Set up in 2012 by local teachers and parents, Bedford Free School exists to offer families a choice in Bedford.

Bedford Free School is a unique school with a fantastic educational offer. We really do believe that our pupils can go on to achieve extraordinary things. In our young history, we have proved they can and we are now one of the highest performing secondary schools not only in the area, but in the country.

BFS is a small school of only around 500 pupils, so staff get to know each pupil as an individual and we have a family feel. This allows us to encourage, demand and collectively strive for academic and personal success.

We believe that all pupils deserve a ‘grammar-school’ style education, with access to an academic curriculum, strong discipline, high expectations and access to highly selective universities, and a wide range of extra-curricular activities.   We now wish to appoint more outstanding professionals to join our team.

Our staff will:

• share our values of respect, honesty and high expectations
• believe that every student, regardless of background is capable of the highest level of behaviour and academic success
• be expert in their subject

In return we offer well-motivated, polite and hard-working pupils and the opportunity to join an exciting school as it begins its next phase of development. We believe in 'growing our own' staff and as such, there are always opportunities for further training and career progression. We have a reasonable approach to workload with our 'no marking' feedback policy, no requirement for formal lesson plans, and a large amount of professional autonomy. 

Our values:

INTEGRITY AMBITION EXCELLENCE

We are a unique family of schools, sharing our practice and beliefs to enable young people to achieve the very highest standards. At Advantage Schools, we provide exceptional opportunities for all to be knowledgeable with experiences that broaden horizons. We ensure our children, students and adults cultivate a strong self-belief so that they can flourish and develop into successful, well- rounded, self-respecting people.  Our commitment to this vision can be demonstrated by our values.

INTEGRITY

We:  provide a caring, nurturing environment where children and young adults feel happy, healthy and supported. Our academies will be places of safety, enabling pupils to develop courage, strong ambition and be the best that they can be act honestly and transparently, advocating for pupils even when this causes difficulties work together to share innovative practice and to provide a wealth of opportunities for all pupils and staff focus on the development of all our colleagues through quality recruitment and retention, with excellent opportunities for clear and dynamic career progression.

AMBITION

We:  provide exceptional lessons enabling our pupils to be highly successful. We share the most impactful approaches to teaching, curriculum and assessment, ensuring an interesting, inclusive and challenging education is on offer in each of our schools.  Our aim is to guarantee excellent 2-19 provision, with clear progression routes for all. You can expect excellent behaviour and conduct at all times, allowing all to make progress and achieve.

EXCELLENCE

We:  enable all of our pupils to develop and flourish, through close working and regular communication with our families and local community.  Our Cross-Trust focus is to ensure children are supported to meet ambitious targets and to provide exciting opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom.