5th February 2012
Bedford Brains.
Where education flows through everything
Imagine a place that puts education at the centre of everything it does. A place where the future is being created every day by extraordinary people. With high-achieving local schools and colleges, surrounded by world-class universities and cutting-edge research and development centres, Bedford offers stunning views of the future.
Bedford’s voice speaks more than a hundred languages that create a vibrant cultural mix. Add to this the growing global links that shape Bedford’s attitude, and it’s easy to see why so many major companies are planning their futures here too.
Bedford sits between the thriving cities of Cambridge and Milton Keynes, in the heart of Europe’s dynamic innovation region and just a short hop from London. The Bedford area is central for business and central for living.
Educational attainment rates are excellent across the spectrum of Bedford’s schools with the state sector based on a three-tier system, with Lower Schools (ages 5-9), Middle Schools (ages 9-13) and Upper Schools (ages 13-18). Performance standards are significantly higher than the national average, and levels are even higher at Bedford’s four renowned private schools.
With the establishment of the Harpur Trust, an endowment made to the town in 1556 by Sir William Harpur, these schools are consistently able to attain pass rates in the high 90%’s at both GCSE and A-level standard (BDA). Many of the local state schools such as Sharnbrook and Wootton are also renowned for their academic success rates.
