OFSTED
12 May 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Strong standard
Curriculum & teaching
Strong standard
Achievement
Strong standard
Attendance & behaviour
Strong standard
Personal development
Strong standard
Leadership & governance
Strong standard
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
1 February 2022
Graded inspection
Good
Published
17 March 2022
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
—
Local authority
Bedford
Trust
GOLDINGTON ACADEMY TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
958
958 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
469
49.0% of pupils
Male pupils
489
51.0% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
2.1 pts
below England
School
22.7%
Bedford
20.1%
East of England
19.7%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
4.5 pts
below England
School
15.8%
Bedford
23.1%
East of England
16.4%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
3.5 pts
above England
School
4.5%
Bedford
1.8%
East of England
1.7%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
White British
51.6%
494
Any other White background
13.8%
132
Any other Asian background
5.7%
55
Any other Mixed background
5.3%
51
African
5.0%
48
White and Black Caribbean
4.5%
43
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
14.1%
135 of
958 pupils
6.7 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
2.3 pts
below
England
6.0%
4.5 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
54.3
15.1 pts
above England
Latest published: 0.85 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
6.07%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
0.14 pts
lower than
England
School
6.07%
Bedford
5.81%
East of England
6.17%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
16.74%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
0.92 pts
higher than
England
School
16.74%
Bedford
15.50%
East of England
15.39%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
1.35%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
0.45 pts
lower than
England
School
1.35%
Bedford
1.52%
East of England
1.83%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
127.7%
35.4 pts
above England
Goldington Academy
127.7%
Bedford
88.6%
East of England
92.9%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.