Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 24551

Zip code 24551 is home to a single middle school, Forest Middle, which serves grades 6 through 8 and enrolls about 854 students as part of Bedford County Public Schools. This makes Forest Middle the clear focus for families in the area, and the school delivers strong overall performance, ranking in the 89th percentile of Virginia middle schools with a 4-star rating. Over the past three years, it has consistently landed among the top 11% of middle schools statewide, with a slight dip from 5 stars in 2024–2025 to 4 stars in 2025–2026 while still remaining highly competitive.

Academically, Forest Middle outperforms both its district and the state in every tested subject. The school posts perfect 100% proficiency in Algebra I (7th and 8th grade) and Geometry, an exceptional sign for advanced math students. English reading is also a strength, with all grades scoring above 83% proficiency and beating the state by at least 10 points. Social studies and science are equally impressive: 8th grade geography (88.85%) surpasses the state by 20.5 points, 7th grade civics (86.26%) beats it by 16.2 points, and 8th grade science (82.43%) tops the state by 17.7 points. The one notable concern is 8th grade regular math, which dropped from 73.28% to 52.63% year-over-year, though this likely reflects a cohort effect where stronger math students are already taking advanced courses like Algebra I and Geometry.

Beyond test scores, Forest Middle shows healthy school climate indicators. Chronic absenteeism stands at 10.3%, notably better than the district (11.8%) and state (14.8%), meaning students are consistently in class. The student-teacher ratio of 13.9 allows for more individual attention, and per-student spending of $8,018 supports these outcomes efficiently. The district itself is ranked 35th out of 131 Virginia districts (73rd percentile, 4 stars), and Forest Middle is a standout within that above-average system. For parents, this means a well-rounded, high-performing school with strong academics, low absenteeism, and favorable class sizes, despite there being only one middle school option in the zip code.