Bedford Free School
About the school
Bedford Free School is an open secondary school in Bedford.
Latest Ofsted inspection
Published Ofsted information, current as at 31 July 2026. Inspection outcomes are not performance rankings.
- Latest inspection
- 24 April 2025
- Published
- 8 June 2025
- Inspection type
- Ungraded inspection
- Latest outcome
- Standards maintained
Previous inspection framework
These judgements are retained by Ofsted from an earlier inspection framework.
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Yes
Early years
Not applicable
Sixth form
Not applicable
Results and school context
GCSE and key stage 4
Attainment 8
- School
- 46.5
- Bedford
- 44.4
- England
- 46.1
Progress 8
The DfE has not published this measure for 2024/25.
- School
- N/A
- Bedford
- N/A
- England
- N/A
English and maths grade 5+
- School
- 36.70%
- Bedford
- 43.70%
- England
- 45.40%
English and maths grade 4+
- School
- 62.20%
- Bedford
- 64.60%
- England
- 64.80%
EBacc entry
- School
- 88.80%
- Bedford
- 37.50%
- England
- 40.50%
EBacc average point score
- School
- 4.51
- Bedford
- 3.89
- England
- 4.09
Pupil context and attendance
DfE context data for 2024/25. These characteristics provide context and are not quality ratings.
Pupils on roll
525
Girls
48.57%
Boys
51.43%
SEN support
4.38%
Education, health and care plan
4.19%
English as an additional language
64.00%
Eligible for free school meals in the past six years
28.57%
Overall absence
7.72
Persistent absence
19.42
Pupil destinations
DfE destination measures from the 2024/25 release. These outcomes are published after a time lag.
After Key Stage 4
Cohort
95
Sustained education or employment
91%
Education
86%
Apprenticeship
1%
Employment
3%
Not sustained
5%