Central Bedfordshire’s best secondary schools 2025
Trying to find the right school for your child in Central Bedfordshire? You’re in the right place.
With so many options, many parents find themselves drowning in league tables and Ofsted reports. That’s exactly why we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Our expert team has analysed the latest 2023/2024 Department for Education data to bring you a list of the top-performing state secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire.
We show two ranking tables, one for Progress 8 and one for GCSE 9–7 results, and also provide a complete list of all secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire. This full list includes Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 percentages, and Ofsted ratings where available. The schools in this table are ordered alphabetically rather than ranked, so you can easily see every school in one place, even if some data points are missing.
Top secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire by Progress 8
Etonbury Academy is currently ranked #1 in Central Bedfordshire based on its published Progress 8 score of +0.1. Progress 8 is a headline accountability measure used by the Department for Education to show how much progress pupils make between the end of primary school and their GCSEs, compared to students with similar prior attainment nationally.
Rank | School name | Type | Gender | Progress 8 | Ofsted rating | GCSE 9-7% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Etonbury Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.1 | Good | 20.78% |
2 | Redborne Upper School and Community College | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.08 | Good | 14.78% |
3 | Vandyke Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.01 | Good | 17% |
4 | Cedars Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.11 | Good | 12.18% |
5 | Samuel Whitbread Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.13 | Good | 18.6% |
6 | Stratton School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.17 | - | 9.64% |
7 | Priory Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.21 | Good | 15.8% |
8 | Henlow Church of England Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.23 | - | 17.91% |
9 | Sandy Secondary School | Foundation school | Mixed | -0.24 | - | 13.32% |
10 | Harlington Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.34 | Good | 14.07% |
11 | Manshead Church of England Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.53 | Good | 14.03% |
12 | Queensbury Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.56 | - | 11.33% |
13 | Houstone School | Free schools | Mixed | -0.74 | - | 3.04% |
14 | All Saints Academy Dunstable | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.88 | - | 5.96% |
15 | Oak Bank School | Academy special converter | Mixed | -1.47 | Outstanding | 0% |
16 | Weatherfield Academy | Academy special converter | Mixed | -1.72 | - | 0% |
Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.
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Top secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire by GCSE % 9–7
OneSchool Global UK - Biggleswade Campus is currently ranked #1 in Central Bedfordshire based on the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7. This measure highlights how many pupils achieve the very top exam results, giving a clear picture of each school’s academic excellence.
Rank | School name | Type | Gender | Progress 8 | Ofsted rating | GCSE 9-7% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | OneSchool Global UK - Biggleswade Campus | Other independent school | Mixed | - | - | 37.75% |
2 | Etonbury Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.1 | Good | 20.78% |
3 | Samuel Whitbread Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.13 | Good | 18.6% |
4 | Henlow Church of England Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.23 | - | 17.91% |
5 | Vandyke Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.01 | Good | 17% |
6 | Priory Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.21 | Good | 15.8% |
7 | Redborne Upper School and Community College | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.08 | Good | 14.78% |
8 | Harlington Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.34 | Good | 14.07% |
9 | Manshead Church of England Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.53 | Good | 14.03% |
10 | Sandy Secondary School | Foundation school | Mixed | -0.24 | - | 13.32% |
11 | Cedars Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.11 | Good | 12.18% |
12 | Queensbury Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.56 | - | 11.33% |
13 | Stratton School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.17 | - | 9.64% |
14 | All Saints Academy Dunstable | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.88 | - | 5.96% |
15 | Houstone School | Free schools | Mixed | -0.74 | - | 3.04% |
16 | Oak Bank School | Academy special converter | Mixed | -1.47 | Outstanding | 0% |
17 | Weatherfield Academy | Academy special converter | Mixed | -1.72 | - | 0% |
Note: Rankings use 2023/2024 CSP data for state-funded schools and may not reflect recent changes, check school websites for the latest information.
All secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire
Below is the complete list of secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire, including both state-funded and independent schools where data is available. This table provides an at-a-glance view of each school’s key performance metrics, including Progress 8 scores, the percentage of GCSE grades awarded at 9–7, and Ofsted ratings, where published.
School name | Type | Gender | Progress 8 | Ofsted rating | GCSE 9-7% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alameda Middle School | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | - |
All Saints Academy Dunstable | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.88 | - | 5.96% |
Arnold Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Brooklands Middle School | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Cedars Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.11 | Good | 12.18% |
Edward Peake CofE VC School | Voluntary controlled school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Esland Bedford School | Other independent special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Etonbury Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.1 | Good | 20.78% |
Fulbrook School | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Requires improvement | - |
Gilbert Inglefield Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Inadequate | - |
Harlington Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.34 | Good | 14.07% |
Henlow Church of England Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.23 | - | 17.91% |
Holywell School | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Houstone School | Free schools | Mixed | -0.74 | - | 3.04% |
Ivel Valley School & College | Community special school | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Leighton Middle School | Community school | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Linslade School | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Manshead Church of England Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.53 | Good | 14.03% |
Oak Bank School | Academy special converter | Mixed | -1.47 | Outstanding | 0% |
OneSchool Global UK - Biggleswade Campus | Other independent school | Mixed | - | - | 37.75% |
Oneschool Global Dunstable | Other independent school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Parkfields Middle School | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Pix Brook Academy | Free schools | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Priory Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.21 | Good | 15.8% |
Queensbury Academy | Academy sponsor led | Mixed | -0.56 | - | 11.33% |
Redborne Upper School and Community College | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.08 | Good | 14.78% |
Robert Bloomfield Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | - | - | - |
Samuel Whitbread Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.13 | Good | 18.6% |
Sandy Secondary School | Foundation school | Mixed | -0.24 | - | 13.32% |
Stannard School | Other independent special school | Mixed | - | - | - |
Stratton School | Academy converter | Mixed | -0.17 | - | 9.64% |
The Chiltern School | Community special school | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Vandyke Upper School | Academy converter | Mixed | +0.01 | Good | 17% |
Weatherfield Academy | Academy special converter | Mixed | -1.72 | - | 0% |
Woodland Middle School Academy | Academy converter | Mixed | - | Good | - |
Disclaimer
All data on this page is sourced from the Department for Education’s 2023/2024 Compare School Performance dataset. It includes state-funded and, where available, independent secondary schools. Some schools may be missing data for Progress 8 scores, GCSE 9–7 results, or Ofsted ratings due to unpublished or unavailable figures. Rankings are based only on schools with published data and may not reflect recent changes. Please check school websites for the latest information.How we ranked the best schools in Central Bedfordshire?
Why trust our rankings? Our analysis is based on the latest 2023/2024 data from the Department for Education’s Compare School Performance (CSP) database, which publishes official performance data for all secondary schools in England, including both state-funded and independent schools where available.
We’ve created separate tables to highlight top performers in three key areas:
- Progress 8 (pupil progress from KS2 to GCSE)
- GCSE 9–7 grades (academic excellence)
- Overall school listings, with available Ofsted ratings
Schools are primarily ranked by their Progress 8 score. This clever metric doesn’t just reward schools with high-attaining intakes – it highlights the ones that genuinely support student growth by measuring progress from the end of primary school to GCSEs. It adjusts for prior attainment, making it one of the fairest ways to compare schools.
Where available, we also show the percentage of GCSE grades at 9–7 to reflect high academic achievement, and Ofsted ratings for added context. All figures come directly from CSP’s official dataset.
Where Progress 8 data is not available for any schools in Central Bedfordshire, the corresponding table will not be shown. This simply means that no schools in this area had published Progress 8 scores at the time of the latest dataset, it does not reflect on the quality of the schools themselves.
How to support your child at home
Helping your child succeed at school doesn’t just happen in the classroom, the right support at home can make a big difference. Encourage a regular study routine, provide a quiet space for learning, and take an interest in what they’re covering in lessons. Even small actions, like checking in on homework or discussing what they learned that day, can build motivation and accountability.
If you’re looking for extra structure, our GCSE Revision Resources are designed to make studying easier. With expert-written notes, topic-by-topic exam questions, and mark schemes, your child can practise exactly what they need to know, when they need to know it.
Boosting confidence before exams
Confidence can make a huge difference to exam performance. Start by helping your child identify their strengths and weaknesses, then focus revision time on areas that need improvement. Practising under timed conditions can reduce exam-day nerves, while celebrating small wins along the way builds self-belief.
Our GCSE Exam Practice pages include hundreds of past-paper style questions and worked solutions, so students can walk into their exams knowing exactly what to expect. By building familiarity with the question styles and formats, they’ll feel prepared and ready to perform at their best.
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