Most schools in our area have a catchment area policy, which means that there will be a lower, primary, middle, secondary and upper school which serves the area in which you live.
Some of the catchment areas cross the local authority boundaries, for example a Central Bedfordshire home address could be in the catchment area for a school in Bedford Borough. For this reason the catchment area information covers some areas of Central Bedfordshire as well as Bedford Borough.
There are a growing number of schools which do not serve a designated catchment area. Some of these are faith schools that have never had a catchment area. Others are schools that used to serve a catchment area but over recent years have removed the catchment area from their admission policy. The addresses affected by the school removing catchment area from its admission policy are marked * within the gazetteer.
Please note that we cannot guarantee you a place at your catchment area school if the admission number has been reached.
If you are moving into the area and would like to discuss your child's admission into school, please contact the School Admissions Service, telephone 01234 718120 or email: admissions@bedford.gov.uk.
Please note that the schools stated below are catchment area schools for admissions criteria purposes only, they do not relate to free home to school transport. Free home to school transport is no longer provided on the basis of catchment areas. If you wish to know whether or not your child is eligible for free home to school transport, contact school.transport@bedford.gov.uk prior to selecting your preferred school. Further information about school transport entitlement can be found at our school transport page
Towns and villages with their school catchment areas
Below are listed towns and villages in Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire. To find the catchment area school, please scroll down to the appropriate town or village. Where there are a number of schools within the community there will be a link to provide further information.
Key:
- BBC = Bedford Borough Council
- CBC = Central Bedfordshire Council
|
Town or Village |
Local Authority Area |
Primary School |
Variations |
Secondary School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bedford |
BBC |
Link to Bedford |
Link to Bedford |
|
|
Begwary |
BBC |
Wilden |
Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Biddenham |
BBC |
St James |
Biddenham |
|
|
Bletsoe (With the exception of Crossways Farmhouse, which is in the parish of Sharnbrook) |
BBC |
Riseley |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Blunham |
CBC |
John Donne |
Sandy |
|
|
Bolnhurst and Keysoe |
BBC |
Kymbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Bourne End |
CBC |
Cranfield |
Holywell (Years 5-8) |
Wootton (for Year 9 and above) |
|
Bromham (With the exception of some properties on Box End Road, which are in parish of Kempston Rural) |
BBC |
Bromham VC |
Biddenham or Lincroft |
|
|
Cardington (With the exception of Summerhill House, Meadow Lane, treat as Bedford and the New Cardington development, see Eastcotts parish) |
BBC |
Shortstown |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Carlton and Chellington |
BBC |
Carlton |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Chalton (Near Moggerhanger) |
CBC |
Moggerhanger |
Sandy |
|
|
Chawston |
BBC |
Roxton |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Chellington |
BBC |
Carlton |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Clapham (With the exception of some properties on Clapham Road which are Bedford. Also, Brownswood Farm which is in parish of Oakley and properties in Twinwoods which are parish of Milton Ernest) |
BBC |
Ursula Taylor |
Lincroft |
|
|
Colesden |
BBC |
Roxton |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Colmworth (With the exception of: Millfield Cottage and Berry Wood Farm which are in the parish of Little Staughton, Orchard Cottage which is in parish of Wyboston, Chawston and Colesden. In addition the following properties have a postal address of Colmworth but are in the parish of Staploe: Honeypot Cottage, Thatched Cottage, Home Farm Cottage, Bushmead Farm, The Lodge, White Cottage and Upper Honeydon Farm) |
BBC |
Wilden |
Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Cople |
BBC |
Sheerhatch |
Bedford Academy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Cotton End |
BBC |
Cotton End or Shortstown |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Cranfield |
CBC |
Cranfield |
Holywell |
Wootton (for Year 9 and above) |
|
Dean and Shelton |
BBC |
Eileen Wade |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Duloe |
BBC |
Wilden |
Sandy or Sharnbrook or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Eastcotts |
BBC |
Cotton End or Shortstown |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Eaton Socon (Cambs) (Only Cobholden Cottage/Farm and the Two Brewers are in parish of Staploe, despite having addresses in Eaton Socon which is Cambs) |
BBC |
Wilden |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Elstow |
BBC |
Elstow |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Farndish |
BBC |
Christopher Reeves |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Felmersham |
BBC |
Pinchmill |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Great Barford |
BBC |
Great Barford |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Great Denham |
BBC |
Great Denham or St James |
Biddenham |
|
|
Hail Weston (Cambs) (Only Sharp's Barn and Sharpes House are in parish of Staploe, although have address in Hail Weston, which is Cambs) |
BBC |
Wilden |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Hargrave (Northants) (Only Mill View Farm which is in parish of Dean and Shelton, although address is Hargrave, which is Northants) |
BBC |
Eileen Wade |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Harrold |
BBC |
Harrold |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Harrowden |
BBC |
Shortstown |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Hatch End |
BBC |
Kymbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Hinwick |
BBC |
Christopher Reeves |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Honeydon |
BBC |
Wilden |
Mark Rutherford or Sharnbrook |
|
|
Houghton Conquest |
CBC |
Houghton Conquest |
Marston Vale |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Kempston |
BBC |
Link to Kempston |
* |
|
|
Kempston Hardwick (With the exception of Cowbridge Cottage which is in Kempston gazetteer and Kiln Road, Chimney Corner and Travellers Site are in Broadmead Lower catchment) |
BBC |
Houghton Conquest |
Marston Vale |
Wootton (Year 9 and over) |
|
Keysoe |
BBC |
Kymbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Keysoe Row |
BBC |
Kymbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Knotting and Souldrop |
BBC |
Sharnbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Lidlington |
CBC |
Thomas Johnson |
Marston Vale |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Little Barford |
BBC |
Roxton |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Little Barford - Little End |
Cambs |
Cambridgeshire |
Cambridgeshire |
Cambridgeshire |
|
Little Staughton (With the exception of Bassmead Barns, Moor Road (PE19 5BJ) which is in parish of Staploe) |
BBC |
Kymbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Lower Dean |
BBC |
Eileen Wade |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Lower Shelton |
CBC |
CBC |
Marston Vale (Years 5-8) |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Marston Moretaine |
CBC |
CBC |
Marston Vale (Years 5-8) |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Melchbourne |
BBC |
Riseley |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Milton Ernest (With the exception of Coombelands Park which is in parish of Bletsoe) |
BBC |
Milton Ernest |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Moggerhanger (With the exception of Willowhill Cottages, Bedford Road, Moggerhanger which are BBC and in parish of Willington) |
CBC |
Moggerhanger |
Sandy |
|
|
Oakley |
BBC |
Oakley |
Lincroft |
|
|
Odell |
BBC |
Harrold |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Pavenham |
BBC |
Pinchmill |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Pertenhall |
BBC |
Riseley |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Podington (Including Hinwick) |
BBC |
Christopher Reeves |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Radwell |
BBC |
Pinchmill |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Ravensden (excluding Glenrose Avenue, Wagstaffe Close, Cleat Hill and Woodlands Park - see Bedford) |
BBC |
Ravensden |
Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Renhold (excluding the developments off Norse Road - see Bedford) |
BBC |
Renhold |
Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Riseley |
BBC |
Riseley |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Roxton |
BBC |
Roxton |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Sharnbrook (With the exception of Chettles Close, which is in parish of Bletsoe. Also, Glebe Farm, Odell Road which is in parish of Odell) |
BBC |
Sharnbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Shelton and Dean |
BBC |
Eileen Wade |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Shelton (Near Marston Moretaine) |
CBC |
CBC |
Marston Vale (Years 5-8) |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Shortstown |
BBC |
Shortstown or Cotton End |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Souldrop (and Knotting) |
BBC |
Sharnbrook |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Stagsden (With the exception of Mount Pleasant Farm/Grange which are in the parish of Turvey) |
BBC |
Bromham VC |
Biddenham or Lincroft |
|
|
Staploe |
BBC |
Wilden |
Sandy or Sharnbrook or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Staughton Moor |
BBC |
Cambridgeshire |
Cambridgeshire |
Cambridgeshire |
|
Stevington (With the exception of Midway House, Stevington which is in parish of Carlton and Chellington. Also, The Spinney which is in parish of Pavenham) |
BBC |
Bromham VC |
Lincroft |
|
|
Stewartby |
BBC |
Broadmead (Years R - 4) |
Marston Vale (Years 5-8) |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Swineshead |
BBC |
Riseley |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Tempsford |
CBC |
Roxton |
Sandy |
|
|
Thurleigh (Some properties in Thurleigh Business Park are in parishes of Bletsoe and Riseley) |
BBC |
Thurleigh |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Turvey |
BBC |
Turvey |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Upper Dean |
BBC |
Eileen Wade |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Upper Shelton |
CBC |
CBC |
Marston Vale (Years 5-8) |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Upper Staploe |
BBC |
Wilden |
Sandy or Sharnbrook or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Wilden (With the exception of Blacklands, Kimbolton Road, which is in the parish of Bolnhurst and Keysoe) |
BBC |
Wilden |
Mark Rutherford or Sharnbrook |
|
|
Willington |
BBC |
Sheerhatch |
Bedford Academy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Wilstead (Bedford Road - odds 117> and evens 78>, Dane Lane, Kenneth Way and Watson Road are in Lakeview catchment as they are in the area of Wixams) |
BBC |
Wilstead |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Wixams |
BBC |
Lakeview |
Bedford Academy |
|
|
Wootton (With the exception of Acrey Farm House, Belmont and CP Farm which are in parish of Stewartby and Wootton Green [see Wootton Green below]) |
BBC |
Wootton |
Holywell |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Wootton Green |
CBC / BBC depending on address |
Shelton |
Marston Vale |
Wootton (Year 9 and above) |
|
Wyboston |
BBC |
Roxton |
Sandy or Mark Rutherford |
|
|
Wymington |
BBC |
St Lawrence |
Sharnbrook |
|
|
Yielden |
BBC |
Eileen Wade or Riseley |
Sharnbrook |
