School profile

St Thomas More Catholic School

Secondary · Academy converter · Bedford, MK41 7UL

Good

Map showing St Thomas More Catholic School

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

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,504 of 3,312

Worse than 75% of schools in England

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

A-level 2024/25

#2,151 of 2,536

Worse than 84% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St Thomas More Catholic School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 4 Oct 2023

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

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 18
Pupils893
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Martin Bonner
TrustOUR LADY IMMACULATE CATHOLIC ACADEMIES TRUST LTD
Local authorityBedford
Opened01 Apr 2013
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 139517.

GCSE results

2025/26

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

MeasureThis schoolBedfordEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.41, worse than England, worse than Bedford44.146.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.49.7%, worse than England, worse than Bedford62%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.36.6%, worse than England, worse than Bedford41.7%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.2.6%, worse than England, worse than Bedford9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths47.7%, worse than England, worse than Bedford56.6%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4153--

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 schoolBedfordEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.26.93, worse than England, worse than Bedford30.1435
Average A-level gradeC---
Average points, best three A-levels27.3, worse than England, worse than Bedford30.735.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC---
AAB or better7.1%, worse than England, worse than Bedford10.7%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.29, worse than England--
A-level progressBelow average, worse than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study108--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit--

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

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils893
Girls448
Boys445
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.20.2%
First language not English36.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,037
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.13.9%
Sixth form places2024/25212
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.91
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.32
Average class size19

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

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
25.3%
African
23.7%
Other White
15.1%
White and Black Caribbean
4.8%
Indian
4.8%
Other mixed
3.4%
Other Asian
2.6%
White and Asian
2.2%
Other Black
2.1%
Bangladeshi
2%

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

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.9
Teachers (FTE)56.5
Teaching assistants (FTE)6.03
Support staff (FTE)20.68
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2556.9
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2554.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250.7
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/252

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

Admissions

2026/27

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 7)Places offered on national offer day.108
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.194
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.92
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.92
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)1
Offers made (Year 9)2016/17Places offered on national offer day.136
Applications (Year 9)2016/17Includes every preference parents listed.289
First preference applications (Year 9)2016/17Families who put this school as their first choice.203
First preference offers (Year 9)2016/17First-choice applicants who were offered a place.133
Applications from another local authority (Year 9)2016/172

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

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolBedfordEngland
Overall absence7.2%, better than England, better than Bedford7.8%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.17.9%, better than England, better than Bedford22.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.4%, similar to England, similar to Bedford3.2%3.6%

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

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate17.3%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions2

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 destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.94%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.89.9%
School sixth form52.3%
Further education37.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.5.4%
Apprenticeship2%
Employment2%
Sixth form college0%

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 destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.85.9%
Higher education39.4%
Employment32.3%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.12.1%
Apprenticeship10.1%
Further education1%

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 St Thomas More Catholic School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimaryScott Primary School & NurseryCommunity school
Good
0.5 miPrimaryBrickhill Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miNot applicableBedford Greenacre Independent SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.8 miNot applicablePilgrims Pre-Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.1 miPrimaryHazeldene SchoolFoundation school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryThe Hills AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryEdith Cavell Primary SchoolFoundation school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryUrsula Taylor Church of England SchoolAcademy converter
Outstanding
1.2 miNot applicableBedford Modern SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.2 miSecondaryMark Rutherford SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about St Thomas More Catholic School

What is St Thomas More Catholic School's Ofsted rating?

St Thomas More Catholic School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 4 Oct 2023.

How does St Thomas More Catholic School rank in England?

St Thomas More Catholic School ranks 2,504 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 75% of schools) and 2,151 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 84% of schools).

What are St Thomas More Catholic School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 36.6% of pupils at St Thomas More Catholic School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 41 (England 46.2).

What are St Thomas More Catholic School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St Thomas More Catholic School was C-, and 7.1% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St Thomas More Catholic School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St Thomas More Catholic School made 108 offers from 194 applications (1.8 per offer), and 92 of 92 first-preference applicants got a place. For Year 9 entry in 2016/17, it made 136 offers from 289 applications (2.1 per offer), and 133 of 203 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St Thomas More Catholic School?

St Thomas More Catholic School has 893 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St Thomas More Catholic School?

St Thomas More Catholic School had 1,037 school places in 2024/25.

Does St Thomas More Catholic School have a sixth form?

Yes, St Thomas More Catholic School has a sixth form with 212 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St Thomas More Catholic School?

At St Thomas More Catholic School, the average class had 19 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St Thomas More Catholic School?

In 2025/26, pupils at St Thomas More Catholic School missed 7.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 17.9% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

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.