Bedford Free School

This school will break you if you have mental obstacles that make learning challenging. Students are shamed for struggling with their studies, and oftentimes feel humiliated by their own teachers for needing extra help. This of course leads to students avoiding help, which then leads to low scores, which THEN leads to detention. Forcing kids to stay afterhours and do nothing productive is not going to guide them to success. As a teacher, your job is to provide a safe space for your students to ask for support without being judged or made to feel guilty. That includes scheduling extra time to assist students outside of school hours, rather than punishing them with detention.

Another huge issue is the bullying, and the way the staff handles it. More accurately, the way they DON'T handle it. My youngest sibling attends this school and has been treated inhumanely by classmates and staff alike. They have lost all that was left of their self confidence and motivation, developing suicidal ideations. Kids in their class constantly bully and harass them about their looks among other childish things, and teachers watch this happen with nothing to offer but a demand for silence. Outside of the classroom door, they couldn't care less about the horrendous things those kids put my sibling through. They've watched them cry and made them feel ashamed for it. If my sibling is punished by their teachers for needing a little extra guidance with schoolwork, why don't the students making their life a living hell get the same treatment? Preferably, WORSE treatment.

If no changes are made, and one day I receive a call that my sibling has succumbed to suicide, I promise you won't hear the end of it from me.
DO BETTER.

This school is terrible there’s so much wrong with all the teachers and how they treat students and how students treat there peers as well many teachers are racist and horrible. The treatment of people is disgusting and this school is a prison and hell on earth. This school destroys students mental health and the teachers bully the students and even though the headteacher and other staff are aware they still do nothing and do not help at all. I strongly advise to not send your kids to this school as it is terrible and you will regret it deeply.

Really bad you can’t talk in the corridor an you get detention easily

A truly awful school don’t believe the glossy brochure and fancy presentations believe the reviews. Pupils get treated as if they are in boot camp with their relentless rules, lack of compassion, nor basic mutual respect for those same pupils they demand it from. It’s ran by an image obsessed hierarchy, and militant power hungry ‘teachers’. I am one for rules and discipline hence i was keen on this school but I got it very wrong and i agree with previous reviews it affects their mental health. When you raise concerns it’s all empty promises with little to no fundamental change. Please spare your child's well being and send them elsewhere especially if your child has educational needs this is not the school for them they only focus on getting those grades and will leave your child to fall behind! From my families experience it’s not worth even a one star rating, I pulled my children out of here after a year and all were depressed. Great job BFS your suppose to educate not break children’s spirits

the school is racist atheist excluded a student for wearing her hijab i and classified it for being “unprofessional” and also expelled a young black man for having his hair “too short”

Bedford Free School was a nightmare…I stayed there for two and a half year and it was horrible.I was new and scared.At first it was good but then once you settling in the staff members started showing their true colours.They were a different type of strict they fight be down everytime because I was the type of kid to have fun when they treat the kids like they are in prison.They didn’t like how I was behaving so they try there very best to bring me down and they did.Because I was new in the UK and needed help but didn’t receive it.If you want your child to be happy and stable after high school DONT BRING THEM TO BEDFORD FREE SCHOOL

Some of the worst students have suggested writing reviews to get BFS to change its rules. But I like the rules because we can learn. Teachers can be very strict but it means that lessons aren't disrupted and we know we will get good results. There is no bullying in the corridors or toilets or outside because it is all supervised, and mobile phones are banned. However some students aren't very nice online in the evenings. All of the good students like that we can study at this school.

Almost everyone who has left this school suffers from severe mental health and struggle in social settings, comparing to other people their age. Little priority is placed on communication and social development, such as no talking when passing to your next class and keeping silent even when you are in class, otherwise you will receive a detention.

The teachers can be incredibly nasty and know they will get away with it due to the ‘staff are always right’ rule. If they don’t like your child, believe me they will let it be known and get other teachers involved in making your child feel miserable about themselves.

To make matters worse, teachers are very harsh on students over silly things, such as getting punished for asking someone for a tissue because of the no talking rule. I remember someone even getting a detention for saying bless you when someone sneezed once because of this terrible rule.

This school only provides opportunities to people whose parents are in close contact with the higher up staff but everyone else is ignored. Everything is a front at this school, one image towards visitors and prospective student but another one to the actual pupils and their parents.

they don’t take bullying seriously, unless a a student says something moderately rude to a teacher.

most atrocious school on earth ruins your mental health completely and doesn't respect people's religious beliefs

We've been impressed with the school's facilities and the way they're used to enhance our child's education. The emphasis on hard work and routines has really helped our child stay focused and achieve their goals. We're grateful to be part of the Bedford Free School community!

We've had a positive experience at Bedford Free School, but there are a few areas where we think the school could improve. The facilities are great, but sometimes they can be a bit chaotic. We appreciate the emphasis on hard work and routines, but we think the school could do more to support students with special needs.

We're really impressed with the way the school supports our child, particularly in terms of their academic progress. The staff are always available to offer help and guidance, and we appreciate the opportunities our child has had to develop their skills and interests. We feel lucky to be part of the Bedford Free School community!

Our child attended Bedford Free School from Year 8 to Year 11 and we couldn't be happier with the education they received. The school's values of integrity, ambition, and excellence really resonate with us. The staff are supportive and dedicated, and we appreciate the opportunities our child had to develop their skills and interests.

The school is great, however it degrades students mentally and places academics over wellbeing of their students.