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Kempston Academy

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Sponsored academy

Hill Rise, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7EB · kempstonacademy.co.uk · 01234 290900

On the mapSearch near MK42 7EB

Overview

Ofsted
Standards maintained
Ungraded inspection · Oct 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
40.3
average Attainment 8 score. Bedford 44.4, England 46
Demand for places
0.9
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
773
79% of 982 places
Local authority
Bedford
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
30.3%
First language not English
26.9%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Chiltern Learning Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 105 families put the school first and 118 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 114 (Places 144)114September 2023: 137 (Places 157)137September 2024: 108 (Places 138)108September 2025: 89 (Places 143)89September 2026: 105 (Places 118)105Places 118
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261181050.9100%
September 2025Sept 2025143890.6100%
September 2024Sept 20241381080.8100%
September 2023Sept 20231571370.9100%
September 2022Sept 20221441140.8100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 40.3, and 35.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Bedford it was 44.4, and across England 46.

In 2017/18, 47% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 2% the higher standard.

In 2023/24 the average A level result was grade E (9.09 points per entry).

Key stage 2 results

Expected standard reading, writing and maths

16/1717/182016/17: 31% (England 61%)31%2017/18: 47% (England 64%)47%England 64%
2017/18TrendSchoolEngland
Reading, writing and maths
▼47%64%
▼2%10%
Average scaled score
▼102105
▼101104
▼101106

Progress scores 2017/18: reading -4.60, writing -3.30, maths -4.90

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 35.4 (England 46.3)35.42017/18: 38.9 (England 46.5)38.92018/19: 39.0 (England 46.7)39.02021/22: 37.7 (England 48.8)37.72022/23: 35.5 (England 46.3)35.52023/24: 37.3 (England 45.9)37.32024/25: 40.3 (England 46.0)40.3England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼40.346.0
▼35.5%45.4%
▼54.2%64.8%
▼35.5%40.5%
▼3.534.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form10.5−20.4
Further education72.7+33
Other education0.7—
Apprenticeship1.4−8.9
Employment2.1+0.6
Not in a lasting destination8.4−4.8
Activity not captured4.2−0.2

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

Applied general average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252017/18: 24.7 (England 28.5)Merit2018/19: 27.4 (England 28.9)Merit+2021/22: 24.9 (England 31.9)Merit2022/23: 18.8 (England 29.5)Pass+2023/24: 18.7 (England 29.1)Pass+2024/25: 25.6 (England 29.9)MeritEngland 29.9
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
8 studentsMerit (25.6)Average -0.13
Technical certificate9 studentsL2Pass+ (5.3)Average -0.16
36.8%finished their course
Earlier years: Applied generalStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2419Pass+ (18.7)-0.25
2022/2330Pass+ (18.8)—
2021/2229Merit (24.9)—
2018/1924Merit+ (27.4)+0.11
2017/1823Merit (24.7)-0.01
2016/1739—+0.81
2015/1654—+0.92

Where sixth-form leavers went

2016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University32+4.1
Further education8+3.3
Apprenticeship8+5.7
Employment20−10.2
Not in a lasting destination32+8.7

Ofsted

At an ungraded inspection on 16 October 2024, Ofsted’s outcome for Kempston Academy was: Standards maintained.

Outcome
Standards maintained
Inspected
15 Oct 2024
Ungraded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Sept 2018

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 109665), which Ofsted links to this one.

Before September 2019

  • Sept 2018Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective
  • May 2014Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 109665)

What parents said

86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (148 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
86%
Replies
148
18% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school●87% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe●90% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved●83% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations●82% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well●87% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼69% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing▼82% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects●90% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities●93% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development▼74% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly●77% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 78% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲65% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 46% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need●65% agreeEngland 67%

based on 31 parents (21%) with SEND

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