Goldington Academy
Haylands Way, Bedford, MK41 9BX
958 pupils · 128% of 750 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 11–16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Trust
- GOLDINGTON ACADEMY TRUST
- Local authority
- Bedford
- Free school meals
- 22.7%
Ofsted
Strong standard (2026) — Report card — the most common grade across the inspected areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Strong standard |
| Achievement | Strong standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Strong standard |
| Leadership and governance | Strong standard |
| Safeguarding | Met |
Inspected 12 May 2026, published 23 June 2026. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 54.3 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 64.4% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 87.6% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 56.5% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Will my child get in?
Oversubscribed — 1.49 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 182 | 272 | 556 | 182 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 180 | 303 | 498 | 180 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 186 | 318 | 524 | 186 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 186 | 238 | 412 | 186 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 186 | 223 | 405 | 186 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 184 | 199 | 348 | 184 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 172 | 163 | 331 | 172 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 78 | 71 | 186 | 78 |
First-choice demand varies year to year, and the school’s admission criteria — not demand — decide who is offered a place. Use this as a rough signal, never a prediction.
Nearby alternatives
- Castle Newnham School 0.6 km · Good — confirmed 2024 · previous system
- Mark Rutherford School 1.8 km · Most areas: Expected standard (2025)
- Bedford Free School 2.1 km · Outstanding (2020) · previous system
- St Thomas More Catholic School 2.3 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Bedford Academy 2.9 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Biddenham International School and Sports College 3.7 km · Standards maintained (2024)
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.