A council (local authority) in the East of England
Council
212 schools and nurseries
49,459 pupils
10 towns and villages
In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Schools and nurseries21295 primary · 26 secondary · 80 nurseries
Primaries Good or better99%England 96%
Met the standard at 1150%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths41%Attainment 8 43.2, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary14%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school16%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Central Bedfordshire
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About Central Bedfordshire
Central Bedfordshire is a unitary authority in the East of England with 95 mainstream primary schools and 26 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable and Biggleswade. It has 12 middle schools, so some children change school at a different age. Pupil numbers have grown 15% since 2018. 19.7% of secondary offers are for a school in another council, against 8.0% across England.
Good to know in Central Bedfordshire
Central Bedfordshire has a separate application for a Year 5 place at a middle school. Source
There is a separate application for a Year 9 place at an upper school. Source
From Central Bedfordshire council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
90.3%got their first-choice primary school in Central Bedfordshire in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 113 of 151 councils. 97.7% got one of their top three.5.6% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
91.0%got their first-choice secondary school in Central Bedfordshire in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 39 of 151 councils. 95.9% got one of their top three.19.7% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
12 of 60 primary appeals heard in Central Bedfordshire succeeded in 2025. 35 of 129 secondary appeals heard in Central Bedfordshire succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 6 November 2026.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Central Bedfordshire
Central BedfordshireEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 73 primaries with one.
99%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
16 of the 16 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
50%
England 62%
Below England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
41%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
16%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
14%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 85 schools that have one.
99%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding2
Good82
Requires improvement1
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Central Bedfordshire in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1150% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths41% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
Central Bedfordshire
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
99%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
50%
62%
Attainment 8
43.2
46.2
Persistent absence
16%
18%
Pupils per teacher
18.1:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,651
£8,120
In education or work after 16
93%
91%
Went on to higher education
46%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
18%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
11%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
15%
27%
DfE local authority code 823, ONS code E06000056.
Living here
What it's like for families
Central Bedfordshire has 212 schools and nurseries across 10 towns and villages, the biggest being Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable, Biggleswade and Houghton Regis.
There are 15% more pupils than in 2018.
14% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Central Bedfordshire's state schools each January.
43.1k2018
44.2k2019
45.5k2021
46.6k2022
47.9k2023
48.9k2024
49.4k2025
49.5k2026
Up 15% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Central Bedfordshire14%
Keep up with schools in Central Bedfordshire
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Central Bedfordshire has 212 schools, including 117 primary schools, 35 secondary schools, 80 nurseries, 5 independent schools, 7 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Central Bedfordshire?+
The highest-ranked schools in Central Bedfordshire on Eduscope are Lark Rise Academy, Thornhill Primary School, St Vincent's Catholic Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Central Bedfordshire are rated Good or Outstanding?+
99% of inspected schools in Central Bedfordshire hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 2 schools rated Outstanding and 82 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Central Bedfordshire perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Central Bedfordshire, 50% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Central Bedfordshire?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Central Bedfordshire is 18.1:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Central Bedfordshire schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Central Bedfordshire is 16.3%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Central Bedfordshire?+
There are 49,459 pupils enrolled across schools in Central Bedfordshire, with 24,293 in primary and 24,961 in secondary. 15.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Central Bedfordshire?+
There are 5 independent schools in Central Bedfordshire. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Central Bedfordshire on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Central Bedfordshire?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 212 schools in Central Bedfordshire by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
