Cedars Upper School
Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2AE · Central Bedfordshire · secondary school
Check the area around this school
2nd of 16 secondary schools in Central Bedfordshire we can score, 27 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 770 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.2/10 among them, against 5.6/10 nationally. 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 50.4 · 63 | 30% | 1.90 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.11 · 42 | 25% | 1.04 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 50.1 · 70 | 10% | 0.70 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Cedars Upper School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected in 2023. In 2024/25, 49.5% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 48.5, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.11 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did slightly worse than peers nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 2.7 out of 10 among them, against 5.5 out of 10 nationally.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,135 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,350. 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
How does the school support pupils to improve their Progress 8 scores? What specific support is available for students aiming to raise their Attainment 8?
What Ofsted said about Cedars Upper School
Overview
Cedars Upper School is rated as ‘Good’ overall, with ‘Outstanding’ provision in the sixth form. The report highlights that pupils achieve well, benefit from high expectations, and enjoy a wide range of opportunities for personal development. Leaders have created a culture where reading is valued, and the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
Strengths
- Sixth-form students make ‘exceptional progress’ and achieve ‘excellent outcomes’ through an ‘aspirational and demanding curriculum’.
- Pupils are ‘calm, respectful and orderly’, with positive relationships with staff and no culture of bullying.
- The curriculum builds ‘rich and detailed knowledge’, supported by strong subject knowledge and creative teaching activities.
- There is a ‘strong culture of safeguarding’, with leaders acting to pre-empt local risks and training staff well.
- Careers education is ‘strong’, helping pupils make informed choices, with many sixth-formers progressing to top universities.
Areas to improve
- Teachers must be trained to check learning more effectively so they can adapt lessons for pupils who struggle to understand the ambitious curriculum.
- Leaders need to ensure staff apply high behavioural expectations consistently at all times, both in lessons and around the school.
- The curriculum for developing pupils’ character requires better delivery and embedding to ensure all pupils engage wholeheartedly with their learning.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a strong culture where leaders know local risks, assess risks for vulnerable pupils closely, and take prompt action when concerns arise.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 43.9 |
| 2024/25 | 48.5 |
| 2025/26 | 50.1 |
| 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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