The latest school performance data for the 2025 GCSE season is out now - and schools across Bedfordshire have plenty to celebrate this year.
The Government released its preliminary key stage 4 performance figures for state-funded secondary schools earlier this month. But the numbers look a little different for the 2024/25 school year, with Attainment 8 scores - a purely performance-based figure derived from learners’ results in up to eight GCSE subjects - being the default metric used to compare schools. It is standing in for the usual, improvement-based Progress 8 scores, which couldn’t be calculated this year since this cohort missed key primary school tests during the pandemic.
To recognise the Bedfordshire schools which have done especially well, especially with next year’s secondary applications due in this week, we’ve taken a look at the highest performers across the Bedford, Luton, and Central Bedfordshire council areas using our own metric. Attainment 8 scores go up to 90 and loosely align with GCSE 9-1 number grades, with the national average being 45.9 this year - somewhere between the standard and strong passing grades of 4 to 5. Our league table only features schools which have surpassed this score.
But since grades aren’t everything when it comes to what makes a school a great place to learn, we’ve also made sure each one had a positive mark in its latest Ofsted inspection. These are set to change next month, but in the meantime, we’ve only included schools with either a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ overall grade before last September, or positive ratings across all categories if they’ve been inspected since.
Here are the 17 local schools which made the cut:
1. Goldington Academy
At the top of the list is this secondary academy in Bedford, which was most recently rated ‘good’ overall by Ofsted. In the 2024/25 school year, it had an Attainment 8 score of 54.2 – compared to a local average of 44.3 and a national average of 45.9. | Google
2. Denbigh High School
Next up is Denbigh, a secondary academy in Luton. It was most recently rated ‘outstanding’ overall by Ofsted. In the 2024/25 school year, it had an Attainment 8 score of 52.6 – compared to a local average of 44.9 and a national average of 45.9. | Google
3. Sharnbrook Academy
This is a secondary academy in the village of Sharnbrook, just northwest of Bedford. In a recent Ofsted inspection, it was found to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ in all categories. In the 2024/25 school year, it had an Attainment 8 score of 51.5 – compared to a local average of 44.3 and a national average of 45.9. | Google
4. Challney High School for Girls
This is a girls’ secondary academy in the Challney area, Luton. It was most recently rated ‘outstanding’ overall by Ofsted. In the 2024/25 school year, it had an Attainment 8 score of 50.1 – compared to a local average of 44.9 and a national average of 45.9. | Google