School profile

The Hills Academy

Primary · Academy converter · Bedford, MK41 9AT

Good

Map showing The Hills Academy

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

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#7,950 of 15,057

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

The Hills Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 5 Feb 2020

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages3 to 11
Pupils442
GenderMixed
Head teacherMrs Moya Whitehead
TrustTHE HILLS ACADEMY
Local authorityBedford
Opened01 Apr 2013
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 139522.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolBedfordEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths63%, similar to England, better than Bedford57%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.10%, similar to England, better than Bedford3%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.105, similar to England, similar to Bedford105106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.104, similar to England, similar to Bedford103105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.105, similar to England, similar to Bedford104105
Expected standard in reading73%, similar to England, similar to Bedford74%76%
Expected standard in writing76%, similar to England, better than Bedford69%73%
Expected standard in maths77%, similar to England, better than Bedford70%75%
Pupils taking tests62--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils442
Girls212
Boys230
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.9.5%
First language not English22.9%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.420
Pupils excluding nurseryPupils who take up school places.407
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.3.1%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.22
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.11
Average class size28.7

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
61.3%
Other White
7.9%
White and Black Caribbean
5.2%
Indian
4.8%
White and Asian
3.4%
African
3.2%
Pakistani
2.9%
Other mixed
2.7%
Other Asian
2%
Other ethnic group
1.8%

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 teacher19.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.10.2
Teachers (FTE)22.13
Teaching assistants (FTE)16.12
Support staff (FTE)29.96
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2520.7
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2516.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254.4

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 (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.59
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.183
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.72
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.59
Applications from another local authority (Reception)0

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 absence4.2%, better than England, better than Bedford4.8%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.6.8%, better than England, better than Bedford12.2%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.0.3%, better than England, better than Bedford0.9%1%

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 rate1.1%
Pupils with one or more suspensions0.9%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 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 The Hills Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.0 miPrimaryHazeldene SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.4 miPrimarySt John Rigby Catholic Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.4 miSecondaryGoldington AcademyAcademy converter
Outstanding
0.6 miPrimaryBrickhill Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.7 miNot applicablePilgrims Pre-Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.7 miPrimaryPutnoe Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miSecondaryMark Rutherford SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.8 miAll-throughCastle Newnham SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryGoldington Green AcademyAcademy converter
Good
1.0 miNot applicableBedford SchoolOther independent school
Unrated

Frequently asked questions about The Hills Academy

What is The Hills Academy's Ofsted rating?

The Hills Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 5 Feb 2020.

How does The Hills Academy rank in England?

The Hills Academy ranks 7,950 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are The Hills Academy's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 63% of pupils at The Hills Academy met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into The Hills Academy?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, The Hills Academy made 59 offers from 183 applications (3.1 per offer), and 59 of 72 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Hills Academy?

The Hills Academy has 442 pupils aged 3 to 11.

What is the capacity of The Hills Academy?

The Hills Academy had 420 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Hills Academy?

At The Hills Academy, the average class had 28.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Hills Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Hills Academy missed 4.2% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 6.8% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

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.