SchoolFacts.uk

School admissions in Bedford

How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 20 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.

Reception places, September 2026

53 schools. 10 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Priory Primary SchoolBedford1.5728not published
Great Denham Primary SchoolBedford1.29891367.52 m (≈0.85 mi) 2026
Hazeldene SchoolBedford1.25601415.64 m (≈0.88 mi) 2026
The Hills AcademyBedford1.22591342.74 m (≈0.83 mi) 2026
Livingstone Primary SchoolBedford1.1759511.5 m (≈0.32 mi) 2026
Cauldwell SchoolBedford1.1559not published
Kymbrook Primary SchoolBedford1.147not published
Willow Grove Primary SchoolWixams1.1360not published
Kempston Rural Primary SchoolKempston1.07592343.95 m (≈1.46 mi) 2026
Great Ouse Primary AcademyBedford1.05601922.53 m (≈1.19 mi) 2026
Bedford Road Primary AcademyBedford1.0041not published
Carlton CofE Primary SchoolBedford1.006not published
Christopher Reeves CofE VA Primary SchoolPodington1.008not published
Harrold Primary AcademyBedford1.009not published
Milton Ernest CofE Primary SchoolBedford1.005not published
Oakley Primary AcademyBedford1.0019not published
Pinchmill Primary SchoolBedford1.006not published
Ravensden CofE Primary AcademyBedford1.007not published
Riseley CofE Primary SchoolBedford1.0010not published
Sharnbrook PrimaryBedford1.0016not published
Sheerhatch Primary SchoolBedford1.0015not published
Shortstown Primary SchoolBedford1.0056not published
St Lawrence Church of England Primary SchoolRushden1.0011not published
Thurleigh Primary SchoolBedford1.004not published
Turvey Primary SchoolBedford1.009not published
King's Oak Primary SchoolBedford0.9975not published
Putnoe Primary SchoolBedford0.9852not published
Ursula Taylor Church of England SchoolBedford0.9842not published
Springfield Primary SchoolBedford0.9738not published
Goldington Green AcademyBedford0.9654not published
Wootton Primary SchoolBedford0.9699not published
Balliol Primary SchoolBedford0.9624not published
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-SchoolBedford0.9521not published
Wixams Tree Primary AcademyBedford0.9555not published
Lakeview SchoolBedford0.9453not published
Cotton End Forest SchoolBedford0.9451not published
St James' CofE AcademyBedford0.93302129.26 m (≈1.32 mi) 2026
Brickhill Primary SchoolBedford0.9329not published
Elstow SchoolBedford0.9342not published
Great Barford Church of England Primary AcademyBedford0.9212not published
Wilden CofE VA Primary SchoolBedford0.9212not published
Westfield Primary SchoolBedford0.9146not published
Edith Cavell Primary SchoolBedford0.9133not published
Shackleton Primary SchoolBedford0.9058not published
Renhold VC Primary SchoolBedford0.8919not published
Scott Primary School & NurseryBedford0.8955not published
Roxton Church of England AcademyBedford0.899not published
St John Rigby Catholic Primary SchoolBedford0.8918not published
Camestone SchoolBedford0.8753not published
Queen's Park AcademyBedford0.8546not published
Bromham CofE Primary SchoolBedford0.8458not published
Eileen Wade Primary SchoolHuntingdon0.836not published
Castle Newnham SchoolBedford0.7888not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.

Year 7 places, September 2026

12 schools. 3 received more first preferences than they had places.

SchoolFirst preferences per placePlacesCutoff distance
Bedford Free SchoolBedford1.54109965.66 m (≈0.60 mi) 2026
Goldington AcademyBedford1.491821202.29 m (≈0.75 mi) 2026
Biddenham International School and Sports CollegeBedford1.06252not published
Bedford AcademyBedford0.97293not published
Sharnbrook AcademyBedford0.96246not published
Wootton AcademyBedford0.96201not published
Lincroft AcademyBedford0.94164not published
Wixams AcademyBedford0.92167not published
Kempston AcademyBedford0.89118not published
Daubeney AcademyBedford0.86111not published
St Thomas More Catholic SchoolBedford0.85108not published
Mark Rutherford SchoolBedford0.83186not published

First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.