Polam School
45 Lansdowne Road, Bedford, MK40 2BU
- Phase
- Independent schools
- School type
- Other independent school
- Ages
- 1 to 9
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- None
- Head Teacher
- Mr Darren O'Neil
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Constituency
- Bedford
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Capacity
- 207
- Pupils on roll
- 99
- URN
- 109720
- Local authority
- Bedford
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01234261864
About this school
Polam School is an independent school in Bedford. It teaches children aged 1 to 9 and has 99 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has not yet inspected Polam School under its current framework. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Seeing a school for yourself shows what no page can, so arrange a visit before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Polam School has not been inspected by Ofsted yet. It opened in its current form in September 1923, and new or converted schools usually wait a few years for their first inspection.
Trends over time
How Polam 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 |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 112 |
| 2023/24 | 109 |
| 2024/25 | 96 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 0%
- Pupils with an EHC plan
- 1
- Pupils on SEN support
- 3
Location
Nearby schools
-
Bedford Modern School0.5 miles
Independent schools · Bedford
-
Bedford School0.6 miles
Independent schools · Bedford
-
Bedford Girls' School0.9 miles
Independent schools · Bedford
-
Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School1.0 miles
Independent schools · Bedford
-
Bedford Greenacre Independent School1.0 miles
Independent schools · Bedford
Other schools in Bedford
- Bedford Girls' School Independent schools
- Bedford Greenacre Independent School Independent schools
- Bedford Modern School Independent schools
- Bedford School Independent schools
- KWS School Independent schools
- Orchard School & Nursery Independent schools
- Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School Independent schools
- Cherry Trees Nursery School Nursery
- Peter Pan Nursery School Nursery
- Balliol Primary School Primary
- Bedford Road Primary Academy Primary
- Brickhill Primary School Primary
Common questions
- What ages does Polam School teach?
- Polam School teaches children aged 1 to 9. It is an independent school in Bedford.
- Who is the head teacher of Polam School?
- The head teacher of Polam School is Mr Darren O'Neil, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has Polam School been inspected?
- Ofsted has not inspected Polam School under its current framework, so no current judgement is shown. That is common for newer schools and is not a mark against a school.
- How many pupils are at Polam School?
- Polam School has 99 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 1 to 9.
- Is Polam School full?
- Polam School has capacity for 207 pupils and 99 on roll (48%), 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 Polam School a faith school?
- No. Polam School has no designated religious character.
- Is Polam School a selective school?
- No. Polam School is recorded as non-selective in the schools register.
- Does Polam 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 Polam 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 24 July 2026.