Bedford Free School
Secondary · Free schools · Ages 11–16 · Bedford
Bedford Free School is a secondary school in Bedford for ages 11–16 (free schools). Its latest Ofsted outcome is Standards maintained, from the inspection on 24 April 2025. 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
- Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AD
- Type
- Free schools
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Bedford
- Pupils on roll
- 536 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 29.5% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 14.5
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
Standards maintained Inspected 24 April 2025
Strengths
- “Pupils flourish at this school.”
- “They experience a high quality of education.”
- “They meet leaders’ exceptionally high expectations for their learning, personal development and behaviour.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 9 June 2025 (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) | 37% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 46.5 | 46 |
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: 168 first-preference applications, 109 offers in total, 108 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
- 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 Academy 1.1 mi Good Last distance published
- Goldington Academy 1.3 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Biddenham International School and Sports College 1.3 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Daubeney Academy 1.5 mi Not judged Last distance published
- St Thomas More Catholic School 2.0 mi Good Last distance published
- Mark Rutherford School 2.3 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Kempston Academy 2.4 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
- Wixams Academy 3.1 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published