Samuel Whitbread Academy
Shefford Road, Shefford, SG17 5QS
1,657 pupils · 100% of 1,650 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 13–18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Trust
- BEDFORDSHIRE SCHOOLS TRUST LIMITED
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 12.8%
Ofsted
Good (2023) — Ungraded inspection — “School remains Good” (previous grade confirmed, not re-graded)
This school has not yet been inspected under the report-card system introduced in November 2025. When it is, this section will show a grade for each area — Ofsted says the new grades do not map onto the old ones, so we do not predict them.
Inspected 3 March 2023, published 26 April 2023. 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 | 46.7 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 48% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 72.7% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 11.6% |
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?
Roughly one first choice per place — 1.02 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2025 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2025 entry | 356 | 362 | 409 | 356 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 394 | 464 | 504 | 394 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 361 | 364 | 411 | 361 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 371 | 370 | 409 | 371 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 376 | 414 | 464 | 376 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 384 | 432 | 483 | 384 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 381 | 434 | 497 | 381 |
| Sept 2018 entry | 397 | 423 | 477 | 396 |
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
- Henlow Church of England Academy 2.6 km · No overall grade (2025)
- Stratton School 7.2 km · No overall grade (2025)
- Edward Peake CofE VC School 8.1 km · No overall grade (2025)
- Fearnhill School 8.3 km · Most areas: Expected standard (2026)
- The Priory School 8.6 km · Good — confirmed 2022 · previous system
- The Highfield School 9.2 km · Good (2023) · previous system
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.