Our Impact
Annual Impact Report | 2024–25
Welcome
from our Chair & Chief Exec
As one of Bedford’s largest employers and a long-standing educational charity, we are proud to play a central role in the life of the borough.
Across our four schools, our grant-making and our community partnerships, we work to widen opportunity, raise attainment and strengthen local communities.
This page shares a snapshot of the difference we made over the past year.
Key Impact
We support the Bedford community in a wide varieties of ways and we are part of the fabric of the borough. Here is a snapshot of our key impact over the last year:
£40M
Invested into the local economy
1,200
£4,175,383 commited to supporting the community:
£40M
1,200
1,200
£4.2m
The Accelerator Programme
Enabling more children and young people facing disadvantage to achieve their potential
The Accelerator Programme narrows the attainment gap by helping schools accelerate progress for disadvantaged pupils across Bedford.
Now in its fourth year, the Harpur Trust provides targeted, evidence-informed support tailored to each school’s needs.
The programme:
- Supported 15 schools last year across key intervention areas
- Was independently evaluated using attainment, attendance and survey data
- Has expanded to 28 schools, with pilots focused on teaching quality and attendance
Why it matters:
In 2024/25, 56% of Bedford Key Stage 2 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to 62% nationally. For disadvantaged pupils in Bedford, the figure was 40%, highlighting the continued need for targeted support.
KEY OUTCOMES
of the accelerator programme
Closing the Gap in Bedford’s Key Stage 2 Outcomes
In 2024/25, 56% of Key Stage 2 pupils in Bedford met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths vs a national average of 62%. For disadvantaged pupils in Bedford this falls to just 40%. The Accelerator Programme exists to close this gap.
8/15
schools now have a smaller disadvantage gap than the national average
8/15
schools now have a smaller disadvantage gap than the national average
8/15
schools now have a smaller disadvantage gap than the national average
8/15
schools now have a smaller disadvantage gap than the national average
Our other programs
Sponsorship of HEART Academies Trust
We are proud sponsors of the HEART Academies Trust, supporting its family of schools to deliver high-quality education for pupils aged 4–18 and improve life chances across the community.
- Art workshops for pupils and CPD opportunities for teachers.
- University bursaries for Bedford Academy students.
- Funding for transition support, speech and language therapy, and a Primary Lead Practitioner role.
OUR ART COMPETITION
Over the past year, the Harpur Trust has enriched arts and literacy experiences for children across the borough. A total of 1,080 pupils aged 4–16 took part in artist-led workshops preparing entries for the 2026 Harpur Trust Art Competition at The Higgins Bedford, exploring the theme Aspire: Nurturing Your Potential.
- 1,080 pupils supported through art competition workshops.
- Inclusive, artist-led sessions plus teacher CPD.
- 1,250 pupils attended BookTastic 2025.
- Free books for every child and increased reading engagement reported.
Bedford Giving
The Harpur Trust is a founder member and host of Bedford Giving, a partnership uniting local organisations to create brighter futures for young people in Bedford.
- £170,000 awarded to local projects through community panels led by parents and young people.
- Career Mentoring supported 90 students, building confidence and workplace skills.
- Taste of the Workplace linked six employers with students, with 100% reporting skills growth.
- Safe Space training equipped 50 adults to support young people’s mental health.
- Follow The Pink Link campaign launched to guide parents on wellbeing conversations.
Sponsorship of HEART Academies Trust
We are proud sponsors of the HEART Academies Trust, supporting its family of schools to deliver high-quality education for pupils aged 4–18 and improve life chances across the community.
- Art workshops for pupils and CPD opportunities for teachers.
- University bursaries for Bedford Academy students.
- Funding for transition support, speech and language therapy, and a Primary Lead Practitioner role.
OUR ART COMPETITION
Over the past year, the Harpur Trust has enriched arts and literacy experiences for children across the borough. A total of 1,080 pupils aged 4–16 took part in artist-led workshops preparing entries for the 2026 Harpur Trust Art Competition at The Higgins Bedford, exploring the theme Aspire: Nurturing Your Potential. Sessions were tailored for primary, secondary and SEND pupils, with additional CPD workshops supporting around 30 teachers.
- 1,080 pupils supported through art competition workshops.
- Inclusive, artist-led sessions plus teacher CPD.
- 1,250 pupils attended BookTastic 2025.
- Free books for every child and increased reading engagement reported.
Bedford Giving
The Harpur Trust is a founder member and host of Bedford Giving, a partnership uniting local organisations to create brighter futures for young people in Bedford.
- £170,000 awarded to local projects through community panels led by parents and young people.
- Career Mentoring supported 90 students, building confidence and workplace skills.
- Taste of the Workplace linked six employers with students, with 100% reporting skills growth.
- Safe Space training equipped 50 adults to support young people’s mental health.
- Follow The Pink Link campaign launched to guide parents on wellbeing conversations.
High Quality Education
Offering high quality, distinctive and financially sustainable education
Four exceptional schools providing an unrivalled education to 3,000+ children — from nursery to sixth form — with a commitment to academic excellence, co-curricular breadth and distinctive character.
Bedford Girls School
3/4
of A level & IB grades: A*–B
36
points – IB Diploma average
97%
secured preferred university places
2/3
of GCSEs graded 9–7
Bedford Modern School
28%
of GCSEs graded 9; 49% graded 9–8
Almost
1/2
of A levels: A*–A
77%
of A levels: A*–B
85%
of students represented BMS in sport
Bedford School
Almost
1/2
of A levels/IB: A*/A
3/4
of 1,400+ GCSE papers: 9–7 (record)
86%
secured Russell Group/Times Top 30
Opened
Bedford School Mohali — first international campus
Pilgrims Pre-Prep
Celebrated
25th
anniversary
NDNA
Nursery Awards finalist
Eco-Schools Green Flag reaccreditation
RHS Level One recognition for Gardening Club
Harpur Trust Bursary Scheme
Supporting children to access our schools with high value, impactful bursaries
177
bursaries awarded
75%
of recipients received 75–100% of fees (transformational)
~£3m
total value of bursaries
7.7
average GCSE grade for bursary students