mi | Primary | St Mary's Catholic Primary School | Academy converter | Good Area360 rating. Inspected 7 Jul 2026. |
Watling Lower School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 23 Sept 2015.
For Reception entry in 2026/27, Watling Lower School made 28 offers from 114 applications (4.1 per offer), and 28 of 35 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.
Watling Lower School has 190 pupils aged 2 to 9.
At Watling Lower School, the average class had 29.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 28.5 pupils per teacher.
In 2025/26, pupils at Watling Lower School missed 4.8% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 15.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).
Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.