Mark Rutherford School Catchment Area
Mark Rutherford School is an academy converter secondary school in Bedford , serving pupils aged 11-18, with 1180 pupils, and a capacity of 1243 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-18
Age range
1,180
Pupils
1,243
Capacity
95%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2023
Mark Rutherford School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Mark Rutherford School?
The catchment area for Mark Rutherford School is the geographic zone Bedford uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Bedford publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, Mark Rutherford School sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with Bedford. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Get an alert if Mark Rutherford School goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Bedford before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Bedford catchment area documents →Mark Rutherford School: 1243 places, 95% filled: nearing capacity
Mark Rutherford School has a published admission number of 1243 places. 1180 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 95%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 1243, Bedford's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 26.5% of pupils at Mark Rutherford School are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Bedford.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Bedford publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Bedford school admissions →
Mark Rutherford School: School Information
- Full address
- Wentworth Drive, Bedford, MK41 8PX
- Local authority
- Bedford
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-18 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 26.5% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 139160
Other Secondary Schools in Bedford
If Mark Rutherford School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Bedford are the next closest alternatives.
Biddenham International School and Sports College Catchment Area
Foundation school · MK40 4AZ
Bedford Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · MK42 9TR
Sharnbrook Academy Catchment Area
Academy converter · MK44 1JL
Lincroft Academy Catchment Area
Academy converter · MK43 7RE
Goldington Academy Catchment Area
Academy converter · MK41 9BX
Redborne Upper School and Community College Catchment Area
Academy converter · MK45 2NU
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Mark Rutherford School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Mark Rutherford School
What is the catchment area for Mark Rutherford School? ▾
The catchment area for Mark Rutherford School is the geographic zone Bedford uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Bedford publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Mark Rutherford School oversubscribed? ▾
Mark Rutherford School is operating close to its capacity of 1243 places (95% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Mark Rutherford School? ▾
Admission to Mark Rutherford School is managed by Bedford. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Mark Rutherford School cover? ▾
Mark Rutherford School is a secondary school in Bedford, serving pupils aged 11-18. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Mark Rutherford School? ▾
Mark Rutherford School was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.