Bedford Free School
Free schools · 536 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.5
Academy sponsor led
Bedford Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,480of 1,500 places
- Free school meals
- 40.3%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 217
- Ofsted
- Good, 21 March 2023Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: John Bunyan School (URN 109672, until 1 September 2010).
What the data says
Of the 205 pupils who finished Year 11 at Bedford Academy in 2023, 38% stayed on in Bedford Academy’s own sixth form (Bedford average 39%), 47% went to a further education college and 1% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 88 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 44% went to university (Bedford 24%, England 37%), and 6% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Sociology is unusually popular at GCSE: 24% of the year group took it, against 4% of pupils across England.
GCSE results in 2025 were below the national picture: Attainment 8 of 42.8 against 46.1 across England and 44.4 in Bedford, with 38% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Bedford and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Bedford Academy | Bedford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 205 | 2,196 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 91% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 86% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 38% | 39% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 0% | — | 13% |
| — further education college | 47% | 47% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 2% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Employment | 4% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 4% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 4% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Bedford Academy | Bedford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 88 | 4,022 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 85% | 77% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 44% | 24% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 6% | 9% | 19% |
| Further education | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 9% | 7% |
| Employment | 31% | 38% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 14% | 17% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Bedford Academy | Bedford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 42.8 | 44.4 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 38% | 44% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 58% | 65% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 48% | 38% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.83 | 3.89 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 37% | 24% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 39.4 | 34.6 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 44.8 | 47.3 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 48% | 26% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 211 | 97% | 89% | 14% | 20% | 59% |
| English Literature | 210 | 97% | 86% | 15% | 21% | 69% |
| Mathematics | 209 | 96% | 88% | 19% | 22% | 64% |
| Combined Science | 147 | 68% | 65% | 1% | 9% | 37% |
| Spanish | 100 | 46% | 19% | 7% | 27% | 54% |
| Geography | 99 | 46% | 41% | 7% | 25% | 44% |
| History | 95 | 44% | 41% | 19% | 26% | 63% |
| Chemistry | 63 | 29% | 23% | 35% | 47% | 97% |
| Biology | 63 | 29% | 23% | 32% | 45% | 95% |
| Physics | 63 | 29% | 23% | 25% | 46% | 89% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 61 | 28% | 8% | 13% | 21% | 74% |
| Sociology | 51 | 24% | 4% | 22% | 21% | 63% |
| Citizenship Studies | 41 | 19% | 3% | 15% | 19% | 71% |
| Computer Science | 25 | 12% | 13% | 20% | 30% | 56% |
| Polish | 17 | 8% | 1% | 94% | 84% | 100% |
| Religious Studies | 16 | 7% | 31% | 25% | 32% | 88% |
| Italian | 2 | 1% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Russian | 1 | 0% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Business Management | 65 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | 38 | 79% | — |
| Sports Studies | 33 | 69% | — |
| Dance: General | 23 | 48% | — |
| Multimedia | 18 | 38% | — |
| Art and Design | 16 | 33% | — |
| Childcare Skills | 15 | 31% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 15 | 31% | — |
| Speech and Drama | 10 | 21% | — |
| Sports / Movement Science | 7 | 15% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Bedford Academy | Bedford | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 183 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 48 | 1,110 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | C+ | C | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 33.40 | 30.14 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C+ | C | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 10% | 11% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 20 | 42% | 23% |
| English Language and Literature | 14 | 29% | 2% |
| Mathematics | 12 | 25% | 31% |
| Biology | 11 | 23% | 20% |
| Chemistry | 11 | 23% | 17% |
| History | 10 | 21% | 13% |
| Sociology | 6 | 13% | 13% |
| Politics | 6 | 13% | 6% |
| Physics | — | — | 12% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 49 | 100% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 24 | 50% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 13 | 27% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 11 | 23% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 11 | 23% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 10 | 21% | — |
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 9 | 19% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 9 | 19% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D* | 7 | 15% | — |
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Art and Design | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Bedford
Biddenham International School and Sports College
Foundation school · sixth form · 1,422 pupils
91% stayed in education · Attainment 8 42.1
Daubeney Academy
Academy converter · 576 pupils
84% stayed in education · Attainment 8 38.5
Goldington Academy
Academy converter · 958 pupils
95% stayed in education · Attainment 8 54.3
Kempston Academy
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 773 pupils
80% stayed in education · Attainment 8 40.3
Lincroft Academy
Academy converter · 923 pupils
95% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.0
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.