Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College

Free schools 16 to 19 · Mixed · ages 16–19 · with sixth formBedford, Bedford MK43

About half of students go on to university — above the England rate.

Where this school leads
45%

of 16–18 leavers started university · Bedford 24% · England 37% · DfE destination measures, students who left in 2023

Knowledge sphere of Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College: fields of knowledge mapped by the subjects taken here, by ISCED levelLanguage & Communication · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Language & Communication · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 11%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Mathematics & Statistics · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 8%Natural Sciences · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Natural Sciences · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 3%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Digital & ICT Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Engineering & Manufacturing · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 1%Health & Safety · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Health & Safety · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 4%Business & Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Business & Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 5%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Law & Public Administration · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 3%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Social & Cultural Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 2%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Arts & Humanities · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 15%Transversal Skills · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Transversal Skills · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 1 Primary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 2 Lower secondary (Key Stage 3): 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 3 Upper secondary (GCSE, A level): 4%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 4 Post-secondary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 5 Short-cycle tertiary: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 6 Bachelor's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 7 Master's: 0%Green & Sustainability · ISCED 8 Doctoral: 0%LanguageMathsScienceICTEngineeringHealthBusinessLawSocialArtsTransversalGreen
Ofsted
—
Students
749
Free school meals
0.0%

Ofsted: Not covered by Ofsted school inspections. Students: of 700 places. Free school meals: pupils eligible, a measure of family income.

After Year 11 · age 16

Where do pupils go at 16?

The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).

After sixth form · age 18

Where do sixth-formers go at 18?

23%went to one of the most selective universities
This school23%
Bedford9%
England19%

DfE 16–18 destination measures · 310 students who left in 2023

45% went to university (England 37%). 9% started an apprenticeship (England 7%). 32% went into work and 7% had no steady place a year on (England 28% and 16%).

Most selective universities — the third of UK universities whose entrants hold the highest grades; the share is of students who completed level 3 qualifications.

Full breakdown7
MeasureThis schoolBedfordEngland
Students in the cohort3104,022541,441
Any sustained destination88%77%79%
University (higher education)45%24%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students23%9%19%
Further education2%6%5%
Apprenticeship9%9%7%
Employment32%38%28%
No sustained destination7%17%16%
Universities · named

Which universities did they go to?

1university has told us how many applied, were offered a place and enrolled

Named universities — most schools do not publish this; the official DfE figures above only say how many went to university and how selective those universities were.

universities’ answers to sch.today’s Freedom of Information requests · request tracker

What universities’ own admissions data say3

For each entry year: how many of this school’s students applied, received an offer and enrolled. Counts under five are shown as “<5” to protect individuals. Applications exclude Clearing; enrolments are students who completed registration.

UniversityEntry yearAppliedOffersEnrolled
University of Bristol202535225
20242515<5
20232614<5

A university’s enrolment count and a school’s own destinations list can differ: the school counts places accepted in the summer, the university counts students registered in the autumn.

Subjects · 2025

What do pupils study?

15.25%of the A level curriculum mapped by the subjects taken here

Mapped — the share of the 1,259 learning outcomes the Department for Education sets for these stages that the subjects taken here cover, weighted by how many pupils take each.

DfE subject entries 2025 · curriculum catalogue by sch.today

Transversal Skills15%
Mathematics & Statistics11%
Natural Sciences8%
Law & Public Administration5%
Green & Sustainability4%

Fields of knowledge — twelve fields the curriculum catalogue sorts every learning outcome into; the bars show the GCSE and A level ring.

A level subjects28

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

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Mathematics12745%31%
Biology7828%20%
Chemistry6824%17%
Psychology6423%23%
Physics5219%12%
Business Studies4616%13%
History3613%13%
Sociology2910%13%
Law259%4%
Computer Science249%5%
Geography249%10%
English Language and Literature228%2%
Further Mathematics217%5%
Politics217%6%
English Literature207%11%
Film Studies176%2%
Religious Studies155%4%
Fine Art93%3%
Dance——0%
Photography——3%
Arabic——0%
Music——0%
Punjabi——0%
Russian——0%
Spanish——2%
D and T Textiles Technology——0%
Drama——2%
French——1%
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses24
SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Finance / Accounting (General)VRQ Level 3207%—
Art and DesignBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*166%—
Film / Video / Television ProductionBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*155%—
Engineering StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*135%—
Business StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*135%—
Sports StudiesBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*124%—
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)104%—
Business StudiesBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*93%—
Health StudiesBTEC National Diploma L3 - Band J - PP-D*D*62%—
Business StudiesBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)———
Engineering StudiesBTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D*———
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*———
Health StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*———
Business StudiesGCE AS level (All)———
ChemistryGCE AS level (All)———
MathematicsGCE AS level (All)———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (All)———
PhysicsGCE AS level (All)———
Business StudiesGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
ChemistryGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
Further MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
PhysicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)———
Engineering StudiesBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)———
A level results8
MeasureThis schoolBedfordEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study696——
— of whom A level students2811,110261,341
Average A level gradeC+CB-
Average points per A level entry34.7430.1435.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsC+CB-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects19%11%18%
Average grade, applied general courses———
Average grade, T levels———
Fields of knowledge, all stages11
Transversal Skills12%
Mathematics & Statistics10%
Natural Sciences7%
Law & Public Administration5%
Business & Administration4%
Green & Sustainability3%
Digital & ICT Skills3%
Social & Cultural Skills3%
Arts & Humanities2%
Health & Safety0%
Language & Communication0%

Ideas pupils meet most, weighted by the share of the cohort taking the subjects that teach them:

graph 4.8mathematical model 4.6vector 4.1integration 2.3trigonometric identity 2.3exponential function 2.3differential equation 2.0numerical method 1.8gradient 1.8si unit 1.5differentiation 1.5inequality 1.4trigonometric function 1.4limitation 1.4inverse function 1.4tangent 1.4binomial expansion 1.4sequence 1.4force 1.4point of inflection 1.4standard deviation 1.4normal distribution 1.4equilibrium 1.4series 1.2

Coverage counts a subject’s outcomes in proportion to the share of the cohort entered for it; Combined Science counts as two thirds of the three separate sciences. Levels follow ISCED 2011 as UNESCO maps it for the UK: Key Stage 3 is ISCED 2; GCSE and A level are both ISCED 3. Methodology: about the data.

Careers

Which jobs use what’s taught here?

12apprenticeship standards closely match the subjects pupils take

A match of what’s taught, not of entry requirements: the standards whose knowledge and skills share the most ideas with the GCSEs and A levels taken here, weighted by how many pupils take each subject.

Level 3 / Level 6 — England’s qualification levels: 3 is A level standard, 4–5 are higher apprenticeships, 6 is a bachelor’s degree.

Skills England apprenticeship standards (Open Government Licence v3.0) · ESCO occupations, © European Union, matched by sch.today · how the match works

ScientistLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses accuracy, assumption, experimental design from Biology, Chemistry, Further Mathematics and 4 more · jobs: physicist, analytical chemist, geneticist
Data technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · digital · uses data presentation, outlier, data distribution from Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics and 2 more · jobs: data analyst, database administrator, data scientist
Digital and technology solutions professionalLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · digital · uses data presentation, perform data cleansing, conclusion from Biology, Business Studies, Computer Science and 3 more · jobs: business analyst, ICT consultant, business economics researcher
More apprenticeships9
Electro-mechanical engineerLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses kinematics, integration, equilibrium from Further Mathematics, Mathematics · jobs: electrical engineer, electromechanical engineer, instrumentation engineer
Laboratory technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · health and science · uses data presentation, chromatography, standard deviation from Biology, Chemistry, Geography and 1 more · jobs: bacteriology technician, scientific laboratory technician, biology technician
Engineer surveyorLevel 4 (higher) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses si unit, trigonometric identity, exponential function from Mathematics, Physics · jobs: electrical equipment inspector, process engineering technician, punch press operator
Biomedical scientistLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · health and science · uses data presentation, accuracy, si unit from Biology, Mathematics · jobs: biomedical scientist, specialist biomedical scientist, biomedical scientist advanced
Aerospace engineerLevel 6 degree apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses kinematics, integration, friction from Further Mathematics, Mathematics · jobs: aerodynamics engineer, aerospace engineer, aircraft maintenance technician
Keeper and aquaristLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · agriculture, environmental and animal care · uses genetic diversity, variables, evolution from Biology, Psychology · jobs: animal care attendant, zookeeper, zoo section leader
Artificial intelligence (AI) data specialistLevel 7 degree apprenticeship · digital · uses data presentation, assumption, research design from Business Studies, Computer Science, Geography and 4 more · jobs: ICT intelligent systems designer
Manufacturing engineer (degree)Level 6 degree apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses data presentation, mechanics, force from Biology, Mathematics, Sociology · jobs: maintenance and repair engineer, industrial engineer, production engineer
Water industry asset maintenance technicianLevel 3 (advanced) apprenticeship · engineering and manufacturing · uses graph, abstraction, ratio from Business Studies, Computer Science, Further Mathematics and 2 more · jobs: consumer electronics repair technician, industrial electrician, electrician
Admissions

How do you get a place?

Admission is by application to the provider, usually against GCSE grades for each course; there is no distance rule.

  1. Dec–FebYear 11: apply directly; most close applications in these months
  2. AugGCSE results day: places are confirmed against the entry grades
Bedford

Compare with nearby schools

Stayed in education at 16 · Attainment 8 · pupils

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.