Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available emoji_events #20 in Bedford public Top 53% UK

The Hills Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Moya Whitehead

corporate_fareTHE HILLS ACADEMY

location_onBedford, MK41 9AT

language Visit Website phone 1234266498

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2020

groups

Students

441

school

Expected Standard

63%

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Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

The Hills Academy is a Academy converter primary school in Bedford, serving ages 3-11. Rated Good by Ofsted. Ranks in the top 53% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

The Hills Academy is an academy converter in Bedford, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of THE HILLS ACADEMY. The school has approximately 440 pupils on roll, of whom 13% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 63% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 10% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #20 of 50 primaries in Bedford and #8,537 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2020. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 21.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

63%

LA 53%

Reading73% LA 70%

Writing76% LA 64%

Maths77% LA 66%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

72%

LA 54%England 61%

Reading85% LA 70% · Eng 74%

Writing79% LA 64% · Eng 72%

Maths87% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

109

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

60%

LA 51%England 60%

Reading68% LA 66% · Eng 73%

Writing68% LA 61% · Eng 71%

Maths81% LA 66% · Eng 73%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

104

GPS SS

106

Progress (0 = national avg)

4.9

Read

LA 0.2

3.2 to 6.7

5.4

Write

LA -1.2

3.8 to 7.1

5.4

Maths

LA -0.1

3.8 to 7.0

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

63%

LA 55%England 65%

Reading72% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Writing75% LA 67% · Eng 78%

Maths91% LA 71% · Eng 79%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

110

Progress (0 = national avg)

0.8

Read

LA -1.5

-1.4 to 2.9

0.5

Write

LA -2.5

-1.5 to 2.5

1.0

Maths

LA -2.1

-0.9 to 2.9

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

11 March 2025

Inspection Report

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05 February 2020

Inspection Report

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04 April 2013

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2020-02-05

Exempt School Inspection EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2007-01-26

Section 5 RTI (Sep06 - Aug07) Historic EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.5%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.5%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 440 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.5%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	440	2	0.5%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	439	3	0.7%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	447	0	0.0%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	447	0	0.0%	0.7%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	431	0	0.0%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	449	1	0.2%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	441	1	0.2%	0.6%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	426	0	0.0%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	443	2	0.5%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Spring term)	443	0	0.0%	0.5%	1
2021/22 (Autumn term)	444	1	0.2%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	437	3	0.7%	0.4%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	439	8	1.8%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	441	8	1.8%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	450	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	450	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	448	1	0.2%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	434	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	432	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	424	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	379	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	380	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	375	0	0.0%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	342	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	334	0	0.0%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	327	0	0.0%	0.5%	0

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 12 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 7 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 3 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 3 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils