Bedford School

Independent

National rank

148

144

Rank last year

79%

A-level

A-level

A*-B

65.6%

GCSE

GCSE

A*/A/9/8/7

Need to know

Head teacher

James Hodgson

Gender of entry

Boys

Total pupils

1,113 (7-18)

Head teacher

James Hodgson

Gender of entry

Boys

Total pupils

1,113 (7-18)

Head teacher

James Hodgson

Gender of entry

Boys

Total pupils

1,113 (7-18)

UK day fees per term*

£9,743 (13-18) includes lunch

UK boarding fees per term*

£12,772-£16,774 (13-18)

*Fee correct as of November 21, 2024
Our methodology
Results

A-level 2024 rank: 156=

Grade

%

A*

17.9

A

29.8

B

31.3

A*/A

47.7

A*-B

79

GCSE 2024 rank: 151

Grade

%

A*/9/8

45.1

A/7

20.4

A*/A/9/8/7

65.6

What the school inspection says

Date of report
2016
Verdict
Excellent
“The school aims to encourage boys to look beyond what they might feel is possible both academically and outside the classroom … Pupils of all abilities achieve highly and make rapid progress, encouraged by the high quality of teaching. … Day and boarding pupils alike feel positive about themselves and their places in the school community … Pupils are resilient when things do not go their way, and persevere when faced with difficulties. They enjoy working with each other, and boarders emphasise how much they gain from learning to work alongside others. Pupils are proud when they are given responsibilities and they are determined to fulfil them.” There was a regulatory compliance visit in 2019 and a routine inspection in 2023.
Read the full report
Read report

About the school

  • Bedford School’s ambition for its boys is “that they be good men”. Three quarters of leavers gained places at Russell Group or The Times Top 30 destinations in 2024, and pupils played 1,256 fixtures across 34 sports, including rugby in Italy and under-19 World Cup cricket for Scotland.
  • More than 70 groups and societies include various musical ensembles, the Pythagoreans (a weekly dose of high-level maths), the data club, the astronomical society (hosted in the school’s observatory and planetarium) and a VR club. 
  • Forest school, in which the outdoors becomes the classroom, supports those struggling with friendships, and there’s also the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and the Combined Cadet Force.
  • Bedford School was awarded five stars by Fortune magazine, putting it in the top six boys’ boarding schools in the world.
  • Scholarships are awarded for academic ability or talent in art, computer science, drama, music and sport. Means-tested bursaries are worth up to 100 per cent of school fees.
Address