We are delighted to announce outstanding A-Level and IB results for our 2025 cohort. Over 50% of all exams were graded at A*/A and 85% were graded at A*/B.
The majority of boys will take up places at top universities and in a huge variety of disciplines (the most popular being degrees in medicine, engineering, physics, economics, philosophy and business), both in the UK and abroad, whilst degree apprenticeships have also become a regular pathway for several leavers each year.
Head Master, James Hodgson, said “I am thrilled for this excellent group of boys, who have not only worked hard in the classroom, but have taken full advantage of all the extraordinary co-curricular and sporting opportunities that they have here at Bedford School. They leave with an array of interests, and with good friends, as articulate, well-rounded, responsible, kind young men. We are proud of every one of them and I wish them all the very best for their futures.”
Additionally, all nine of our boys applying to study medicine successfully secured their place.
International destinations include prestigious universities such as the University of Michigan, South Mountain in Phoenix, Melbourne University, Universidad de Navarra, and McGill University in Montreal, among others.
In addition, several boys have earned places on highly competitive Degree Apprenticeships with leading global firms including PWC and L’Oréal, and one boy going to study Hotel Hospitality at Hotelschool, The Hague.
Fred Dickson has achieved an outstanding 44 points in the International Baccalaureate (IB), placing him in the top 1–2% of students worldwide and securing his place to study Modern and Medieval Languages at Cambridge University. Reflecting on his results, Fred said he was “pleasantly surprised”. He shared that managing the breadth of subjects and skills required by the IB was his biggest challenge. He explained, “It’s been quite workload-heavy, but it’s given me a real confidence boost for university, knowing I can handle that kind of pressure.” Fred also praised the support he received from staff, saying, “The teachers were there almost every hour of the day when I was stuck – they were always available to meet and help whenever I needed.”
Hamish Whiteman is also heading to Cambridge University, where he will read Philosophy after achieving an exceptional set of A-Level results: A*, A*, A* in Mathematics, English and Religious Education. He shared that English was his biggest challenge but credited his success to the quality of teaching;
“The teaching was really good. Whenever I asked questions, they were answered thoroughly. I also had interesting texts to study, which really helped.”
Fergus Tongue achieved an exceptional set of A-Level results – A*, A*, A*, A* in Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Geography and Economics – earning a place at his first-choice university, Durham, to study Mathematics. Before beginning his degree, Fergus will take a gap year to travel across Australia and Europe, followed by surgery on his back.
Reflecting on his exam experience, Fergus shared, “Going into the exam period, I had a back injury that really hindered my revision and made sitting through long exams difficult. My teacher, Mrs Smith, was incredibly supportive – she arranged access accommodations that gave me rest breaks during exams, which were crucial in helping me manage the pain. She basically took care of everything.”
To fund his gap year, Fergus has been working on a local farm and this experience has sparked a newfound passion for the outdoors and the agricultural industry, inspiring him to explore how he might apply his Mathematics degree to a future career in agriculture.
Christopher Bonnington is heading to the University of Birmingham to study Astrophysics after achieving an outstanding A*, A*, A*, A* in his A-Levels. Despite his modest response – “I’m pretty happy” – his results speak volumes. Christopher shared that he placed a lot of pressure on himself to succeed and worked hard to overcome several personal challenges over the past two years.
One of those challenges was managing his autism, which he says made aspects of school life more difficult. “The SEND department was incredibly helpful,” he explained. “Mrs Mellor supported me whenever I faced difficulties, and the SEND teachers worked closely with my subject teachers to develop tailored learning strategies that really made a difference.”
His mother added, “Having autism makes me extra proud of him. He’s done this on his own, but with the support of the school. He worked incredibly hard and found a revision style that suited him. From a parent’s perspective, that’s one of the biggest positives about Bedford School – they encourage the boys to find their own way and support them in doing so. That support has been invaluable.”
Hugo Willson achieved an impressive 43 points in the International Baccalaureate, placing him in the top 2.3% of students worldwide and securing his first-choice place at Durham University to study History. Reflecting on his achievement, Hugo said, “I feel very relieved and excited for the future now that I’ve got into Durham.” He acknowledged the challenges of balancing academic demands with personal growth. “The workload was tough, and developing pastorally alongside my exams was an exciting challenge.” Hugo also praised the support he received at school, “I wouldn’t have achieved these grades without my teachers. They supported not just my academic progress, but also my mental wellbeing and preparation for university.”
Finlay Mitchell achieved an outstanding set of A Level results: A*, A*, A, A – and has secured a place to study Mechanical Engineering at his first-choice university, Durham. However, he’s also awaiting final decisions on several exciting Degree Apprenticeship opportunities, including placements with Cadillac and Haas – one based in Italy and another at Silverstone – giving him some big but exciting decisions to make.
Reflecting on his journey, Finlay said:
“My teachers have been incredibly supportive. They understood the pressures I was under and tailored their teaching to suit my needs, which made a real difference.”
Sebastian Elder is thrilled with his IB score of 40, exceeding his own expectations and securing a place at Durham University to study Liberal Arts. Balancing academics, sport and social life was key to his success, and Sebastian credits the strong peer support around him saying, “My peers were a real support – it was such a good group; we were all in it together, and that helped me stay motivated.”
Adhu Mahesh is one of nine Bedford School leavers this year who will go on to study Medicine, having achieved an excellent A*, A, A in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. Overjoyed with his results, Adhu said, “I’m elated – I can’t even put it into words. The feeling of joy is indescribable. This has been a three-year journey, working towards my goal of becoming a doctor. The hard work has paid off, and I’ve finally secured a place at my first-choice university.”
Adhu received two offers to study Medicine and has chosen the University of Leicester. He credits much of his success to the guidance of Dr Arjan through the school’s Floreat Academic Enrichment Programme, “She was incredibly helpful – preparing me for interviews, supporting my personal statement, and guiding me through the entire application process.”
Sahvan Jutla is another of this year’s aspiring medics, having achieved an excellent 40 points in the IB. He is thrilled with his results and will also be heading to the University of Leicester to study Medicine. Reflecting on his journey, Sahvan said, “Keeping on top of revision was tough, but I was lucky to have such supportive teachers. Every single one went above and beyond to help me succeed.”
Will Hayward is thrilled with his A-Level results; A*, A*, A* in History, Geography and Politics – securing his place at the University of Edinburgh to study Politics, his first-choice course. Reflecting on his experience, Will said, “Maintaining revision was tough, but the school really helped – especially by scheduling cricket training so it didn’t clash with exams or study time. My teacher, Mr Graham, was unbelievable and gave us loads of preparation.”
