Bedford Free School

Bedford Free School has achieved an overall rating of outstanding in its latest inspection, marking a significant improvement since its last evaluation which was rated good. The school demonstrates a relentless commitment to excellence, with high expectations for both staff and students contributing to an environment where pupils feel safe, confident, and eager to learn. The curriculum is well-structured and provides ample opportunities for personal development, with staff offering tailored support to help students achieve their goals. The school community works collaboratively, fostering an atmosphere of mutual respect and support among pupils.

Strengths

• High expectations for staff and pupils
• Exceptional pupil behaviour and focus
• Strong curriculum for personal development
• Well-structured curriculum that supports effective learning
• Rapid intervention for students falling behind
• Commitment to staff development and effective teaching practices
• Governance that challenges and supports school leadership

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent implementation of practical elements in some subjects
• Need for better consideration of pupils' prior knowledge in some areas

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Bedford Free School attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 19.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 7.4% of pupils at Bedford Free School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Bedford Free School had 14.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.1% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 4.7% of pupils at Bedford Free School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Bedford Free School received £8,333 and spent £8,353 for each of its 526 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £504,000 (£958 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of Advantage Schools, income was £7,950 and spending £7,863 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bedford · Bedford local authority: places and applications

Bedford Free School is part of Advantage Schools, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Queen's Park Academy Bedford
• Elstow School Bedford
• Laburnum Primary School Sandy
• Houstone School Dunstable
• The Chalk Hills Academy Luton
• The Vale Academy Dunstable
• The Rushmere Park Academy Leighton Buzzard
• The Linden Academy Luton
• The Stockwood Park Academy Luton

What is Bedford Free School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bedford Free School is Outstanding, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Bedford Free School last inspected by Ofsted?

Bedford Free School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Bedford Free School have?

Bedford Free School has 536 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bedford Free School cover?

Bedford Free School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Bedford Free School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 51.0, and 58% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Bedford Free School?

Bedford Free School is at Cauldwell Street, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 9AD.