62%
GCSE 9–4 · 2024/25
40%
GCSE 5+ · 2024/25
41.5
Attainment 8 · 2024/25
15%
EBacc entry · 2024/25
775.2
EBacc APS · 2024/25
1,180
Pupils · 2024/25
14%
EAL · 2024/25
29%
Persistent abs. · 2024/25
Ofsted inspection
Requires improvement
Ofsted inspection · 14/06/2023
Inadequate
Requires improvement
Good
Outstanding
Local authorityBedford
PhaseSecondary with sixth form with sixth form
School typeAcademy
Pupil : teacher ratio15.5:1
AdmissionsNon-selective
Religious characterNone
StatusOpen
Overview of Mark Rutherford School · Secondary with sixth form · Bedford
Part ofMARK RUTHERFORD SCHOOL TRUST
How does this school perform?
Key Stage 4 · 2024/25 · trend since 2016/17
GCSE 9–4 incl. Eng & maths
62%
-1pp
62%60%57%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 62%
GCSE 5+ incl. Eng & maths
40%
-5pp
44%38%32%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 40%
Attainment 8
41.5
-3.9
45.443.541.5
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 41.5
EBacc entry
15%
-18pp
33%24%15%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 15%
EBacc APS
775.2
-166.5
1066.6892.1717.6
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 775.2
Sixth form
Key Stage 5 · 2024/25 · trend since 2016/17
A-level APS
28.3
+1.5
36.131.426.8
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 28.3
A-level value added
-0.19
+0.3
+0.2-0.2-0.5
'17'18'19'24'25
'25 · -0.2
AAB+ in facilitating subjects
12%
+9pp
22%12%2%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 12%
Average A-level grade
C-
0
B-C+C-
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · C-
Pupils & context
2024/25
Pupils on roll
1,180
Pupil : teacher ratio
15.5
Workforce data · 2025/26
EAL
14%
FSM eligible
27%
SEN
18%
Overall absence
9%
Persistent absence
29%
Contact
Address
Wentworth Drive, Bedford, MK41 8PX
Local authority
Bedford
Telephone
Email
—
History
All years · Historical DfE data by academic year
Secondary — Key Stage 4
GCSE attainment and Progress 8 — how pupils progressed from KS2 to KS4.
| Year | GCSE 9–4 | GCSE 5+ | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc entry | EBacc APS | EBacc lang entry | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 62% | 40% | 41.5 | Not applicable | 15% | 775.2 | 20% | 1,180 |
| 2023/24 | 62% | 44% | 45.4 | -0.05 | 32% | 941.7 | 38% | 1,259 |
| 2022/23 | 61% | 39% | 41.9 | +0.03 | 32% | 718.5 | 41% | 1,298 |
| 2021/22 | 59% | 39% | 42.7 | -0.39 | 28% | 717.6 | 35% | 1,317 |
| 2018/19 | 57% | 32% | 43.4 | -0.32 | 30% | 1066.6 | 39% | 1,296 |
| 2017/18 | 64% | 43% | 44.6 | -0.16 | 47% | 1165.0 | 52% | 1,340 |
| 2016/17 | 57% | 36% | 46.7 | +0.06 | 58% | — | 62% | 1,267 |
Sixth form — Key Stage 5
| Year | A-level APS | Avg grade | VA progress | AAB+ | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 28.3 | C- | -0.19 | 12% | 87 |
| 2023/24 | 26.8 | C- | -0.50 | 2% | 86 |
| 2022/23 | 29.8 | C | — | 11% | 92 |
| 2021/22 | 36.1 | B- | — | 22% | 80 |
| 2018/19 | 31.8 | C+ | +0.18 | 14% | 127 |
| 2017/18 | 31.2 | C | +0.18 | 11% | 136 |
| 2016/17 | 28.9 | C | -0.09 | 11% | 90 |
Pupils & absence
| Year | Pupils | Pupil:teacher | SEN | EAL | FSM ever | Absence | Persistent absence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 1,180 | 16.2 | 18% | 14% | 27% | 9% | 29% |
| 2023/24 | 1,259 | 19.2 | 14% | 15% | 23% | 9% | 26% |
| 2022/23 | 1,298 | 17.4 | 18% | 14% | 23% | 9% | 24% |
| 2021/22 | 1,317 | 16.3 | 16% | 14% | 23% | 8% | 24% |
| 2020/21 | 1,285 | 15.7 | 16% | 15% | 20% | — | — |
| 2018/19 | 1,296 | 15.1 | 15% | 15% | 27% | 5% | 11% |
| 2017/18 | 1,340 | 15.6 | 12% | 15% | 26% | 5% | 12% |
| 2016/17 | 1,267 | 14.6 | 11% | 17% | 27% | 5% | 15% |
School performance data © Crown copyright. Source: Department for Education.