School organisation changes

We have an ambitious goal to ensure that high quality education is consistently delivered across all Bedford Borough schools. 

Moving towards a two-tier educational system is part of achieving this. Wootton/Stewartby remains the only school planning area within the borough which still operates under a 3-tier system. Adopting the 2-tier model will align Wootton and Stewartby schools with others in the borough and across the country. 

It will allow schools to attract high quality staff, as needed, to fully access CPD opportunities and to reduce the number of transitions for students, which has been proven to improve outcomes for pupils.

Bedford Borough Council are coordinating this transition in conjunction with changes underway in neighbouring areas of Central Bedfordshire and working with the school leaders to plan their journeys effectively.

Timeline 

September 2025

• Wootton Lower School will become Wootton Primary School and accept its first intake of Y5 pupils.

September 2026 

• Wootton Upper School will become a secondary school, Wootton Academy, with phased changes to the Y7 to Y11 pupil intakes.
• Pupils at Marston Vale Middle School in Y6 to Y8 in 2025/26 will transfer to Wootton Academy to continue into Y7 to Y9, respectively.
• Wootton Primary School will complete its transition, with intakes of pupils in YR to Y6. 

End of 2026/27

• Marston Vale Middle School will undergo planned closure.
• Broadmead Lower School will undergo planned closure.

See published decision and accompanying papers for more information.

September 2027

• Stewartby Primary School (YR to Y6) opens (on the former Marston Vale Middle School site).

See our mainstream school transport page for information on how these changes may affect eligibility for school transport.

Bedford Borough Council has a statutory duty to ensure that sufficient school places are available for all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Bedford Borough Council is proposing to start the process of commissioning a new special school to primarily support students with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) challenges.

The location of the new SEMH special school is anticipated to be on the site of the former St Joseph’s Lower School in Queens Park and is proposed to open in spring 2027. The SEMH special school will serve pupils in years 5 to 11 (aged 9 to 16 years old). It will open on a phased basis, providing 80 places over time. 

Image

The new school would be a 'free school' (not maintained by the local authority) and would be developed by following the Department for Education (DfE) guidance 'Academy and free school presumption: guidelines' (on GOV.UK).

Capital works will be required to convert the existing school’s building and grounds into a suitable SEMH special school. The Council has a budget to complete the works, which comprises High Needs Provision Capital Allocation grant funding. This funding will be provided to the party who are successful in securing Secretary of State approval to run the school.

We are now starting an informal period of consultation before beginning the commissioning process which involves inviting sponsors to submit their expressions of interest to sponsor (run) the school.

Background and need for additional SEND provision

Bedford Borough has seen a significant increase in the number of children and young people (CYP) with special education needs who have SEMH identified as their primary need and who require specialist placements. Currently 2375 children and young people in Bedford Borough have education, health and care plans (EHCPs); 354 (15%) have SEMH designated as their primary need.

Of these young people, 26 have EHCPs which currently name out-of-borough locations as their placement. The Local Authority recognises that it would be beneficial for these children and young people to attend a provision within the local area, reducing the need for lengthy journeys to and from school.

Between 2015/16 and 2024/25 the Department for Education reported a 133% increase in the number of CYP in Bedford with EHCPs whose primary need is SEMH and a 73% increase for those receiving SEND support (no EHCP) for SEMH challenges. 

Bedford Borough Council recognises the increasing demand for SEMH special education provision from a specialist provider. Opening a new special SEMH free school in the borough will increase accessibility, enabling local needs to be met more effectively.

Consultation timeline

Responding to the consultation

This is an informal consultation and feedback will be used to inform the specification for the new SEMH special school.

The consultation will run from 18 May 2026 until midnight on 14 June 2026.

We welcome your thoughts and opinions on this proposal. If you wish to respond to this consultation, please complete the online consultation questionnaire below:

Respond to the new special school for Bedford Borough consultation

If you are unable to respond online you can request a paper copy form please email charlotte.cotter@bedford.gov.uk.

There will be further opportunity to feed back later in the process as part of the formal consultation which must take place after the sponsor has been approved by the Secretary of State but before the signing of the funding agreement. 

This is the decision notice on the consultation to expand the current early years provision, to include children aged 9 months, from 1 September 2026 at Peter Pan Nursery School, Edward Road, Bedford, MK42 9DR. 

The Early Years Reference Group (EYRG) met on 11th June to review the consultation findings and reports for the proposed change of age range of Peter Pan Nursery School which would open on 1st September 2026, at the earliest. 

Members at the meeting included representation from the following groups: School improvement, public health, early years SEND support, Bedfordshire Employment Skills Academy, an academy primary school with early years, a maintained nursery school and a private pre-school.  

The EYRG agreed to lowering the age range from 2 years to 9 months with the understanding that the school will:

• Continue to work in partnership with local early years settings, including the private, voluntary and independent sector (PVI’s), ensuring families within the community are supported and all early years settings work together to ensure viability. 
• Continue to engage with settings offering places for children younger than 2 years old to learn from their experience and shared best practice. 
• Update the school travel plan and work with Heart Academies Trust to minimise traffic impact.

The proposal was approved as members of the EYRG felt that the change of age range would help to meet demand for additional childcare for children aged 2 and under in this ward. Peter Pan Nursery School is within an area of high socioeconomic deprivation, therefore, accessing high quality early education from a younger age aligns with the government’s Best Start in Life ambitions.

Peter Pan Nursery School staff are known to actively engage in CPD and Local Authority initiatives and for their commitment to high quality early years provision. School staff were commended on their ability to meet SEND needs, support early identification and contribute positively to improving good level of development measures. Peter Pan Nursery School is outstanding by OfSTED (last inspection 19th April 2023), and the Council feels that the school are in a strong position to increase their early years provision.

Broadmead Lower School will undergo planned closure at the end of the 2026/27 academic year. This is part of a phased reorganisation of schools in Wootton and Stewartby to align with the two-tier system adopted in most of the country. 

Please see the published decision and accompanying papers for more information.

Kymbrook Primary School and Kymbrook Pre-school will merge with effect from 1 January 2026. This will aid a smoother transition and improve outcomes at the end of Reception, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who do not speak English as a first language.

Please see decision notice below for more information

Decision on the consultation to merge Kymbrook Primary School and Kymbrook Pre-school

The Early Years Reference Group (EYRG) met on 18 June to review the consultation findings and reports for the proposed merger of Kymbrook Primary School and Kymbrook Pre-school which would come into effect on 1 January 2026. 

Members at the meeting included representation from the following early years groups: a college, an academy primary school with early years, a maintained nursery school, a private nursery, a private pre-school and a charity pre-school.  

The merger was agreed by the EYRG with the understanding that the school will:

• Ensure all early years staff have access to the Bedford Borough Early Years Training Directory and are able to attend events and training to ensure a high quality setting and effective CPD.
• Ensure all staff have full and recognised EYFS qualifications, if qualified (within ratio of the EYFS requirements).
• Engage in the Professional Study Groups led by the Council school improvement team (Judith Lovely is the head of school improvement and can be contacted for any queries at Judith.Lovely@bedford.gov.uk).
• Continue to work in partnership with local early years settings, including the private, voluntary and independent sector (PVI’s), ensuring families within the community are supported and all early years settings work together to ensure viability.
• Engage and participate in the Early Years Hubs programme.
• Ensure governors can support with the high quality of the early years provision with access to early years governor training and the Foundation Stage Forum.

The proposal was approved as members of the EYRG felt that the merger would enable a smoother transition, improving the outcomes of children in the early years phase, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who do not speak English as a first language. 

Closer liaison between the staff of the two organisations will allow a focus on outcomes for the children, supported by a consistent and professional management structure. 

Kymbrook Primary School is rated ‘good’ across all categories by OFSTED (last inspection 16 July 2024) and the Council feels that the school are in a strong position to open an early year’s nursery provision.

Westfield Primary School will open a pre-school for children aged 3 years and above with effect from 4th November 2025. This will meet a demand for additional childcare in the area following the expansion of the early years entitlements by central government and aid transitioning to primary school.

Please see the decision notice below for more information.

Decision on the consultation to add a pre-school at Westfield Primary School 

The Early Years Reference Group (EYRG) met on 19 September to review the consultation findings and reports for the proposed addition of a pre-school at Westfield Primary School which would open on 4 November 2025, at the earliest. 

Members at the meeting included representation from the following early years groups: Early Childhood Partnership, a college, an academy primary school with early years, a maintained nursery school and a charity pre-school.  

The merger was agreed by the EYRG with the understanding that the school will:

• Ensure all early years staff have access to the Bedford Borough Early Years Training Directory and are able to attend events and training to ensure a high quality setting and effective CPD.
• Ensure all staff have full and recognised EYFS qualifications, if qualified (within ratio of the EYFS requirements).
• Continue to work in partnership with local early years settings, including the private, voluntary and independent sector (PVI’s), ensuring families within the community are supported and all early years settings work together to ensure viability.
• Engage and participate in the Early Years Hubs programme.
• Ensure the headteacher and governors can support with the high quality of the early years provision through access to early years governor training and the Foundation Stage Forum.

The proposal was approved as members of the EYRG felt that the merger would enable a smoother transition, improving the outcomes of children in the early years phase, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who do not speak English as a first language. 

Westfield Primary School is rated ‘good’ across all categories by OFSTED (last inspection 25 May 2022) and the Council feels that the school are in a strong position to open an early year’s nursery provision.