Mark Rutherford School
Academy converter in Bedford, Bedford.
School details
| Phase | Secondary |
|---|---|
| Type | Academy converter |
| Age range | 11 to 18 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious character | None |
| Admissions policy | Non-selective |
| Sixth form | Has a sixth form |
| Pupils on roll | 1150 (school census 15-01-2026) |
| Capacity | 1243 |
| Free school meals | 30.40% |
| Trust or sponsor | MARK RUTHERFORD SCHOOL TRUST |
| Local authority | Bedford |
| Address | Wentworth Drive, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK41 8PX |
| Map | View on Google Maps |
| Website | http://www.markrutherford.beds.sch.uk/ |
| Telephone | 01234290200 |
| URN | 139160 |
Ofsted inspection
Latest full inspection: report card inspection under Ofsted's renewed framework (in use since November 2025), started 11 November 2025, published 11 January 2026. Report cards grade each area separately; there is no single overall grade.
| Safeguarding standards | Met |
|---|---|
| Inclusion | Strong standard |
| Curriculum and teaching | Expected standard |
| Achievement | Expected standard |
| Attendance and behaviour | Strong standard |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Expected standard |
| Post-16 provision | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Expected standard |
Earlier graded inspection under the previous framework (Education Inspection Framework), started 14 June 2023, published 27 July 2023:
| Overall effectiveness | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Requires improvement |
| Personal development | Requires improvement |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form provision | Good |
| Safeguarding effective | Yes |
Latest ungraded inspection: 11 March 2020, outcome: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next.
Read the Ofsted reports for this school
Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall effectiveness grades in September 2024 and introduced report cards from November 2025. Older grades are shown with their dates and may not reflect the school today.
Planning for university
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Nearby schools
- Goldington Academy (secondary school, about 1.8 km)
- St Thomas More Catholic School (secondary school, about 2.0 km)
- Castle Newnham School (all-through school, about 2.5 km)
- Bedford Free School (secondary school, about 3.7 km)
- Bedford Academy (secondary school, about 4.7 km)
- Biddenham International School and Sports College (secondary school, about 5.0 km)
- Lincroft Academy (secondary school, about 6.0 km)
- Daubeney Academy (secondary school, about 6.1 km)
Browse: Secondary schools in Bedford
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. School data: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (downloaded 11 October 2026). Inspection data: Ofsted, state-funded schools inspections and outcomes management information (as at 31 August 2026). Last updated 2026-10-11.