Bedford Academy
| Type | Secondary / Academy sponsor led |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Mile Road Bedford Bedfordshire MK42 9TR |
| Phone | 01234301500 |
| Reference Number | 136085 |
Bedford Academy is performing well overall, as reflected in its good grading across all inspected areas. Pupils demonstrate happiness and safety, supported by strong relationships with staff who effectively address individual needs. The school has revamped its curriculum to be more ambitious, ensuring that pupils receive sufficient time to develop their knowledge and skills. The sixth form offers a diverse range of qualifications, contributing to positive outcomes for students. While there are pockets of inconsistency in teaching effectiveness, overall achievements have improved significantly since the last inspection.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1375 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 49.89%
Girls: 50.11% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 37.2% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 40.6% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 22.7 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 143 | 125 | 268 |
| 8 | 121 | 134 | 255 |
| 9 | 105 | 120 | 225 |
| 10 | 116 | 108 | 224 |
| 11 | 103 | 117 | 220 |
| 12 | 47 | 50 | 97 |
| 13 | 51 | 35 | 86 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 29.6% |
| White, Other | 20.1% |
| African | 7.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 5.7% |
| Indian | 5.1% |
| Pakistani | 4.4% |
| White & Asian | 2.5% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.5% |
| Unclassified | 2% |
| Caribbean | 1.6% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.3% |
| Asian, Other | 1.2% |
| Chinese | 0.4% |
| Irish | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Good |
| Last Report Date | 21 Mar 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 21 Mar 2023 | School inspection: |
| 14 May 2019 | Short inspection |
| 22 Oct 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Feb 2015 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 17 Jul 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 18 Jan 2012 | Monitoring visit |
Strengths
- Pupils are supported by strong staff-pupil relationships.
- The school has implemented an ambitious curriculum across subjects.
- All pupils study a language at key stage 3, enhancing their learning opportunities.
- There is a broad and popular sixth-form curriculum that meets students' aspirations.
- Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects still experience less effective teaching.
- Leaders have not consistently identified where teachers need further training and support.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 42.8 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 37.8% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 54.8% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 33.75 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 33.5 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | C+ | C+ | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | C+ | C+ | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 10% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 255 | 24 |
| Third Preference | 79 | 4 |
| From another Local Authority | 3 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock2014 Admissions
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 120 | 2 |
| Third Preference | 64 | 1 |
| From another Local Authority | 3 | 0 |
Destinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
King's Oak Primary School
Oak Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 0HH |
0.28 miles |
|
Shackleton Primary School
Pearcey Road, Shackleton Primary School, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9LZ |
0.55 miles |
|
Cherry Trees Nursery School
Hawkins Road, Bedford, MK42 9LS |
0.59 miles |
|
Elstow School
Abbey Fields, Elstow, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9GP |
0.64 miles |
|
Peter Pan Nursery School
Edward Road, Bedford, MK42 9DR |
1.03 miles |
|
Cauldwell School
Edward Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9DR |
1.03 miles |
|
Shortstown Primary School
Beauvais Square, Shortstown, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 0GS |
1.05 miles |
|
Camestone School
Jowitt Avenue, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8NW |
1.37 miles |
|
Castle Newnham School
Goldington Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 3EP |
1.46 miles |
|
Springfield Primary School
Orchard Street, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7LJ |
1.47 miles |
|
Priory Primary School
Greyfriars, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 1JD |
1.62 miles |
|
Polam School
45 Lansdowne Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 2BU |
1.83 miles |
|
St John Rigby Catholic Primary School
Polhill Avenue, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9DQ |
1.84 miles |
|
Bedford Road Primary Academy
Hillgrounds Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8QH |
1.86 miles |
|
Lakeview School
School Lane, Off Brooklands Avenue, Wixams, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 6BH |
1.89 miles |
|
Goldington Green Academy
Goldington Green, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 0DP |
1.94 miles |
|
Queen's Park Academy
Chestnut Avenue, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4HA |
1.95 miles |
|
Livingstone Primary School
Clapham Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 7LG |
1.98 miles |
|
Rivertree Free School
Hillgrounds Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8QP |
2.02 miles |
|
Westfield Primary School
Chester Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4HW |
2.03 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Bedford Girls' School
Cardington Road, Bedford, MK42 0BX |
1.02 miles |
|
Bedford Free School
Cauldwell Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9AD |
1.12 miles |
|
Bedford College
Cauldwell Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9AH |
1.19 miles |
|
KWS School
51 Brunel Road, Bedford, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9TJ |
1.37 miles |
|
St John's School
Austin Canons, Bedford Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8AA |
1.37 miles |
|
Daubeney Academy
Orchard Street, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7PS |
1.41 miles |
|
Bedford School
De Parys Avenue, Bedford, MK40 2TU |
1.64 miles |
|
Grange Academy
Halsey Road, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8AU |
1.73 miles |
|
Goldington Academy
Haylands Way, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9BX |
1.82 miles |
|
Castle Newnham School
Polhill Avenue, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 9DT |
1.89 miles |
|
Biddenham International School and Sports College
Biddenham Turn, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4AZ |
2.25 miles |
|
Wixams Academy
Green Lane, Wixams, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 6BA |
2.26 miles |
|
Bedford Modern School
Manton Lane, Bedford, MK41 7NT |
2.36 miles |
|
Kempston Academy
Hill Rise, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7EB |
2.46 miles |
|
Ridgeway School
Hill Rise, Kempston, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 7EB |
2.52 miles |
|
Bedford Greenacre Independent School
Manton Lane, Bedford, MK41 7FZ |
2.71 miles |
|
Mark Rutherford School
Wentworth Drive, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 8PX |
2.91 miles |
|
St Thomas More Catholic School
Tyne Crescent, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 7UL |
3.01 miles |
|
Wootton Upper School
Hall End Road, Wootton, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK43 9HT |
4.06 miles |
|
Cambian Walnut Tree Lodge School
Renhold Road, Wilden, Bedford, MK44 2PT |
4.24 miles |