What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026Inspection history
- 24 January 2024Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
- 10 March 2015Graded inspection: Good
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 entry- 2025 1.6; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.6
- 2024 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.4
- 2023 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.6
- 2022 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
- 2021 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
- 2020 1.2; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
- 2019 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
- 2018 1.4; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.4
- 2017 1.3; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
- 2016 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.4
- 2015 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
- 2014 1.5; Central Bedfordshire median median 1.3
- This school
- Central Bedfordshire 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 2025 | 343 | 533 | 1.6 | 395 | 1.15 |
| Sep 2024 | 329 | 500 | 1.5 | 397 | 1.21 |
| Sep 2023 | 337 | 440 | 1.3 | 380 | 1.13 |
| Sep 2022 | 334 | 422 | 1.3 | 349 | 1.04 |
| Sep 2021 | 355 | 460 | 1.3 | 383 | 1.08 |
| Sep 2020 | 336 | 407 | 1.2 | 343 | 1.02 |
| Sep 2019 | 297 | 387 | 1.3 | 299 | 1.01 |
| Sep 2018 | 229 | 310 | 1.4 | 225 | 0.98 |
| Sep 2017 | 220 | 277 | 1.3 | 214 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2016 | 168 | 258 | 1.5 | 168 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2015 | 201 | 303 | 1.5 | 201 | 1.00 |
| Sep 2014 | 181 | 277 | 1.5 | 181 | 1.00 |
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.) | 345 | 47.6 | 46% | 68% | – |
| 2024/25 | 352 | 48.2 | 48% | 71% | – |
| 2023/24 | 362 | 44.7 | 43% | 63% | +0.01 |
| 2022/23 | 374 | 49.0 | 48% | 75% | +0.20 |
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
- Vandyke Upper SchoolThis schoolThis schoolRemains Good202447.6Attainment 8
- 0.2 km · Central BedfordshireSpecial measures 2026
- 1.3 km · Central BedfordshireGood2023
- 1.9 km · Central BedfordshireRemains Good2024
- 3.0 km · Central BedfordshireRemains Good2022
- 3.0 km · Central BedfordshireGood202350.1Attainment 8
- 6.5 km · Buckinghamshire20262.1applications per place 46.9Attainment 8
- 8.0 km · Central BedfordshireGood2024
- 8.2 km · Milton KeynesGraded · no overall grade20241.4applications per place 42.6Attainment 8
- 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
- 137169 · 823/4096
- Trust
- Vandyke Upper School
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,440 pupils · 1,517 on roll
- Free school meals
- 16.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 1 August 2011
- Replaced
- Vandyke Upper School and Community College (URN 109678)
- Address
- Vandyke Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 3DY
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources