Graded inspection · Feb 2025 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in Bedford
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good | |||
| Personal development | Good | |||
| Leadership and management | Outstanding | |||
| Sixth form provision | Outstanding |
Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades
About these grades
Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.
How hard is it to get a place?
DfE · Sept 2026 entry406 applications · 246 places offered · 235 named it first
- 2026 1.7; Bedford median median 1.8
- 2025 1.5; Bedford median median 1.5
- 2024 1.6; Bedford median median 1.5
- 2023 1.7; Bedford median median 1.4
- 2022 1.7; Bedford median median 1.7
- 2021 1.7; Bedford median median 1.7
- 2020 1.9; Bedford median median 1.9
- 2019 1.9; Bedford median median 1.7
- 2018 1.6; Bedford median median 1.6
- 2017 1.2; Bedford median median 1.6
- 2016 1.3; Bedford median median 1.5
- 2015 1.3; Bedford median median 1.3
- 2014 1.2; Bedford median median 1.5
- This school
- Bedford median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council
How this is measured
Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.
| Entry | Places | Applications | Per place | First preferences | First-pref. ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 246 | 406 | 1.7 | 235 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2025 | 255 | 369 | 1.5 | 238 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2024 | 264 | 414 | 1.6 | 253 | 0.96 |
| Sep 2023 | 268 | 446 | 1.7 | 287 | 1.07 |
| Sep 2022 | 265 | 459 | 1.7 | 314 | 1.18 |
| Sep 2021 | 267 | 462 | 1.7 | 302 | 1.13 |
| Sep 2020 | 263 | 506 | 1.9 | 335 | 1.27 |
| Sep 2019 | 263 | 500 | 1.9 | 309 | 1.17 |
| Sep 2018 | 266 | 411 | 1.6 | 303 | 1.14 |
| Sep 2017 | 270 | 327 | 1.2 | 281 | 1.04 |
| Sep 2016 | 342 | 437 | 1.3 | 355 | 1.04 |
| Sep 2015 | 361 | 466 | 1.3 | 380 | 1.05 |
| Sep 2014 | 328 | 396 | 1.2 | 330 | 1.01 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 264 | 47.7 | 46% | 67% | – |
| 2024/25 | 263 | 51.6 | 59% | 78% | – |
| 2023/24 | 254 | 51.1 | 54% | 75% | +0.17 |
| 2022/23 | 265 | 47.4 | 43% | 71% | +0.09 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- Sharnbrook AcademyThis schoolThis schoolGraded · no overall grade20251.7applications per place 47.7Attainment 8
- 6.5 km · BedfordGraded · no overall grade20241.7applications per place 50.4Attainment 8
- 8.1 km · North NorthamptonshireGood20231.8applications per place 44.0Attainment 8
- 8.9 km · North NorthamptonshireGood20221.8applications per place 42.1Attainment 8
- 9.2 km · North Northamptonshire20262.3applications per place 40.2Attainment 8
- 9.4 km · BedfordGood20231.8applications per place 41.0Attainment 8
- 10.5 km · BedfordStandards maintained20242.5applications per place 40.3Attainment 8
- 11.0 km · Bedford20252.3applications per place 40.7Attainment 8
- 11.7 km · Bedford2026
- Exceptional
- Strong standard
- Expected standard
- Needs attention
- Urgent improvement
- Does not apply
Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.
School details
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 136470 · 822/5402
- Trust
- Meridian Trust
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,950 pupils · 1,684 on roll
- Free school meals
- 15.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 February 2011
- Replaced
- Sharnbrook Upper School and Community College (URN 109706)
- Address
- Odell Road, Sharnbrook, Bedford, MK44 1JL
- Local authority
- Bedford
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources