The Hills Academy Catchment Area
The Hills Academy is an academy converter primary school in Bedford , serving pupils aged 3-11, with 440 pupils, and a capacity of 420 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
3-11
Age range
440
Pupils
420
Capacity
105%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2020
The Hills Academy Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Hills Academy?
The catchment area for The Hills Academy is the geographic zone Bedford uses to prioritise admissions when this primary 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, The Hills Academy 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.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Bedford publishes the 2027 The Hills Academy numbers →
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 →The Hills Academy: at or above its 420 place limit
The Hills Academy has a published admission number of 420 places. 440 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 105%. The school is at or above its published limit of 420 places. Bedford allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 12.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of 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 →
The Hills Academy: School Information
- Full address
- Stancliffe Road, Bedford, MK41 9AT
- Local authority
- Bedford
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 3-11 years
- Free school meals
- 12.5% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 139522
Other Primary Schools in Bedford
If The Hills Academy is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Bedford are the next closest alternatives.
Livingstone Primary School Catchment Area
Foundation school · MK41 7LG
Edith Cavell Primary School Catchment Area
Foundation school · MK41 7NH
Priory Primary School Catchment Area
Foundation school · MK40 1JD
Sheerhatch Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · MK44 3TH
Cotton End Forest School Catchment Area
Community school · MK45 3AG
Pinchmill Primary School Catchment Area
Foundation school · MK43 7JD
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to The Hills Academy 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.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: The Hills Academy
What is the catchment area for The Hills Academy? ▾
The catchment area for The Hills Academy is the geographic zone Bedford uses to prioritise admissions when this primary 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 The Hills Academy oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, The Hills Academy currently has 440 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 420 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for The Hills Academy? ▾
Admission to The Hills Academy 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 The Hills Academy cover? ▾
The Hills Academy is a primary school in Bedford, serving pupils aged 3-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for The Hills Academy? ▾
The Hills Academy was rated Good by Ofsted in 2020. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.