Kempston Academy is a mainstream secondary school with an SEN unit and resourced provision in Bedford for children and young people aged 11 to 18. Its specialist base has 40 places for social, emotional and mental health.
- Ages 11–18
- 773 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with an SEN unit and resourced provision
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- An SEN unit and resourced provision, 40 places, 38 pupils
- Pupils
- 773
- Headteacher
- Mr Paul House
- Part of
- Chiltern Learning Trust
- Council
- Bedford
- School reference (URN)
- 142387
Needs its base supports
1 need: SEMH
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Bedford (2)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Bedford council) that you want this school and its base, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, September 2018; standards maintained (October 2024)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in September 2018. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, October 2024).
Contact and getting there
Hill Rise, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7EB
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Ridgeway School Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.0 miles
- Greys Education Centre Alternative provision · Ages 5–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.7 miles
- Rivertree Free School Special school · Ages 2–19 0.9 miles
By need in Bedford: Autism (7) · SEMH (3) · Severe learning (3) · Moderate learning (2)
Questions about Kempston Academy
How do I get a place in Kempston Academy’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Kempston Academy support?
Social, emotional and mental health. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Kempston Academy take?
Aged 11 to 18, boys and girls.
What is Kempston Academy’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Kempston Academy?
Hill Rise, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7EB, in Bedford.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.