St John's School, Bedford
St John's School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Bedford, part of Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St John's School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to St John's School are Grange Academy (0.5 miles, Good); Rivertree Free School (0.9 miles); Ridgeway School (1.7 miles, Good); and Cambian Walnut Tree Lodge School (4.5 miles, Good).
Grange AcademyRivertree Free SchoolRidgeway SchoolCambian Walnut Tree Lodge School
The trust
St John's School is one of 4 schools run by Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust, an academy trust.
All 4 schools in Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust
Where pupils go next
Of the 15 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 7% to a further education college.
Who goes there
49.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 25.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (37%), Asian (24%) and Black (12%).
Almost every pupil at St John's School has an education, health and care plan (177 of 178 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
St John's School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bedford St Johns Rail Station, about 1100 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Whitbread Avenue (adjacent), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 737 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bedford (136), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John's School issued 5 suspensions, 2.8 for every 100 pupils, and 2 permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Sixth form.
At a Glance
49.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Keep up with St John's School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St John's School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St John's School is in Bedford; for families living there:
Apply to Bedford for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 18 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bedford is 6 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St John's School
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
178 pupils
181 places
3 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bedford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bedford
Across Bedford council
Places available
2,556
Applications
2,095
Got 1st preference
90.6%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All secondary applications across Bedford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
1
SEN Support
177
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St John's School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
178
Total Pupils
117
Boys
61
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
24
Teachers
7.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£40,172
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
8.6%
Overall absence
25.7%
Persistent absence
148
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St John's School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about St John's School
What are SATs results like at St John's School?
Of the pupils at St John's School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is St John's School's Ofsted rating?
St John's School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2014 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St John's School?
No fixed boundary. When St John's School is oversubscribed, Bedford allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to St John's School?
St John's School has around 178 pupils on roll. 49% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St John's School have specialist SEN provision?
St John's School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at St John's School?
8.6% of sessions were missed at St John's School in 2024/25. 25.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John's School?
Apply through Bedford's coordinated admissions process, naming St John's School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near St John's School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 18 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bedford is 6 (the median across 85 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St John's School?
St John's School is at Austin Canons, Bedford Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK42 8AA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)