Wixams Academy

Wixams Academy has demonstrated significant improvements since its last inspection, particularly in curriculum structure and pupil behavior, resulting in a strong overall performance. Most students achieve well across various subjects, with notable success in English and mathematics, where results exceed national averages. The school has cultivated a positive culture of safeguarding and supports a variety of extracurricular activities, enriching the student experience. However, challenges remain in attendance, especially among disadvantaged and SEND students, and some pupils require better support to succeed academically.

Strengths

• Pupils typically achieve well across the curriculum.
• Strong performance in English and mathematics, above national averages.
• Curriculum improvements have made it ambitious and well-structured.
• Positive culture of safeguarding is established.
• Effective pastoral support becoming more beneficial for students.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance for disadvantaged and SEND pupils is below expectations.
• Some pupils do not receive adequate support for their educational needs.

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 Wixams Academy attended 90.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 27.9% 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, 10.3% of pupils at Wixams Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 2 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 Wixams Academy had 15.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.3% 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, 11.4% of pupils at Wixams Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.3% 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 Wixams Academy received £8,350 and spent £8,417 for each of its 933 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £88,000 (£94 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Knowledge Schools Trust, income was £8,428 and spending £8,410 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

Wixams Academy is part of Knowledge Schools Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• Wixams Tree Primary Academy Bedford
• Bedford Road Primary Academy Bedford
• Dovery Academy Leighton Buzzard
• Edlesborough Primary Academy Dunstable
• Earl's Court Free School Primary London
• West London Free School Primary London
• West London Free School London
• Kensington Primary Academy London

What is Wixams Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Wixams Academy is Needs attention, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Wixams Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Wixams Academy was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Wixams Academy have?

Wixams Academy has 903 pupils on roll.

What age range does Wixams Academy cover?

Wixams Academy for pupils aged 11 to 19.

What are Wixams Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 43.9, and 44% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Wixams Academy?

Wixams Academy is at Green Lane, Wixams, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 6BA.