The school was formally created in May 2021 from a merger of Rushmoor School and St Andrew's School.
History
Rushmoor School
Rushmoor School was founded in the early 1910s and was originally a privately run school based in London. It educated children of the ages of 8–13. In 1918, the school moved from London to a site on Shakespeare Road in Bedford. In 1965, the owner announced her retirement and the closure of the school, however, a group of parents and friends persuaded her to allow them to take over the running of the school and thus, the school became 'Rushmoor School Ltd', a charitable trust administered by a board of governors. The school then expanded considerably; it became partially co-educational, accepting children of the ages of 3–16.[2]
St Andrew's School
St Andrews School was founded in 1896 as a school for the daughters of gentlemen. Located on Kimbolton Road in Bedford, before the federation and merger the school consisted of a nursery, reception class, junior school and senior school educating girls aged 3–16 and boys aged 3–9.
Federation and merger
In September 2013 Rushmoor School and St Andrew's School entered into a federation. Both schools retained their own identity and governing body, but shared resources and had one principal.[3] In September 2016 both schools opened a combined sixth form.[4]
In early 2014, the schools released plans to move to a combined site on the edge of Bedford. The new site utilises the current sports field for development. The plans will see girls and boys educated on the same site in a Diamond school system.[4] In May 2021 the two schools formally merged under the new name of 'Bedford Greenacre Independent School'. The merged school is expected to relocate to the new site in 2023. A combined nursery school will be retained on the former St Andrews School site on Kimbolton Road.[5]
