Academy converter · Bedford

The Hills Academy

3–11Ages
442Pupils
PrimaryPhase
139522URN

Stancliffe Road, Bedford, MK41 9AT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodFeb 2020

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Mar 2025

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.1per place

0.9 above Bedford median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bedford

183 applications for 59 places · 4th of 38 in Bedford

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

63%met the expected standard

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodFeb 2020

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Mar 2025

The graded inspection, 5 February 2020Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Inspection history

12 March 2025
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
5 February 2020
Graded 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

3.1applications per place, Reception

0.9 above Bedford median (2.2) 0.9 above England median (2.2)

183 applications · 59 places offered · 72 named it first

2026 3.1; Bedford median median 2.2
2025 3.0; Bedford median median 1.9
2024 3.1; Bedford median median 1.8
2023 3.5; Bedford median median 1.8
2022 3.3; Bedford median median 1.8
2021 2.9; Bedford median median 1.9
2020 2.8; Bedford median median 1.9
2019 3.2; Bedford median median 1.9
2018 3.7; Bedford median median 1.9
2017 3.2; Bedford median median 1.8
2016 2.9; Bedford median median 2.0
2015 3.0; Bedford median median 1.9
2014 3.5; Bedford median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Bedford median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Bedford median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, 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	59	183	3.1	72	1.22
Sep 2025	59	174	3.0	63	1.07
Sep 2024	47	146	3.1	46	0.98
Sep 2023	46	159	3.5	45	0.98
Sep 2022	60	196	3.3	65	1.08
Sep 2021	57	164	2.9	53	0.93
Sep 2020	59	164	2.8	55	0.93
Sep 2019	60	192	3.2	67	1.12
Sep 2018	60	220	3.7	71	1.18
Sep 2017	60	194	3.2	63	1.05
Sep 2016	57	167	2.9	51	0.89
Sep 2015	60	181	3.0	59	0.98
Sep 2014	60	210	3.5	72	1.20

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 76% · Maths 77% → all three 63% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard63%15th of 49 in Bedford

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard73%

Bedford 73% England 78%

Higher standard32%

Bedford 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard76%

Bedford 70% England 75%

Greater depth10%

Bedford 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard77%

Bedford 71% England 77%

Higher standard24%

Bedford 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Bedford median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	63%	10%	105	104
2023/24	72%	10%	107	105
2022/23	60%	6%	105	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

The Hills AcademyThis school
This school

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Hazeldene School
0.0 km · Bedford

Standards maintained2024

3.0applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
St John Rigby Catholic Primary School
0.6 km · Bedford

Good2023

2.4applications per place 49%met the SATs standard
Brickhill Primary School
1.0 km · Bedford

Remains Good2024

3.2applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Putnoe Primary School
1.2 km · Bedford

Good2024

2.3applications per place 57%met the SATs standard
Goldington Green Academy
1.4 km · Bedford

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.7applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Scott Primary School & Nursery
1.6 km · Bedford

Remains Good2024

1.9applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Edith Cavell Primary School
2.2 km · Bedford

Remains Good2024

2.3applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Livingstone Primary School
2.3 km · Bedford

Good2023

2.6applications per place 49%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 139522 · 822/2178
Trust: The Hills Academy
Capacity: 420 pupils · 442 on roll
Free school meals: 9.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 April 2013
Replaced: The Hills Lower School (URN 109510)
Address: Stancliffe Road, Bedford, MK41 9AT
Local authority: Bedford

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources