SecondaryState · Academy converter

Cedars Upper School

Mentmore Road, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 2AE ·

Ofsted:Good· 2023

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 13–18 in Leighton Buzzard. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (April 2023). GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 48.5 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 188 families put it first for 236 places (September 2025 entry).

Ages: 13–18
Pupils: 1,135
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: Yes
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Central Bedfordshire
Academy trust: CHILTERN LEARNING TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Mark Gibbs
Opened: Sept 2011

School website 01525219300 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports

Graded inspection 19 Apr 2023

GoodOverall effectiveness

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good
Sixth form: Outstanding

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 220 pupils

Attainment 8

48.5

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

49.5%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

77.7%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.11

2023/24 · CI -0.3 to 0.07

This school

48.5

Central Bedfordshire

43.6

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 9 entry, September 2025 (national offer day data)

Offers made

236

1st preferences

188

All applications

430

1st prefs per place

0.80

Fewer first choices than places

188 of 188 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%).

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,055

Capacity

1,350

84% full

Girls / boys

52/48

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)15.1%
English as an additional language10.8%
SEN support8.3%
Education, Health and Care plan2.8%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.