Academy converter

Redborne Upper School and Community College

Mixed · ages 13–18 · with sixth formCentral Bedfordshire, East of England · Bedford MK45 2NUTrust: The Pyramid Schools TrustSchool website
Pupils on roll
1,657of 1,418 places
Free school meals
15.3%
Year 11 cohort 2025
393
Ofsted
Good, 2 July 2024Read the Ofsted report

Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: Redborne Upper School and Community College (URN 109643, until 1 April 2011).

What the data says

Of the 393 pupils who finished Year 11 at Redborne Upper School and Community College in 2023, 52% stayed on in Redborne Upper School and Community College’s own sixth form (Central Bedfordshire average 43%), 38% went to a further education college and 3% started an apprenticeship.

Among the 221 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 47% went to university (Central Bedfordshire 35%, England 37%), and 25% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.

Physical Education is unusually popular at GCSE: 23% of the year group took it, against 11% of pupils across England.

GCSE results in 2025 were in line with the national picture: Attainment 8 of 46.6 against 46.1 across England and 43.6 in Central Bedfordshire, with 45% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).

Where pupils went after Year 11

Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Central Bedfordshire and England.

This school
Central Bedfordshire
England
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Pupils in the cohort3932,928607,348
Any sustained destination96%93%92%
Stayed in education91%88%86%
— school sixth form52%43%34%
— sixth form college2%13%
— further education college38%40%37%
— other education1%3%2%
Apprenticeship3%3%3%
Employment2%3%3%
No sustained destination3%5%6%
Destination unknown1%2%3%

Where students went after sixth form

Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.

This school
Central Bedfordshire
England
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Students in the cohort2211,931541,441
Any sustained destination91%80%79%
University (higher education)47%35%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students25%14%19%
Further education1%5%5%
Apprenticeship5%6%7%
Employment38%33%28%
No sustained destination6%15%16%

GCSE results 2025

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)46.643.646.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths45%42%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths69%65%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects23%28%41%
EBacc average point score3.893.754.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort10%18%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils29.728.934.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils48.546.750.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)
English as an additional language3%8%19%

Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.

Subjects taken at GCSE

Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
Mathematics394100%88%20%22%79%
English Language394100%89%8%20%64%
English Literature37595%86%15%21%76%
Combined Science26768%65%8%9%63%
History13434%41%13%26%69%
Business Studies13234%18%18%20%72%
Biology11329%23%25%45%88%
Physics10928%23%32%46%86%
Chemistry10928%23%25%47%85%
Physical Education8923%11%12%24%70%
Religious Studies8722%31%40%32%87%
Geography8622%41%28%25%74%
Design and Technology7218%11%10%23%63%
Spanish6517%19%26%27%74%
Drama6216%7%16%27%90%
French5414%18%26%29%89%
German5113%5%16%33%67%
Art and Design4912%7%10%24%76%
Film Studies4712%1%28%20%87%
Computer Science4311%13%16%30%72%
Food Preparation and Nutrition349%8%18%21%59%
Dance195%1%21%27%84%
Music174%5%6%33%65%
Graphic Communication164%1%6%23%63%
Latin144%1%14%74%64%
Modern Greek10%0%33%
Portuguese10%0%50%
Polish10%1%84%

Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Childcare Skills7743%
Hospitality / Catering Studies3218%
Art and Design3218%
Computer Appreciation / Introduction2816%
Sports Studies148%
Music Technology (Electronic)137%

A levels and other level 3 courses

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study403
— of whom A level students1781,152261,341
Average A level gradeC+C+B-
Average points per A level entry33.1732.6835.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsB-C+B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects14%14%18%
Average grade, applied general courses
Average grade, T levels

A level subjects

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Mathematics4525%31%
Economics3821%13%
Psychology3620%23%
Geography3520%10%
Physics2413%12%
Sociology2212%13%
Biology2212%20%
Law1810%4%
English Literature1810%11%
History169%13%
Product Design148%2%
Chemistry127%17%
Politics116%6%
Further Mathematics116%5%
Physical Education106%3%
Film Studies106%2%
Classical Civilisation106%1%
Graphic Communication95%2%
Computer Science95%5%
Drama95%2%
Religious Studies84%4%
English Language and Literature84%2%
French63%1%
Spanish2%
Environmental Science1%
German0%
Fine Art3%
Dance0%
Music Technology0%
Music0%

Applied, technical and other level 3 courses

SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Business StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 34022%
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)3419%
Childcare SkillsVRQ Level 3169%
Health StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*148%
Finance / Accounting (General)VRQ Level 3137%
Sports StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3116%
MathematicsGCE AS level (All)116%
Health StudiesBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*106%
Medical ScienceVRQ Level 384%
PsychologyGCE AS level (All)84%
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (All)74%
Mathematical StudiesCore Maths Qualifications at Level 374%
MultimediaOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 363%
Business StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3
EconomicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
PhysicsGCE AS level (All)
Music TechnologyGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
PhysicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
Music TechnologyGCE AS level (All)
PsychologyGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
EconomicsGCE AS level (All)
ChemistryGCE AS level (All)
Health StudiesBTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D*
MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
ChemistryGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)

Other secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire

Cedars Upper School

Academy converter · sixth form · 1,135 pupils

87% stayed in education · Attainment 8 48.5

Etonbury Academy

Academy converter · sixth form · 1,158 pupils

93% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.5

Priory Academy

Academy converter · 830 pupils

93% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.2

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.