Classpot

Bedford Free School

Bedford, MK42 9ADSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Apr 2025
Progress 8
+1.11
Well above average
−20+2
Competition
1.8×
Oversubscribed
190 1st-choice / 108 places
Ranking
🏆Top 5%
#41 of 3,141 nationally

About Bedford Free School

Bedford Free School is a mixed 11-16 secondary in Bedford that is currently oversubscribed by a significant margin. For its 108 Year 7 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 376 total applications, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.48 applicants per place. Of those, 190 families put it as their first preference, and 98 of those received offers. The school is running above its stated capacity, with 525 pupils on roll against a capacity of 500. Its intake includes a higher-than-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 28.4%, compared with the national secondary average of around 24%. The school has no religious character and no sixth form, so pupils will need to move on after Year 11. The headteacher is Tom Wood.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressCauldwell Street, Bedford, Bedford, MK42 9AD
HeadteacherTom Wood
Local AuthorityBedford
Number of Pupils525
Free School Meals (FSM)28.4%
School Capacity525 / 500 (105% full)

The full report on this school

What 91 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

24 Apr 2025
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of Education
Outstanding
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (24 Apr 2025): Standards maintained

Source: Ofsted, 23 Mar 2020. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
ICT SuiteSports HallAstro TurfPlaying FieldsArt StudiosTennis CourtsMusic RoomsLibraryDining Hall

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

RoundersFootballRugbyBasketballMartial ArtsCricketDance

Clubs & Activities

ChoirModel United NationsArt ClubNewspaperDuke of EdinburghDramaGardeningOrchestraCodingChess

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 16:00

Breakfast club

08:00-08:24

After-school care

16:00-17:30

Source: bedfordfreeschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bedford Free School

Bedford Free School has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.