Councils · England · Bedford
Schools in Bedford, and the dates that matter.
Every state school in the council area — 55 primary, 13 secondary — with Bedford’s application deadlines, offer days, and where to apply. One page, kept current from official sources.
September 2027 entry · Sources: Primary scheme (PDF) · Secondary scheme (PDF)
Primary · Reception 2027
15 January 2027
National deadline. Offers arrive 16 April. We suggest submitting by 8 January to stay clear of the rush.
Apply on Bedford’s portal →Verify the exact date on the council’s scheme →Secondary · Year 7 2027
31 October 2026
National deadline. Offers arrive 1 March. Grammar tests, where they apply, happen even earlier. We suggest submitting by 24 October to stay clear of the rush.
Apply on Bedford’s portal →Verify the exact date on the council’s scheme →01 / EVERY SCHOOL IN BEDFORD
Find your shortlist.
All 83state and independent schools in the council area, straight from the Department for Education’s register. Open any school for admissions details, Ofsted history and open days.
Primary · 55
Balliol Primary School
Community school · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Bedford Road Primary Academy
Academy sponsor led · Ages 5-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Requires improvement
Brickhill Primary School
Community school · Ages 5-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Broadmead Lower School
Community school · Ages 4-9 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Bromham CofE Primary School
Voluntary controlled school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Camestone School
Community school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Carlton CofE Primary School
Voluntary controlled school · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Not judged
Castle Newnham School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Outstanding
Cauldwell School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Christopher Reeves CofE VA Primary School
Voluntary aided school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Podington
Ofsted · Good
Cotton End Forest School
Community school · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Requires improvement
Edith Cavell Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Eileen Wade Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Huntingdon
Ofsted · Good
Elstow School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Goldington Green Academy
Academy converter · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Great Barford Church of England Primary Academy
Academy converter · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Great Denham Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Outstanding
Great Ouse Primary Academy
Free schools · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Harrold Primary Academy
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Hazeldene School
Foundation school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Kempston Rural Primary School
Community school · Ages 5-11 · Mixed · Kempston
Ofsted · Good
King's Oak Primary School
Community school · Ages 1-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Kymbrook Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Lakeview School
Academy converter · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Not judged yet
Livingstone Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Milton Ernest CofE Primary School
Voluntary controlled school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Oakley Primary Academy
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Not judged
Pinchmill Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Priory Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Not judged
Putnoe Primary School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Queen's Park Academy
Academy converter · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Ravensden CofE Primary Academy
Academy sponsor led · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Renhold VC Primary School
Voluntary controlled school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Riseley CofE Primary School
Voluntary aided school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Roxton Church of England Academy
Academy sponsor led · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Scott Primary School
Community school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Shackleton Primary School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Sharnbrook Primary
Academy converter · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Sheerhatch Primary School
Community school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Shortstown Primary School
Academy converter · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Springfield Primary School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
St James' CofE Academy
Academy converter · Ages 5-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
St John Rigby Catholic Primary School
Academy converter · Ages 5-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
St Lawrence Church of England Primary School
Voluntary aided school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Rushden
Ofsted · Good
The Hills Academy
Academy converter · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Thurleigh Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Turvey Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 5-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Ursula Taylor Church of England School
Academy converter · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Westfield Primary School
Community school · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Wilden CofE VA Primary School
Voluntary aided school · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Willow Grove Primary School
Free schools · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Wixams
Not judged yet
Wilstead Primary School
Foundation school · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Wixams Tree Primary Academy
Free schools · Ages 4-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Wootton Primary School
Academy converter · Ages 3-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Secondary · 13
Bedford Academy
Academy sponsor led · Ages 11-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Bedford Free School
Free schools · Ages 11-16 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Outstanding
Biddenham International School and Sports College
Foundation school · Ages 11-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Castle Newnham School
Academy converter · Ages 11-16 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Daubeney Academy
Academy converter · Ages 11-16 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Requires improvement
Goldington Academy
Academy converter · Ages 11-16 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Kempston Academy
Academy sponsor led · Ages 11-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Lincroft Academy
Academy converter · Ages 11-16 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Not judged
Mark Rutherford School
Academy converter · Ages 11-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Requires improvement
Sharnbrook Academy
Academy converter · Ages 11-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Requires improvement
St Thomas More Catholic School
Academy converter · Ages 11-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Wixams Academy
Free schools · Ages 11-19 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Requires improvement
Wootton Upper School
Academy converter · Ages 13-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Not judged
Special & other · 15
Bedford College
Further education · Ages 16-99 · Mixed · Bedford
Not judged yet
Bedford Girls' School
Other independent school · Ages 7-18 · Girls · Bedford
Not judged yet
Bedford Greenacre Independent School
Other independent school · Ages 0-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Not judged yet
Bedford Modern School
Other independent school · Ages 7-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Not judged yet
Bedford School
Other independent school · Ages 7-19 · Boys · Bedford
Not judged yet
Cambian Walnut Tree Lodge School
Other independent special school · Ages 7-19 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Grange Academy
Academy special converter · Ages 5-16 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
KWS School
Other independent school · Ages 11-18 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College
Free schools 16 to 19 · Ages 16-19 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Marston Vale Middle School
Academy converter · Ages 9-13 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Not judged
Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School
Other independent school · Ages 0-7 · Mixed · Bedford
Not judged yet
Polam School
Other independent school · Ages 1-9 · Mixed · Bedford
Not judged yet
Ridgeway School
Community special school · Ages 2-19 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
Rivertree Free School
Free schools special · Ages 2-11 · Mixed · Bedford
Not judged yet
St John's School
Academy special converter · Ages 2-19 · Mixed · Bedford
Ofsted · Good
02 / HOW APPLYING WORKS HERE
One form, through Bedford.
If you live in Bedford, you apply through the council’s own portal — even for schools in another council’s area.
Preferences
List as many schools as the form allows — you’ll see the limit when you start your application. Rank in your true order; schools never see it.
Own-criteria schools
Some Bedford secondaries are academies or faith schools that set their own entry criteria — check each school’s page for extra forms before the deadline.
Plain-English guides
Primary admissions, explained
The 15 January deadline and how Reception offers work.
Secondary admissions, explained
The 31 October deadline and the traps that come earlier.
How school appeals work
Your right to appeal, and honest odds of success.
Waiting lists, explained
How they're ordered, and why positions move both ways.
03 / NEARBY
Looking across the border?
Families near Bedford often also shortlist schools in these neighbouring council areas.