Wootton Academy, Bedford

In 2026, pupils at Wootton Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 44.8, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 45 in Bedford and 47 across England.

42% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 43% in Bedford and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 44.3.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.17: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 31.8, against 48 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 16.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were History, Combined Science and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 192 families put Wootton Academy as their first choice and 251 named it as one of their preferences, for 201 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Wootton Academy are Kempston Academy (1.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 38.4); Marston Vale Middle School (2.2 miles, Requires improvement); Daubeney Academy (2.7 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 46.1); and Wixams Academy (3.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 43.9).

Wootton Academy's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Wootton Academy is one of 2 schools run by Wootton Academy Trust, an academy trust.

177 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Wootton Academy (as of September 2025): 37% would recommend the school, 47% say their child is happy there and 25% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (61%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (25%).

Of the 295 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 53% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.

6.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Mixed (10%) and Black (6%).

Wootton Academy had 72 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Kempston Hardwick Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wootton Upper School (in), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 32 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bedford (136).

In 2024/25, Wootton Academy issued 327 suspensions, 37.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 9 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Wootton Academy are Wootton Primary School (0.5 miles) and Kempston Rural Primary School (1.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.