There is 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.
- Bedford Free School
- Castle Newnham Primary School
- Castle Newnham Secondary School
- Daubeney Academy
- Elstow School
- Goldington Academy
- Goldington Green Academy
- Great Ouse Primary Academy
- Hazeldene School
- Kempston Challenger Academy
- St John Rigby Catholic Primary School, Bedford
- St Joseph's and St Gregory's Catholic Primary School, Bedford
- St Thomas More Catholic Secondary School, Bedford
- Wixams Academy
- Wixams Tree Primary School