St Thomas More Catholic School
Tyne Crescent, Bedford, MK41 7ULOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Thomas More Catholic School is a secondary school in Bedford for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 84 schools in Bedford. It ranks 5th of 13 secondary schools in Bedford. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 4 October 2023, report published 8 November 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 4 October 2023
St Thomas More is a close-knit community with a strong 'family' ethos. Pupils appreciate and embody the school's Catholic values of faith, hope and love. Pupils are provided with the knowledge and skills to lead happy, successful lives. They achieve well. The school has high expectations and aspirations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are polite and courteous. They say that they feel safe. Typically, they behave well. They move around the school calmly. Pupils can access opportunities in many different areas to develop and stretch their talents and interests. For example, Year 8 pupils help Year 7 pupils settle in. Other pupil leaders assist at local primary school sports competitions. Pupils and students in all years are actively involved in supporting the local community. They successfully organise food bank collections and charity events. Clubs include young enterprise, carpentry and gardening, as well as a wide range of sports. Pupils with SEND benefit from activities designed specifically to meet their needs.
What the school should improve
- Leaders' high expectations for behaviour are not applied consistently by staff across the school and in the sixth form. This means some learning time is lost. Leaders should ensure that all staff are well trained and have a clear understanding of how to implement these expectations.
- Curriculum plans are more rigorous in some subject areas than others. As a result, pupils do not experience a consistently high quality of education across the curriculum. Leaders should act at pace to implement the changes they have planned so that all pupils and students achieve well.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
158 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
73 students
Average A level grade C-, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
893 pupils on roll, with places for 1,040
Schools near St Thomas More Catholic School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford Greenacre Independent School | 0.8 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 44.9 |
| Bedford Modern School | 1 mile | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 31.3 |
| Mark Rutherford School | 1 mile | Report card: Needs attention to strong standard | Attainment 8: 41.5 |
| Bedford School | 1 mile | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 14.6 |
| Goldington Academy | 1 mile | Report card: Strong standard | Attainment 8: 54.3 |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- OUR LADY IMMACULATE CATHOLIC ACADEMIES TRUST LTD
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Martin Bonner
- Phone
- 01234400222
- Address
- Tyne Crescent, Bedford, MK41 7UL
- Local authority
- Bedford
- URN
- 139517
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.