School Chooser

Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College

Sixth form / post-16 · ages 16-19MixedFree schools 16 to 19749 pupilsSixth formBedford
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
Pupils from low-income families0%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull749 pupils, 700 places
Average A level gradeC+2024/25
Pupils on roll749Census January 2026

Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College is a free schools 16 to 19 in Bedford for boys and girls aged 16 to 19. It has 749 pupils, 49 more than it has places for. About 0 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England.

Green Lane, Stewartby, Bedford, MK43 9LY01234 762890Mr Tim Detheridge principalAll details

Ofsted

Ofsted hasn't published an inspection for this school yet.

Results

A level and sixth-form results, 2025

328 students finished sixth-form courses.

Average A level gradeC+34.7 points per entry
A level progress+0.09Against students elsewhere with the same GCSE grades. 0 is average.
AAB or better19%with two subjects universities favour
Stayed and finished93%of students who started
All sixth-form measures, year by year
Measure202520242023202220192018
Students328337319340515373
Average A level points per entryA level APS per entry34.7432.9229.8236.0329.8031.89
Average A level gradeC+C+CB-CC+
Best three A levelsBest 3 A levels APS34.9233.0730.5736.4031.2232.11
AAB or better in subjects universities likeAAB+ in two facilitating subjects19%16%12%20%11%18%
A level progressA level value added+0.09+0.00-0.08+0.11
Applied general courses: points per entry34.9232.7131.3734.82
T levels: points per entry41.0042.8435.5233.13
Stayed and finishedRetained and assessed93%95%92%91%92%91%

A level subjects

18 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

English Language and Literature77%A* to B, England 47% · 22 entries
Sociology72%A* to B, England 49% · 29 entries
Government and Politics71%A* to B, England 55% · 21 entries
Geography63%A* to B, England 51% · 24 entries
A levels taught hereThe small number is how many students sat each one in 2025.
SubjectsMathematics136Biology80Chemistry69Psychology66Physics52Business Studies47History36Sociology29Law25Computer Science24Geography24English Language and Literature22Government and Politics21Mathematics (Further)21English Literature20Film Studies17Religious Studies15Fine Art9
Every A level subject against England, 2025
Mathematics136 entries · 29% A* or A · 96% passed
55%England 60%
Biology80 entries · 36% A* or A · 96% passed
56%England 49%
Chemistry69 entries · 25% A* or A · 91% passed
51%England 53%
Psychology66 entries · 20% A* or A · 97% passed
41%England 46%
Physics52 entries · 25% A* or A · 92% passed
46%England 51%
Business Studies47 entries · 23% A* or A · 98% passed
57%England 47%
History36 entries · 14% A* or A · 100% passed
56%England 55%
Sociology29 entries · 35% A* or A · 97% passed
72%England 49%
Law25 entries · 4% A* or A · 100% passed
20%England 40%
Computer Science24 entries · 25% A* or A · 96% passed
46%England 46%
Geography24 entries · 33% A* or A · 88% passed
63%England 51%
English Language and Literature22 entries · 14% A* or A · 100% passed
77%England 47%
Government and Politics21 entries · 14% A* or A · 100% passed
71%England 55%
Mathematics (Further)21 entries · 48% A* or A · 91% passed
71%England 76%
English Literature20 entries · 15% A* or A · 100% passed
50%England 52%
Film Studies17 entries · 24% A* or A · 100% passed
65%England 57%
Religious Studies15 entries · 20% A* or A · 100% passed
53%England 50%
Fine Art9 entries · 11% A* or A · 100% passed
67%England 65%

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 roll749Census January 2026
Places700107% full
Pupils from low-income families8%0% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support5%35 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan0%3 pupils with a plan
Average class size16.725 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%share of one-teacher classes; England 10%
Boys and girls348 / 401
White British pupils49%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (17), Specific learning difficulty (11), emotional and mental health (8), Hearing impairment (1), Vision impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll749696617636648602
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals8%6%7%6%4%6%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%15%13%14%12%8%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support5%6%6%6%5%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans1%1%0%1%1%

What pupils do next

After sixth form

Where the 310 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.

Still in education, work or training88%and stayed there for at least six months

Among pupils from low-income families it was 84%, compared with 88% for everyone else.

Where the ones heading for university went

Went on to degree-level study or training70%England 72%
Top-third universities23%England 22%. The universities that ask for the highest grades
Higher or degree apprenticeship9%England 6%
Higher technical course2%Level 4 or 5, such as an HNC or HND

Among students from low-income families, 79% went on to degree-level study or training and 21% to a top-third university.

Earlier years
Destination2022/23 leavers2021/22 leavers2020/21 leavers2019/20 leavers
Still in education, work or training88%90%91%
Education47%52%55%
Apprenticeship9%13%10%4%
Work32%25%27%
Not in education, work or training7%6%6%

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers14.0full-time equivalent, 17 people
Pupils per teacherPupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers88%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants0.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£52,743
Teachers who left in the year33%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.52024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£5,658England £7,128. Total £3.9m
Income per pupil£5,928England £7,587. Total £4.1m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,981England £3,405
Money in reserve2%Very little put by: £76k, £109 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£188kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,658spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m412 months to June 2026, mostly other theft
Local crime rate39 per 1,000 people57% lower than the England average
Typical house price£342,900Bedford
Nearest bus stop120 mKimberley College, 1 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
Marston Vale Middle SchoolAcademy0.7 miles563No overall grade 202447Compare
Marston Moreteyne VC SchoolChurch of England1.3 miles624Good 202454Compare
Wootton Primary SchoolAcademy1.6 miles731Good 202471Compare
Wootton AcademyAcademy1.7 miles822No overall grade 202440Compare
Willow Grove Primary SchoolFree school2.2 miles104Not inspectedCompare
Houghton Conquest Primary SchoolCouncil2.3 miles139Good 202440Compare
Ridgeway SchoolCouncil2.6 miles125Not inspectedCompare
Wixams AcademyFree school2.6 miles903Report card 202640Compare

Questions parents ask

Is Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College a good school?

We don't have enough published data to score Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College yet.

How many pupils does Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College have?

749 pupils aged 16 to 19 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 700 places, so it is 107% full.

How big are the classes at Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College?

The average class had 16.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

Does Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College have a sixth form?

Yes. The average A level grade in 2025 was C+. 18 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
Green Lane, Stewartby, Bedford, MK43 9LY
Telephone
01234 762890
Principal
Mr Tim Detheridge
Type of school
Free schools 16 to 19 (Free schools 16 to 19, free schools)
Phase
Sixth form / post-16, ages 16-19, with sixth form
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Multi-academy trust
Wootton Academy Trust (2 schools)
Local authority
Bedford
Ward
Wixams & Wilstead
Constituency
Mid Bedfordshire
Setting
Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 September 2013 (new provision)
URN
139798 · LAESTAB 8224002 · UKPRN 10042040

Where these figures come from