Ofsted school ratings in Bedford
In Bedford (East of England), 36 of 39 graded state-funded schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 92.3%. That is 5.1 percentage points above the England-wide rate of 87.2%, based on Ofsted’s management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 92.3%
- England 87.2%
- Outstanding
- 2
- Good
- 34
- Requires improvement
- 3
- Inadequate
- 0
- Graded schools
- 39
- rank 44/145
Ofsted overall-effectiveness grades in Bedford (31 May 2026)
| Grade | Schools in Bedford | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 2 | 5.1% |
| Good | 34 | 87.2% |
| Requires improvement | 3 | 7.7% |
| Inadequate | 0 | 0.0% |
The Good-or-Outstanding rate is derived from these real counts as (Outstanding + Good) ÷ all graded schools. Schools last inspected on or after 1 September 2024 carry no overall-effectiveness grade and are excluded, per Ofsted’s published methodology.
By school phase in Bedford
| Phase | Outstanding | Good | RI | Inadequate | Good+Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 1 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 96.7% |
| Secondary | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 66.7% |
| Special | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
More about Bedford
Areas with a similar Good-or-Outstanding rate
Frequently asked questions
- How many schools in Bedford are rated Good or Outstanding?
- 36 of 39 graded state-funded schools in Bedford hold an Ofsted overall-effectiveness grade of Good or Outstanding — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 92.3%. That figure is derived from Ofsted's real inspection counts as at 31 May 2026. Across England the rate is 87.2%.
- How many Outstanding schools does Bedford have?
- Bedford has 2 schools rated Outstanding and 34 rated Good, out of 39 graded state-funded schools, according to Ofsted management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Are there any Inadequate schools in Bedford?
- No state-funded school in Bedford currently holds an Inadequate overall-effectiveness grade in Ofsted's 31 May 2026 management information. 3 schools are rated Requires improvement.
- What is the Good-or-Outstanding rate for primary and secondary schools in Bedford?
- By phase in Bedford: 96.7% of 30 primary schools; 66.7% of 6 secondary schools; 100.0% of 2 special schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted (as at 31 May 2026).
- How does Bedford compare with the rest of England for school ratings?
- Bedford ranks 44 of 145 English local authorities (those with at least 20 graded schools) by Ofsted Good-or-Outstanding rate, at 92.3% versus the England-wide 87.2% (as at 31 May 2026).
Reference period: latest inspections as at 31 May 2026 (Ofsted management information, published 2026-06-18). Source: Ofsted — State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Ofsted. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.