Vandyke Upper School
105%
Capacity
1,507
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Vandyke Upper School
Vandyke Upper School is a popular choice among local families, with 395 first-preference applications for 343 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.55. This means for every place available, more than one and a half families put it as their top choice. The school made 343 first-preference offers in total from 533 applications, so competition is real but not extreme. While the school doesn't publish a parent recommendation percentage, the high demand suggests a solid reputation among families in Central Bedfordshire. The school is a state-funded, mixed secondary for ages 13 to 18, with a current roll of 1,507 pupils against a capacity of 1,440, meaning it is slightly over capacity. Headteacher Leah Ferguson-Moore leads a school with no religious character, and 14.8 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is around the national average for a secondary.
Academically, Vandyke performs well within its local authority. Its Progress 8 score of 0.01 is significantly above the Central Bedfordshire average of -0.46, placing it third out of 16 schools in the LA and in the top 50 nationally by this measure. Pupils achieve an Attainment 8 score of 44.7, with 63.3 per cent achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths, and 42.8 per cent achieving a grade 5 or above. The EBacc average point score is 3.86, with 24 per cent of pupils entering the EBacc combination. At A-level, the school's value-added score is -0.17, which is below average, and the average points per entry is 32.41, equating to a grade of C+. The sixth form was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection, and the school overall holds a Good rating, upgraded from Requires Improvement in its previous graded inspection in 2015.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a theatre, sports hall, astro turf, science labs, music rooms, art studios, and a sixth form centre. Sports provision includes netball, tennis, swimming, cricket, and martial arts, while clubs range from science club and eco club to debate, young enterprise, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Vandyke supports a wide spectrum of SEND needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With its strong Progress 8 performance relative to the local authority and a popular sixth form, this school suits families who want a large, well-equipped upper school with good academic momentum at GCSE and a clear path into post-16 study, particularly those living within commuting distance of Leighton Buzzard.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 13 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Vandyke Road, Leighton Buzzard, Central Bedfordshire, LU7 3DY |
| Headteacher | Leah Ferguson-Moore |
| Local Authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,507 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 14.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,507 / 1,440 (105% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Jan 2024Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (24 Jan 2024): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 16 Apr 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.01)
1495th of 3,141
Nationally
167th of 350
In East of England
3rd of 16
In Central Bedfordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.5
'22/23
31.1
'23/24
32.4
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2361%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 270 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)61%
- FE college21%
- Not sustained8%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Employment4%
91% 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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2345%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 172 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
20%
Russell Group
22%
Top-third HE
1%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)45%
- Employment30%
- Not sustained11%
- Apprenticeship8%
- Further education3%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology39
- Media/Film/Tv Studies35
- Business Studies:Single31
- Law30
- History28
- Biology26
- English Literature26
- Geography24
- Mathematics23
- Chemistry17
- Art and Design (3d Studies)13
- English Language12
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed343
533
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
395 families put this school as their 1st choice (74% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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 British79.4%
- Mixed6.3%
- White (other)4.4%
- Asian0.7%
- Black0.1%
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.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given 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.
9
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
6
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 Vandyke Upper 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
Vandyke Road, Leighton Buzzard
Central Bedfordshire, LU7 3DY
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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