St Francis College
Same Bedford area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
Bedford Girls' School is a private secondary-stage school in Bedford, Bedfordshire, with a published age range of 7-18.
Private school Girls Ages 7-18 Sixth form No boarders
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
Bedford Girls' School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- Boarding ?
- No boarders
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Bedford Girls' School was formed through the Harpur Trust's merger of its junior, senior and sixth-form provision. Announced in 2009, the junior school opened in September 2010, the senior school followed in September 2011 and the sixth form completed the merger in September 2012. The result is a girls' day school whose present structure carries the history of its predecessor schools into one route from Year 3 to Upper Sixth.
At 16 to 18, pupils can choose A levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma. The IB programme combines six subjects, including English, mathematics, a language, humanities and science, with the extended essay, CAS and Theory of Knowledge; its entry criteria match those for A level. Technology, careers, challenge and extension, and the Learning Resources Centre add a future-focused layer to the academic programme.
The co-curriculum is arranged around Engage and Enquire, Global Citizenship, Wellbeing and Teamwork, and Art and Creativity. Girls in Years 3 to 9 are expected to take at least two activities, Years 10 and 11 at least one, and Years 12 and 13 take part in charity and service. Houses, leadership, sport, creative arts, drama, dance, music, trips and excursions give those strands a visible place in school life.
Applications are accepted where a place is available. For 2027 entry, the registration deadline is Tuesday 1 December 2026; Year 7 interviews, activities and assessments run from 5 to 7 January, with separate arrangements for other year groups. Pilgrims pupils have a priority Year 3 pathway. Sixth-form applicants need to compare the A-level and IB structures with the intended programme.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 14.2 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 19.1% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Bedford and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 14.2
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 0.73
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Bedford and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Age range
- 7-18
- Headteacher
- Mrs Gemma Gibson
- Pupil roll
- 843 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Cardington Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire
- Postcode
- MK42 0BX
- Area
- Bedford
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mrs Gemma Gibson
School contact
- School phone
- 01234361900
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01234361900
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 7-18
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- No boarders
- Day fees
- Senior School and Sixth Form: £20,656/year (including VAT)
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Bursaries available
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
- Papers and stages
- 1 paper
- Format
- Mixed format
Papers and rounds
-
Paper 1
Other, Interview
Sixth Form cognitive assessment and interview
Applicants for both IB and A Level are interviewed and complete a short series of online cognitive ability tests; school report, GCSE predictions and reference are also requested.
Published assessment components
Interview is listed across the school's published assessment routes.
Published
-
Interview
Applicants for both IB and A Level are interviewed and complete a short series of online cognitive ability tests; school report, GCSE predictions and reference are also requested.
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
Sixth Form (2027 entry) interviews and assessments
20 January 2027
Interviews and assessments take place on 20 January 2027.
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 14.2 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 0.73 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 19.1% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 39.24 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 13 February 2024
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2024 records an inspection beginning 13 February 2024. The report says the relevant standards were met.
Similar schools and comparisons
Similar schools and comparisons
Nearby schools families also consider
Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.
Bury Park Educational Institute (Al - Hikmah Secondary School)
Same Bedford area with a comparable local commute
Northampton High School GDST
Same Bedford area with a comparable local commute
Thornton College
Same Bedford area with a comparable local commute
Nearby schools with similar results
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Marymount International School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
The Retreat
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Rosa House School
Nearby option with a similar Ofsted and sixth-form picture
Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
Private schools near Bedford
Independent secondary-stage school profiles with direct-application, age range and boarding context.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Private schools near Bedford
Independent secondary-stage school profiles with direct-application, age range and boarding context.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Bedford Girls' School handle admissions?
Bedford Girls' School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Bedford Girls' School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Bedford Girls' School?
Sixth Form (2027 entry) interviews and assessments: 20 January 2027
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Bedford Girls' School?
Bedford Girls' School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 13 February 2024.