Bedford (Gunning) Middle School

Bedford (Gunning) Middle School, an average-sized intermediate school in New Castle, Delaware, overseen by Colonial School District, works with 846 students, covering grades 6 through 8. By comparison, Delaware's public schools average about 655 students each, so Bedford (Gunning) Middle School sits 29% bigger than that benchmark.

Colonial School District runs 14 schools in total, collectively educating 8,575 students. Bedford (Gunning) Middle School is one of those campuses.

On the student-mix side, Bedford (Gunning) Middle School logs that the most-represented group is Black (50%), with the rest of the student body spread across multiple groups. Beyond that, the school records 26% White, 15% Hispanic, 5% multiracial, 2% Asian. That is considerably more Black than the county at large, where the share is closer to 26%.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Bedford (Gunning) Middle School has 56 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 15.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 16.4:1, putting Bedford (Gunning) Middle School tighter than the state norm the norm.

In the broader community, New Castle County reports that median household income runs about $91,166, 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 7%. Across New Castle County's 129 public schools (combined enrollment of about 78,534 students), Bedford (Gunning) Middle School is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is Southern Elementary School, roughly 0.2 miles away. 5 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Geographically, the school is in a small-town area.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 21%: 1,067 students in 2018 compared to 846 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 33% to 26% across the same window. Class-load math has tightened: from 20.5:1 in 2018 to 15.1:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.