Mark Rutherford School
Wentworth Drive, Bedford, MK41 8PX
1,150 pupils · 93% of 1,243 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 11–18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Trust
- MARK RUTHERFORD SCHOOL TRUST
- Local authority
- Bedford
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 30.4%
Ofsted
Expected standard (2025) — Report card — the most common grade across the inspected areas
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
| Post-16 | Needs attention |
| Safeguarding | Met |
Inspected 11 November 2025, published 11 January 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 | 41.5 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 39.5% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 61.8% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 15% |
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?
Usually has places available — 0.83 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 186 | 154 | 435 | 185 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 185 | 129 | 410 | 185 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 214 | 130 | 441 | 207 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 186 | 152 | 429 | 185 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 224 | 206 | 459 | 224 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 244 | 239 | 477 | 244 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 255 | 242 | 492 | 255 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 254 | 254 | 441 | 254 |
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
- Goldington Academy 1.8 km · Most areas: Strong standard (2026)
- Castle Newnham School 1.9 km · Good — confirmed 2024 · previous system
- St Thomas More Catholic School 2 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Bedford Free School 3.7 km · Outstanding (2020) · previous system
- Bedford Academy 4.7 km · Good (2023) · previous system
- Biddenham International School and Sports College 5 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.