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Sharnbrook Academy

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Odell Road, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1JL · sharnbrook.academy · 01234 782211

On the mapSearch near MK44 1JL

Overview

Ofsted
No overall grade
2019 framework · inspected Feb 2025
GCSEs, 2024/25
51.6
average Attainment 8 score. Bedford 44.4, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,684
86% of 1,950 places
Local authority
Bedford
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
15.3%
First language not English
8.1%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Meridian Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 235 families put the school first and 246 places were offered; 99% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 314 (Places 265)314September 2023: 287 (Places 268)287September 2024: 253 (Places 264)253September 2025: 238 (Places 255)238September 2026: 235 (Places 246)235Places 246
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 2026246235199%
September 2025Sept 20252552380.9100%
September 2024Sept 2024264253197%
September 2023Sept 20232682871.1▲89%
September 2022Sept 20222653141.2▲83%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 51.6, and 58.9% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Bedford it was 44.4, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (33.3 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 52.3 (England 46.3)52.32017/18: 52.0 (England 46.5)52.02018/19: 51.3 (England 46.7)51.32021/22: 54.7 (England 48.8)54.72022/23: 47.4 (England 46.3)47.42023/24: 51.1 (England 45.9)51.12024/25: 51.6 (England 46.0)51.6England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▲51.646.0
▲58.9%45.4%
▲77.6%64.8%
▲46.0%40.5%
▲4.524.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form52.4−10.3
Sixth form college0.4—
Further education34.3+8.6
Apprenticeship2.4+0.2
Employment3.9−1
Not in a lasting destination5.5+3.6
Activity not captured1.2+0.1

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 29.6 (England 30.5)C2016/17: 32.4 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 32.7 (England 32.1)C+2018/19: 30.0 (England 32.9)C2021/22: 33.7 (England 37.9)C+2022/23: 33.1 (England 34.2)C+2023/24: 32.3 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 33.3 (England 35.0)C+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
158 studentsC+ (33.3)Above average +0.13
158 studentsC+ (33.3)Above average +0.13
24 studentsMerit+ (27)Average -0.07
20 studentsDist (35.3)Average +0.16
15.4%AAB or better
2.4%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/24180C+ (32.3)+0.03
2022/23197C+ (33.1)—
2021/22243C+ (33.7)—
2018/19243C (30)-0.09
2017/18252C+ (32.7)-0.08
2016/17333C+ (32.4)-0.01
2015/16345C (29.6)-0.08

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University45−13
Further and other education3.7−1
Further education2.6−1.7
Other education1.1+0.7
Apprenticeship6.9+5.3
Employment29.6+4.9
Not in a lasting destination11.1+5.6
Activity not captured3.7−1.8

Ofsted

Ofsted inspected Sharnbrook Academy on 25 February 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.

Overall
No overall grade
Inspected
25 Feb 2025
Graded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Graded areas

Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesGood
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementOutstanding
Sixth formOutstanding

Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Jun 2022

Earlier inspections

September 2019 to November 2025

  • Jun 2022Requires improvement
    Quality of educationRequires improvement
    Behaviour and attitudesRequires improvement
    Personal developmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    Sixth formGood
    SafeguardingEffective

Before September 2019

  • May 2013Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
  • Mar 2009Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsOutstanding
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentOutstanding
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
    Early yearsGood
    16 to 19 study programmesOutstanding

What parents said

78% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (240 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
78%
Replies
240
14% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school▼85% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe▼85% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼68% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼80% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼80% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼60% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼77% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▲96% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities●89% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼72% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼68% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 79% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲55% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 38% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼51% agreeEngland 67%

based on 67 parents (28%) with SEND

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