School Chooser

Bedford Girls' School

Independent · ages 7-18GirlsIndependent843 pupilsSixth formBedford
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
Strong pass in English and maths0%England 46%
Places359 spare843 pupils, 1,202 places
Average A level gradeB2024/25
Pupils on roll843Census January 2024

Bedford Girls' School is an independent school in Bedford for girls aged 7 to 18. It has 843 pupils and room for 1,202.

Cardington Road, Bedford, MK42 0BX01234 361900bedfordgirlsschool.co.ukMrs Gemma Gibson headteacherAll details

Inspection

This private school is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, not Ofsted. Its reports are at isi.net.

Results

GCSE results, summer 2025

115 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.

Average GCSE score14.2
England 46.8
Official name: Attainment 8
Strong pass in English and maths0%
England 46%
Official name: Grade 5+ in English and maths
Standard pass in English and maths0%
England 66%
Official name: Grade 4+ in English and maths
Trend
Average GCSE score
2018 to 2025
2018: 7.07.020182019: 14.314.320192022: 16.616.620222023: 14.514.520232024: 14.814.820242025: 14.214.22025
Since 2018: +7.2
All GCSE measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018BedfordEngland
Pupils at the end of Year 1111511811312098188
Average GCSE scoreAttainment 814.214.814.516.614.37.045.146.8
Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%44%46%
Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths0%0%0%0%0%0%66%66%
Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score0.730.550.490.820.660.453.954.15
Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry0%0%0%0%0%0%37%41%

Subjects

Results came out for 9 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.

Strongest subjects

Design & Technology100%grades 9 to 5, England 50%
Drama100%grades 9 to 5, England 60%
Art and Design98%grades 9 to 5, England 58%
Geography90%grades 9 to 5, England 51%
What is taught hereOffers computer science, music, classics.
LanguagesLatin17
HumanitiesGeography50

The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.

Every subject against England, 2025
Geography50 entries
90%England 51%
Art and Design49 entries
98%England 58%
100%England 50%
82%England 56%
Drama26 entries
100%England 60%
Latin17 entries
100%England 82%
100%England 56%
100%England 52%
SubjectEntriesGrades 9 to 7Grades 9 to 5Grades 9 to 4England 9 to 5Rank in England
Geography5060%90%98%51%
Art and Design4969%98%100%58%
Design & Technology2763%100%100%50%
Computer Science2752%82%96%56%
Drama2662%100%100%60%
Latin1788%100%100%82%
Physical Education1346%100%100%56%
Food Preparation & Nutrition1275%100%100%52%
Music875%100%100%61%

In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

86 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeB39.2 points per entry
A level progress-0.08Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better19%with two subjects universities favour
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students861047980147169
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry39.2441.0140.7542.8841.0838.16
Average A level gradeBBBB+BB-
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS39.4141.4741.0143.0641.2138.59
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects19%26%23%23%29%21%
A level progressA level value added-0.08-0.02-0.13+0.07

A level subjects

16 A level subjects had results in 2025. Each figure is the share of students who got an A* to B, next to the average for state sixth forms in England. When only a handful of students take a subject, its figures jump around from year to year.

Strongest A levels

Fine Art93%A* to B, England 65% · 14 entries
Business Studies74%A* to B, England 47% · 19 entries
Biology69%A* to B, England 49% · 26 entries
Religious Studies70%A* to B, England 50% · 10 entries
A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsBiology26Mathematics21Business Studies19Chemistry16Fine Art14Psychology13English Language12Geography10Religious Studies10English Literature10Physical Education / Sports Studies9Physics8Drama and Theatre Studies8Classical Civilisation6Economics5Government and Politics5
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Biology26 entries · 35% A* or A · 100% passed
69%England 49%
Mathematics21 entries · 38% A* or A · 100% passed
71%England 60%
Business Studies19 entries · 21% A* or A · 100% passed
74%England 47%
Chemistry16 entries · 44% A* or A · 100% passed
69%England 53%
Fine Art14 entries · 71% A* or A · 100% passed
93%England 65%
Psychology13 entries · 23% A* or A · 100% passed
62%England 46%
English Language12 entries · 25% A* or A · 100% passed
58%England 44%
Geography10 entries · 40% A* or A · 100% passed
60%England 51%
Religious Studies10 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
70%England 50%
English Literature10 entries · 30% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 52%
Physical Education / Sports Studies9 entries · 33% A* or A · 100% passed
33%England 41%
Physics8 entries · 38% A* or A · 100% passed
63%England 51%
Drama and Theatre Studies8 entries · 0% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 54%
Classical Civilisation6 entries · 33% A* or A · 100% passed
67%England 55%
Economics5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 57%
Government and Politics5 entries · 0% A* or A · 0% passed
0%England 55%

A levels only. BTECs, T levels and other courses are in the table above. Subjects with fewer than five students aren't published.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Bedford council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.

Pupils on roll843Census January 2024
Places1,20270% full
Pupils from low-income familiesGet free school meals
Pupils getting extra support21%174 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan1%4 pupils with a plan
Boys and girls0 / 843
How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll843906977985949919
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals0%0%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support16%13%10%8%2%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans0%0%0%0%0%

What pupils do next

After sixth form

Where the 79 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training94%and stayed there for at least six months
Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers
Still in education, work or training94%91%97%
Education81%79%81%
Apprenticeship1%4%1%
Work11%9%14%
Not in education, work or training1%4%3%

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m1,03912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate153 per 1,000 people68% higher than the England average
Typical house price£342,900Bedford
Nearest bus stop50 mBedford Girls School, 17 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Bedford Free SchoolFree school380 m536Outstanding 202081Compare
Bedford CollegeFurther education470 mNot inspectedCompare
Shackleton Primary SchoolAcademy930 m487Report card 202620Compare
Cherry Trees Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school930 m147Not inspectedCompare
Castle Newnham SchoolAcademy950 m624Report card 202664Compare
Bedford SchoolIndependent0.6 miles994Not inspectedCompare
Priory Primary SchoolFoundation0.7 miles214No overall grade 202427Compare
Peter Pan Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school0.7 miles118Outstanding 2023Compare

Questions parents ask

Is Bedford Girls' School a good school?

We don't have enough published data to score Bedford Girls' School yet.

How good are Bedford Girls' School's GCSE results?

In summer 2025, 0% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 14.2, against 46.8 for England.

How many pupils does Bedford Girls' School have?

843 pupils aged 7 to 18 were on the roll in January 2024. It has 1,202 places, so it is 70% full. It is a girls' school.

Does Bedford Girls' School have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was B. 16 A level subjects had results in 2025; the full list is in the results section.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Cardington Road, Bedford, MK42 0BX
Telephone
01234 361900
Website
www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Gemma Gibson
Type of school
Independent school (Other independent school, independent schools)
Phase
Independent school, ages 7-18, with sixth form
Gender
Girls
Religious character
None
Local authority
Bedford
Ward
Kingsbrook
Constituency
Bedford
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2011
URN
109727 · LAESTAB 8226012 · UKPRN 10008184
Formerly
Bedford High School

Recent changes

  • New KS4 results for 2024/25

Where these figures come from