School profile

Cedars Upper School

Secondary · Academy converter · Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2AE

Good

Map showing Cedars Upper School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#979 of 3,312

Better than 70% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#966 of 2,536

Better than 61% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Cedars Upper School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 19 Apr 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages13 to 18
Pupils1,135 of 1,280 places
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Mark Gibbs
TrustCHILTERN LEARNING TRUST
Local authorityCentral Bedfordshire
Opened01 Sept 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137462.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 score50.143.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and maths67.7%61.7%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and maths50.4%41.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and maths20.7%10%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths65.1%55.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4232--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entry35.632.6835
Average A-level gradeB---
Average points, best three A-levels37.8734.2535.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better20.7%14.4%17.5%
A-level progress score0.11--
A-level progressAverage--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study126--
Average applied general gradeDist---

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils1,135
Girls593
Boys542
Eligible for free school meals13.1%
First language not English9.7%
SEN support57
EHC plan34
Average class size23.1

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Pupils ethnicity

White British
71.8%
Other White
6.8%
African
3.8%
Other mixed
1.9%
Indian
1.9%
White and Asian
1.6%
White and Black African
1.2%
Pakistani
0.9%
Caribbean
0.9%
White and Black Caribbean
0.8%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed. Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means missing 50% or more.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Overall absence8%7.2%8%
Persistent absence19%18.7%21.6%
Severe absence3.5%3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Admissions

2025/26

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 9)236
Applications (Year 9)430
First preference applications (Year 9)188
First preference offers (Year 9)188
Applications from another local authority (Year 9)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Capacity

2024/25
MeasureThis school
School places1,280
Pupils on roll1,065
Unfilled places16.8%
Sixth form places320
Sixth form pupils on roll280

Source: DfE, School capacity, Academic year 2024/25, published 19 Mar 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26
MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher23.8
Pupils per adult16
Teachers (FTE)47.72
Teaching assistants (FTE)11.08
Support staff (FTE)32.34
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2543.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2535.1
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254.5
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25
MeasureThis school
Suspension rate18.2%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.4%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination92%
Staying in education84.9%
School sixth form45.4%
Further education38.2%
Employment3.8%
Not sustained3.8%
Apprenticeship3.4%
Sixth form college0.4%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destination80.6%
Higher education44.4%
Employment29%
Not sustained16.1%
Apprenticeship5.6%
Further education1.6%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Cedars Upper School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miMiddle deemed secondaryLinslade SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miPrimaryPulford CofE VA Lower SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
0.7 miMiddle deemed secondaryLeighton Middle SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimaryLinslade Lower SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryThe Mary Bassett Lower SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimarySouthcott Lower SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryGreenleas SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryClipstone Brook Lower SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.3 miMiddle deemed secondaryBrooklands Middle SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.4 miPrimaryThe Rushmere Park AcademyAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Cedars Upper School

What is Cedars Upper School's Ofsted rating?

Cedars Upper School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 19 Apr 2023.

How does Cedars Upper School rank in England?

Cedars Upper School ranks 979 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 70% of schools) and 966 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 61% of schools).

How many pupils attend Cedars Upper School?

Cedars Upper School has 1,135 pupils aged 13 to 18, with capacity for 1,280.

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.