Bedale High School
80%
Capacity
560
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Bedale High School
Bedale High School is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in North Yorkshire, a local authority where it ranks 31st out of 39 similar schools based on Progress 8 scores. That places it in the bottom half of the county, well behind the top-performing local peers such as St Francis Xavier School, St Aidan's Church of England High School, and Ripon Grammar School. The school is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, receiving 178 applications for 100 places, with 80 first-preference offers made. Headteacher Christopher Stokes leads a school of 560 pupils against a capacity of 700, and 20.2% of students are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school does not have a sixth form or nursery provision, and it is not a boarding school.
Academically, the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 rated it as Requires Improvement overall, a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2019. The inspection found that quality of education and leadership and management both require improvement, while personal development and behaviour and attitudes were rated Good. Exam results for the 2023/24 academic year show a Progress 8 score of -0.3, which is below average nationally and significantly lower than the North Yorkshire local authority average of 0.07. The Attainment 8 score sits at 42, and the EBacc average point score is 3.73. Only 30.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, compared with 59.4% achieving a grade 4 or above. The school's Progress 8 banding is classified as 'Below average', and it ranks in the bottom 50 nationally.
Parent View responses, collected from 26 respondents between September 2024 and September 2025, paint a stark picture: 96% would not recommend the school. Only 4% of parents agreed that their child is happy, and just 8% felt their child is safe. Concerns about behaviour and support are widespread, with 77% strongly disagreeing that concerns are dealt with properly. On a more positive note, 42% of parents agreed that their child can take part in clubs and activities, and the school offers a range of extracurricular options including Drama, Duke of Edinburgh, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. Facilities include a library, science labs, music rooms, art studios, an astro turf, and playing fields. The school provides SEND support for a wide range of needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Given the low parental satisfaction and below-average academic outcomes, this school may suit families who are already engaged with the school's improvement journey and are looking for a local option with strong extracurricular provision, but it would be wise to visit and ask detailed questions about recent changes.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Fitzalan Road, Bedale, North Yorkshire, DL8 2EQ |
| Headteacher | Christopher Stokes |
| Local Authority | North Yorkshire |
| Number of Pupils | 560 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 20.2% |
| School Capacity | 560 / 700 (80% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
26 Jun 2024Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Source: Ofsted, 11 Sept 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.30)
2246th of 3,141
Nationally
206th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
31st of 39
In North Yorkshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/233%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 96 pupils).
- Sixth form college39%
- FE college34%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained5%
- School sixth form (stay)3%
95% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
26 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed100
178
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
80 families put this school as their 1st choice (45% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:05
Source: bedalehighschool.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British92.3%
- White (other)3.4%
- Mixed2.3%
- Asian0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bedale High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Fitzalan Road, Bedale
North Yorkshire, DL8 2EQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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