Mark Rutherford School
Wentworth Drive, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 8PX ·
At a glance
A state secondary academy for ages 11–18 in Bedford. Ofsted report card (November 2025): areas need attention. GCSE results are below the England average (Attainment 8: 41.5 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 154 families put it first for 186 places (September 2026 entry).
- Ages
- 11–18
- Pupils
- 1,150
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Local authority
- Bedford
- Academy trust
- MARK RUTHERFORD SCHOOL TRUST
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Kelli Foster
- Opened
- Jan 2013
Inspection
Ofsted report card (renewed framework)
- SafeguardingMet
- InclusionStrong standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and well-beingExpected standard
- Post-16 provisionNeeds attention
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Report cards grade each area separately on a five-point scale, from Urgent improvement to Exceptional. There is no single overall grade, and results are not directly comparable with earlier grades such as “Good”.
Exam results
Department for Education performance tables
GCSE results, 2024/25 · 220 pupils
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
Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)
154 of 154 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%). 1 offers went to families living in another council area.
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.
Pupils
School census 2024/25
- Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)27.1%
- English as an additional language13.6%
- SEN support14.6%
- Education, Health and Care plan3.6%
- The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.