Bedford Academy
Secondary · Academy sponsor led · Ages 11–18 · Bedford
Bedford Academy is a secondary school in Bedford for ages 11–18 (academy sponsor led). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Good, from the inspection on 21 March 2023. Bedford has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2024 to 2026 entry.
Open on the map Unlock with a pass · £9.99
Key facts
- Address
- Mile Road, Bedford, MK42 9TR
- Type
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Bedford
- Pupils on roll
- 1,480 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 38.5% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 17.1
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Good Inspected 21 March 2023
Strengths
- “Pupils are happy and safe as leaders have established a culture where pupils are listened to.”
- “Staff build strong relationships with pupils so know their individual needs well.”
- “Those pupils who need it value the ‘access centre’.”
To improve
- “Where pupils do not achieve as well as they might, they experience some pockets of inconsistency in how well the curriculum is taught.”
- “Leaders established that the previous curriculum model lacked ambition.”
- “Pupils did not study a language.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 17 May 2023 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 38% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 42.8 | 46 |
| A level average grade (2024/25) | C+ | B- |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 285 first-preference applications, 293 offers in total, 270 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Last distance offered and catchment
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Last distance offered for Year 7 2024 to 2026, as Bedford published it, drawn on the map
- The council’s catchment or priority area for this school on the map
- Earlier years of applications and offers
- Earlier years of exam results
- Where pupils go after they leave
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Bedford.
- Bedford Free School 1.1 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Daubeney Academy 1.4 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Goldington Academy 1.8 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Biddenham International School and Sports College 2.2 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Wixams Academy 2.3 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Kempston Academy 2.5 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Mark Rutherford School 2.9 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- St Thomas More Catholic School 3.0 mi Good Last distance published