Bedford Academy

Academy sponsor led; sixth form; mixed; ages 11 to 18; 1,480 pupils; Bedford, MK42 9TR; URN 136085

Bedford Academy’s latest inspection, on 21 March 2023, gave an overall grade of Good on the old four-point scale. Of the eight state secondary schools nearest to it, four have a report card, one has key judgements without an overall grade and three have an ungraded inspection. The oldest verdict, at Kempston Academy, dates from 16 October 2024; the latest, at Goldington Academy, from 12 May 2026.

Each mark is one of the schools below, at the date of its latest inspection: report card key judgements only overall grade, old scale ungraded inspection. Behind them, the ruler Ofsted used on that date: pale, an overall grade on the old four-point scale (until 31 August 2024); mid blue, key judgements without an overall grade (from 1 September 2024); deep blue, report cards (from 10 November 2025).

Bedford Academy and the eight state secondary schools nearest to it

From Bedford Academy’s position in the register of schools, in a straight line, among the open state schools in England that teach pupils of secondary age or students aged 16 and over (special schools and further education colleges are not included). Each mark sits at the exact date of the school’s latest inspection in Ofsted’s data as at 30 September 2026.

here
Bedford Academy
MK42 9TR, Bedford; sixth form

Good overall grade on the old four-point scale, 21 March 2023
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 44.4 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 35.7% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C+, 33.40 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: good
- Personal development: good
- Leadership and management: good
- Sixth form provision: good
Ofsted report for Bedford Academy
1.1 mi1,799 m NW
Bedford Free School
MK42 9AD, Bedford

Standards maintained ungraded inspection, 24 April 2025

GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 51.0 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 58.3% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%)
Ofsted report for Bedford Free School
1.4 mi2,265 m W
Daubeney Academy
MK42 7PS, Bedford

Key judgements, no overall grade graded inspection, 1 July 2025
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 46.1 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 51.7% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: outstanding
- Leadership and management: outstanding
Ofsted report for Daubeney Academy
1.5 mi2,348 m N
Castle Newnham School
MK40 3EP, Bedford

Report card inspected 17 March 2026; safeguarding met
GCSE 2025/26: no pupils at the end of key stage 4
The report card, area by area
- Inclusion: expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: expected standard
- Achievement: expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: expected standard
- Personal development and wellbeing: expected standard
- Leadership and governance: expected standard
- Early years: expected standard
- Safeguarding: met
Ofsted report for Castle Newnham School
1.8 mi2,929 m N
Goldington Academy
MK41 9BX, Bedford

Report card inspected 12 May 2026; safeguarding met
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 52.0 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 59.7% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%)
The report card, area by area
- Inclusion: strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: strong standard
- Achievement: strong standard
- Attendance and behaviour: strong standard
- Personal development and wellbeing: strong standard
- Leadership and governance: strong standard
- Safeguarding: met
Ofsted report for Goldington Academy
2.2 mi3,614 m NW
Biddenham International School and Sports College
MK40 4AZ, Bedford; sixth form

Standards maintained ungraded inspection, 27 November 2024

GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 40.3 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 35.2% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C, 28.55 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
Ofsted report for Biddenham International School and Sports College
2.3 mi3,636 m S
Wixams Academy
MK42 6BA, Bedford; sixth form

Report card inspected 3 March 2026; safeguarding met
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 43.9 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 44.2% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C-, 25.05 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The report card, area by area
- Inclusion: needs attention
- Curriculum and teaching: expected standard
- Achievement: expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: needs attention
- Personal development and wellbeing: expected standard
- Leadership and governance: expected standard
- Post-16 provision: expected standard
- Safeguarding: met
Ofsted report for Wixams Academy
2.5 mi3,957 m W
Kempston Academy
MK42 7EB, Bedford; sixth form

Standards maintained ungraded inspection, 16 October 2024

GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 38.4 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 29.1% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: listed by the DfE, figure not published
Ofsted report for Kempston Academy
2.9 mi4,685 m N
Mark Rutherford School
MK41 8PX, Bedford; sixth form

Report card inspected 11 November 2025; safeguarding met
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 40.7 (Bedford 44.1, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 28.3% (Bedford 41.7%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: average grade C-, 28.29 points per entry (England B-, 35.00)
The report card, area by area
- Inclusion: strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: expected standard
- Achievement: expected standard
- Attendance and behaviour: strong standard
- Personal development and wellbeing: expected standard
- Leadership and governance: expected standard
- Post-16 provision: needs attention
- Safeguarding: met
Ofsted report for Mark Rutherford School

See more schools around it: the next schools by distance, or the nearest sixth forms.

The latest inspection, in detail

Graded inspection of 21 March 2023: overall effectiveness Good
Key judgement	Position on the four-point scale	Grade
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Sixth form provision		Good

These grades come from the inspection system used before 10 November 2025; Ofsted says they cannot be compared with the new report cards. How to read these grades.

Read the full report on Ofsted’s website

Exam results

GCSE and other key stage 4 results, 2025/26 (provisional): 224 pupils at the end of key stage 4
Measure	This school	Bedford	England
Average Attainment 8 score	44.4	44.1	46.2
Percentage of pupils achieving grades 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs	35.7%	41.7%	46.3%
Percentage of pupils achieving grades 4 or above in English and maths GCSEs	60.7%	62.0%	64.8%

England and Bedford: all state-funded schools. Provisional figures can be revised by the Department for Education. The 2025/26 data gives no Progress 8 scores.

A level results, 2024/25: 48 students
Measure	This school	England
Average grade per A level entry	C+	B-
A level average point score per entry	33.40	35.00
Students achieving AAB or better, at least two in facilitating subjects	10.0%	17.5%

England: all state-funded schools and colleges.

Nearby schools with a page on this site

The Hazeley Academy Milton Keynes, 16.7 mi in a straight line
Watling Academy Milton Keynes, 16.8 mi in a straight line
Northampton Academy West Northamptonshire, 18.8 mi in a straight line

In the register of schools

Bedford Academy is a state-funded mixed secondary school in Bedford, for pupils aged 11 to 18, with a sixth form. The register counts 1,480 pupils for a capacity of 1,500. Trust: HEART ACADEMIES TRUST. Address: Mile Road, Bedford, MK42 9TR. Website: bedfordacademy.co.uk/.

For school places, distance is measured as set out in each school’s admission arrangements, which may differ from a straight line: check them with the school or the council.

Sources

Department for Education: Key stage 4 performance, academic year 2025/26 (provisional), school, local authority and England data, accessed 31 October 2026.
Department for Education: 16 to 19 performance, academic year 2024/25 (final), A level results by school and for England, accessed 31 October 2026.
Department for Education: Get Information about Schools, register of schools (all establishments, 30 October 2026), accessed 30 October 2026.
Ofsted: management information, state-funded schools, latest inspections as at 30 September 2026, accessed 30 October 2026.

Last updated 2 November 2026.