Bedale High School
Bedale, DL8 2EQ · North Yorkshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
27th of 41 secondary schools in North Yorkshire we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 4.7/10 against 922 of them, against 5.1/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 5 | 35% | 0.19 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 52.4 · 68 | 30% | 2.03 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.3 · 27 | 25% | 0.68 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 47.8 · 59 | 10% | 0.59 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Bedale High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 39.6% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 46.1, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.3 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school Requires improvement in September 2024. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.2 out of 10 among them, against 3.7 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 555 pupils against a stated capacity of 700. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
With a Progress 8 score of -0.3, how does the school support students to improve their progress from their starting points? Since the Ofsted inspection was in September 2024, what specific actions have been taken to address the areas identified for improvement?
What Ofsted said about Bedale High School
Overview
Bedale High School is described as an inclusive environment where pupils are happy and behave well, demonstrating respect and resilience. While leaders have high expectations and the curriculum is ambitious, the report states that overall effectiveness requires improvement due to inconsistencies in teaching, insufficient support for weaker readers, and attendance issues.
Strengths
- Pupils are "happy at this inclusive school" and understand values of "courage, commitment and compassion".
- Behaviour is rated as Good, with pupils being "respectful and supportive of each other most of the time".
- The curriculum is "ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)".
- Pupils with SEND "progress well from their starting points" due to effective identification and support.
- The school provides effective careers provision and a range of extra-curricular opportunities, including the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Areas to improve
- The school must ensure the religious education curriculum meets the scope of the "locally agreed syllabus" so pupils gain a thorough understanding of different beliefs.
- Leaders should ensure staff plan activities that "deliver the intended curriculum" to help pupils make consistent progress.
- Support for weaker readers must be "matched precisely to their areas of weakness" to help them catch up more swiftly.
- The school should continue working to overcome barriers to regular attendance, as too many pupils do not attend regularly.
Safeguarding
The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.0 |
| 2024/25 | 46.1 |
| 2025/26 | 47.8 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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