Thomas Johnson Lower School
Hurst Grove, Lidlington, Bedford, MK43 0SB
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Community school
- Ages
- 3 to 9
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Mr Simon Bolger
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Constituency
- Mid Bedfordshire
- Setting
- Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Capacity
- 110
- Pupils on roll
- 92
- URN
- 109468
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01525402377
About this school
Thomas Johnson Lower School is a community primary school in Bedford. It teaches children aged 3 to 9 and has 92 pupils on roll.
You can read Ofsted's latest judgement for the school below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Numbers and a report only go so far, so visit in person before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Trends over time
How Thomas Johnson Lower School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 5.5% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 3.9% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 4.7% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 96 |
| 2023/24 | 93 |
| 2024/25 | 91 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Thomas Johnson Lower School compares
Its absence rate was lower than 66% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 4.7% | 8.6% | 92 | — |
| Marston Moreteyne VC School | — | 4.7% | 12.5% | 624 | 1.5 miles |
| Ridgmont Lower School | — | — | 33.3% | 11 | 2.0 miles |
| Husborne Crawley Lower School | — | 5.9% | 2.1% | 42 | 2.6 miles |
| Cranfield Church of England Academy | — | 4.2% | 6.5% | 511 | 2.7 miles |
| The Firs Lower School | — | 4% | 4% | 350 | 2.9 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
Inspection history
- 23 November 2022
-
Ungraded inspection report30 October 2019
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 8.64%
- English as an additional language
- 0%
- Overall absence
- 4.71%
- Persistent absence
- 11.76%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Marston Moreteyne VC School1.5 miles
Primary · Marston Moreteyne
-
Ridgmont Lower School2.0 miles
Primary · Bedford
-
Husborne Crawley Lower School2.6 miles
Primary · Husborne Crawley
-
Cranfield Church of England Academy2.7 miles
Primary · Bedford
-
The Firs Lower School2.9 miles
Primary · Bedford
Other schools in Bedford
- Balliol Primary School Primary
- Bedford Road Primary Academy Primary
- Brickhill Primary School Primary
- Broadmead Lower School Primary
- Bromham CofE Primary School Primary
- Camestone School Primary
- Carlton CofE Primary School Primary
- Castle Newnham School Primary
- Cauldwell School Primary
- Cotton End Forest School Primary
- Cranfield Church of England Academy Primary
- Edith Cavell Primary School Primary
Common questions
- What year groups does Thomas Johnson Lower School teach?
- Thomas Johnson Lower School teaches children aged 3 to 9. It is a primary school in Bedford.
- Who is the headteacher of Thomas Johnson Lower School?
- The headteacher of Thomas Johnson Lower School is Mr Simon Bolger, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- When was Thomas Johnson Lower School last inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Thomas Johnson Lower School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How big is Thomas Johnson Lower School?
- Thomas Johnson Lower School has 92 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 3 to 9.
- Is Thomas Johnson Lower School full?
- Thomas Johnson Lower School has capacity for 110 pupils and 92 on roll (84%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Thomas Johnson Lower School a faith school?
- No. Thomas Johnson Lower School has no designated religious character.
- Does Thomas Johnson Lower School have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Thomas Johnson Lower School as having nursery classes.
- What is Thomas Johnson Lower School's absence rate?
- Thomas Johnson Lower School's overall absence rate is 4.7% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- Does Thomas Johnson Lower School publish exam results?
- OfferDay shows exam results for a school only where the Department for Education has published them, and none are shown for Thomas Johnson Lower School. That is usual for infant, nursery, special and independent schools, and for schools without recent published results.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 29 June 2026.