Wixams Academy Review 2026: A growing Bedford secondary with an improving trajectory

Set beside the fast-expanding Wixams new town, Wixams Academy is a relatively young 11 to 19 school that has been building its secondary and sixth form offer year by year since opening in September 2017. It is part of Knowledge Schools Trust, with a curriculum shaped around a knowledge-rich approach and an emphasis on broad participation in enrichment.

The latest Ofsted inspection (5 and 6 March 2024) judged the school as Requires Improvement overall, while grading personal development, leadership and management, and sixth form provision as Good.

For families, the practical appeal is clear, a state-funded school with no tuition fees, a published admission number of 210 for Year 7 entry in September 2026, and a structured sixth form pathway with defined entry requirements.

Wixams Academy feels like a school that is still writing its story. Being founded in 2017 means many systems are newer, and the culture is being intentionally shaped rather than inherited. The public-facing message is consistent, excellence for all sits alongside a strong expectation that pupils will take part in wider school life, not just lessons.

Leadership is a key part of the current chapter. Nathaniel Wilson is named as headteacher, and a monitoring letter records that he took up post in April 2024. That matters because, in a school that is still establishing consistent routines and standards, leadership stability can translate quickly into day-to-day improvements, clearer expectations for staff, and a more settled experience for pupils.

The strongest evidence on atmosphere comes from official descriptions of behaviour and personal development. The school is described as generally calm and orderly, with clear expectations that most pupils understand, alongside an acknowledgement that a small minority can affect others’ experience if expectations are not applied consistently. Pupils are reported to be safe, and personal development is positioned as a clear strength, including a structured programme around relationships education and staying safe.

Wixams Academy’s GCSE profile suggests a mixed but improving picture, with some measures looking encouraging and others indicating that academic consistency remains a work in progress.

For GCSE outcomes, the school is ranked 1,931st in England and 7th in Bedford (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This reflects solid performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Attainment 8 is 46.1, and Progress 8 is +0.23, which indicates students make above-average progress from their starting points across eight qualifications.

The EBacc picture is more challenging. The proportion achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc is 15.8%, and the EBacc average point score is 4.08. For some families, that is a prompt to ask a practical question at open evening, how the school is balancing a broad academic core with flexible pathways, and whether the EBacc suite aligns with their child’s strengths and future plans.

In sixth form, results are currently below the England average on the measures provided. The school’s A-level ranking is 2,197th in England and 11th in Bedford (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), placing it below the England average overall. The proportion of grades at A* to B is 26.6%, compared with an England average of 47.2% on the same measure. For A* to A, the combined figure is 12.8%, compared with an England average of 23.6%.

A sensible way to use this data is comparative rather than absolute. Parents comparing local sixth forms can use FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and the Comparison Tool to view these measures side by side with other Bedford options, then match the numbers to what matters for their child, academic stretch, subject availability, and pastoral fit.

Wixams Academy describes its curriculum in confident, content-led terms. The stated intent is a knowledge-rich education that introduces pupils to significant work in the humanities and sciences, with the aim of preparing them to participate in debates about contemporary issues and enduring questions. That is an academic framing that tends to suit pupils who respond well to clear, structured content and teachers who emphasise explanation, retrieval, and cumulative learning.

There are useful signs of concreteness behind the intent. In Key Stage 3, pupils are taught two languages, Spanish and French, before focusing on one, which is an example of early breadth followed by deeper study. In English, the published curriculum map points to whole-text study and carefully sequenced units, with Year 7 reading including texts such as The Hunger Games and Romeo and Juliet.

In the arts, the drama curriculum outline describes specific schemes such as Storytelling in Year 7, Physical Theatre in Year 8, and a stimulus-based approach in Year 9. The implication for pupils is that performing arts is treated as a taught discipline with defined skill development, not simply an optional extra.

The main challenge is delivery consistency. Official accounts describe variation between subjects and between classrooms, including inconsistent use of assessment to spot gaps and adapt teaching, especially in the lower years. The same sources also describe steps being taken to build a shared approach to teaching. For parents, the practical question is not whether the curriculum is planned, but how consistently it is taught and how quickly learning gaps are identified and addressed, particularly for pupils who need more scaffolding.

Because Wixams Academy is a newer school with a growing sixth form, the most helpful lens is pathway design rather than headline destination statistics.

The sixth form presents itself as relatively small, with a personal feel and an emphasis on support and guidance for future planning. Entry requirements are explicit. For an A-level only route, students are expected to have grade 5 in English Language and Maths plus a minimum of three other Level 2 qualifications at grade 5 or above, with additional subject requirements for some courses. There is also a mixed A-level and vocational pathway, with slightly different grade thresholds.

The academic enrichment offer includes a Competitive Courses Programme aimed at students applying to demanding university courses, which is the kind of structured support that can make a tangible difference for applicants to highly selective degrees.

The school’s published A-level commentary for 2025 notes that two-thirds of students were due to attend their first-choice university. While that is not a full destinations breakdown, it does indicate an emphasis on guidance, match, and progression planning.

For families, a useful approach at sixth form stage is to look beyond generic “university or apprenticeships” messaging and ask for specifics during sixth form events, typical subject class sizes, how independent study is structured, how resits are supported, and what careers guidance looks like for apprenticeships and employment routes as well as university.

For Year 7 entry, Wixams Academy’s published admission number for September 2026 is 210. Applications are made through Bedford Borough’s coordinated admissions process rather than directly to the school.

For September 2026 entry, Bedford Borough’s closing date for secondary applications is 31 October 2025, with offers published on 2 March 2026. The local authority also signposts that open events are typically hosted by schools in the autumn term ahead of that deadline.

The school has advertised a Year 6 open evening previously in October with booking for headteacher talks, which suggests a predictable annual pattern. Parents should check the school’s admissions pages for the most current dates each year, especially if they are planning for a later intake.

Sixth form admissions are separate and are not based on a catchment area. For September 2026 entry, the sixth form application deadline is stated as Friday 30 January. External applicants apply directly through the sixth form admissions system, and internal applicants are directed via school email instructions.

If you are shortlisting schools where distance or travel time could affect the feasibility of daily attendance, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for sanity-checking routes and practical travel options alongside your other priorities.

Pastoral strength is one of the school’s clearer positives. Official descriptions point to strong pastoral support, close work with families, and a structured personal development programme. There is explicit reference to mental health and wellbeing support in sixth form, and to consistent expectations that contribute to calmer social times.

Safeguarding arrangements are reported as effective. That is not the end of the conversation for parents, but it is the baseline reassurance families need before considering anything else.

For pupils who need additional help, the SEND pages emphasise inclusion in trips and clubs, with reasonable adjustments where needed. The more nuanced issue highlighted in monitoring commentary is ensuring classroom adaptations consistently match pupils’ needs, which is likely to be a key focus for the school as it tightens teaching practice.

Wixams Academy positions enrichment as a core entitlement, and the detail supports that claim. The school states that it runs over 50 voluntary, free clubs each week, spread across lunchtime and after school.

What makes the offer distinctive is the mix of academic stretch, creative production, and genuinely modern youth culture rather than a generic list. The published extracurricular timetable includes a Debate Club, a Level 2 Algebra session aimed at GCSE support and extension, and a Competitive Courses Programme for sixth form students thinking about selective university applications.

Performing arts has visible structure. The timetable references choreography for a school musical and an audition-based elite dance group, alongside street dance, contemporary, and cheerleading. For students who gain confidence through performance and teamwork, this kind of co-curricular spine can be more than recreation, it can be identity-building and a route to belonging.

There is also a clear nod to student interests that schools sometimes overlook. A Trading Card Games club explicitly references games such as Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, and Lorcana. For some pupils, that is exactly the kind of low-pressure social space that helps them find their people.

Sport is offered in a practical, accessible way. The PE club timetable lists activities including basketball, netball, football, dodgeball, badminton, and a GCSE PE club, using facilities such as the sports hall and MUGA. This matters because it signals regular, organised opportunities rather than “sport happens when we can fit it in.”

The school day is structured around five one-hour lessons plus tutor time. Pupils are expected to arrive by 08:40, and the official end of the day is 15:20, with after-school clubs running beyond that.

Transport is a practical consideration in a growing new settlement. The school describes easy road access via the A6 and encourages walking and cycling with cycle storage available. It also runs an academy bus service, with published routes serving areas including Kempston, Stewartby, Wootton, Elstow, Great Denham, Queens Park, Shortstown, and Wilstead, with morning arrivals timed for the start of the day and afternoon departures aligned with 15:30 onwards.

As a state school, there are no tuition fees. Families should still plan for the usual costs that come with secondary education, uniform, transport, trips, and optional activities.

• Inspection grade and consistency. The overall judgement is Requires Improvement, with the core issue being inconsistent delivery across subjects and classrooms. For families, it is worth probing how the school is ensuring teaching standards are consistent and how quickly weaker practice is addressed.

• Sixth form outcomes are developing. The sixth form provision is graded Good, but the A-level headline measures provided are currently below the England average. Students aiming for highly selective routes should ask how subject teaching is staffed, how small classes are structured, and what support is in place for top grades and competitive applications.

• EBacc profile may not suit every academic plan. The percentage achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc is relatively low. If your child is targeting an EBacc-heavy pathway, clarify subject take-up, support, and how the school is strengthening language and humanities depth through Key Stage 4.

• A young school in a changing community. Growth can be an advantage, new facilities, expanding options, and increasing maturity in systems, but it can also mean policies and routines are still being refined. Families should visit with a clear view of what their child needs, both academically and socially.

Wixams Academy is a state-funded secondary with no tuition fees, a clear sense of curriculum intent, and a strong enrichment offer that goes beyond the usual menu of clubs. The recent inspection history shows that the school is still working to make teaching and classroom practice consistently strong, though leadership and sixth form provision are judged more positively.

Who it suits: families in and around Wixams who want an 11 to 19 school with structured routines, a knowledge-rich direction, and lots of accessible clubs, and who are prepared to engage with the school’s improvement journey. For families weighing several Bedford options, the Saved Schools feature can help track priorities, travel practicality, and how each school’s results and inspection picture align with your child.