Bedale High School
Fitzalan Road, Bedale, DL8 2EQOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Bedale High School is a secondary school in Bedale for ages 11 to 16. It is one of the 376 schools in North Yorkshire. It ranks 31st of 41 secondary schools in North Yorkshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Requires improvement, from an inspection in June 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 26 June 2024, report published 11 September 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Requires improvement
- Quality of education
- Requires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Requires improvement
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 26 June 2024
Pupils are happy at this inclusive school. Pupils understand the school's values of courage, commitment and compassion. They are learning to become more resilient and independent. Leaders are increasingly ambitious for pupils' academic progress. However, pupils do not have access to a religious education (RE) curriculum that covers the scope of the local authority's agreed syllabus. The support the school provides for weaker readers is not as effective as it could be. Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave well at this school. They are respectful and supportive of each other most of the time. Pupils feel safe in school. They have trusted adults to speak to if they have any concerns. Pupils value the pastoral support from the school. Pupils have a thorough understanding of positive and negative relationships. They talk knowledgeably about the protected characteristics and understand which actions constitute discrimination. A significant number of pupils take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme in Years 9 and 10. Some pupils do not attend school often enough.
What the school should improve
- The school has not developed an RE curriculum that is in line with the local authority's agreed syllabus. As a result, pupils do not have a thorough understanding of a range of different beliefs and cultures. The school should ensure that all pupils have access to an RE curriculum that meets the scope of the locally agreed syllabus.
- In some lessons, the activities that teachers deliver do not meet the full ambition of the curriculum. In these lessons, pupils do not consistently make as much progress as they could. The school should ensure that staff are supported to plan activities which deliver the intended curriculum.
- Some of the support that is in place for weaker readers is not sufficiently focused. As a result, these pupils are not catching up with their peers quickly enough. The school should ensure that the strategies in place to support weaker readers are matched precisely to their areas of weakness.
- Too many pupils do not attend school regularly. These pupils are not achieving as well as they might. The school should continue to work with pupils and their families to overcome any barriers to regular attendance.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
101 pupils in the year group
Pupil numbers and mix
555 pupils on roll, with places for 700
Schools near Bedale High School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aysgarth School | 4 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Northallerton School & Sixth Form College | 7 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | Attainment 8: 37.5 |
| Risedale School | 8 miles | Ofsted judgements: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 29.8 |
| Darwin School | 9 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Wensleydale School | 10 miles | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | Attainment 8: 41.5 |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 11 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Christopher Stokes
- Phone
- 01677422419
- Address
- Fitzalan Road, Bedale, DL8 2EQ
- Local authority
- North Yorkshire
- URN
- 121670
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.