SecondaryState · Academy converter

Harlington Upper School

Goswell End Road, Harlington, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 6NX ·

Ofsted:Good· 2023

At a glance

A state secondary academy for ages 13–18 in Dunstable. Rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection (October 2023). GCSE results are around the England average (Attainment 8: 47.8 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 184 families put it first for 202 places (September 2025 entry).

Ages: 13–18
Pupils: 1,156
Gender: Mixed
Sixth form: Yes
Admissions: Non-selective
Local authority: Central Bedfordshire
Academy trust: THE PYRAMID SCHOOLS TRUST
Headteacher: Mrs Helen Harris
Opened: Mar 2012

School website 01525755100 Explore the area

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports

Graded inspection 3 Oct 2023

GoodOverall effectiveness

Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good
Sixth form: Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 279 pupils

Attainment 8

47.8

England 46.1

Grade 5+ Eng & maths

48.4%

England 45.4%

Grade 4+ Eng & maths

75.6%

England 64.8%

Progress 8

-0.34

2023/24 · CI -0.49 to -0.18

This school

47.8

Central Bedfordshire

43.6

England

46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

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Year 9 entry, September 2025 (national offer day data)

Offers made

202

1st preferences

184

All applications

284

1st prefs per place

0.91

Fewer first choices than places

184 of 184 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%).

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils

1,198

Capacity

1,360

85% full

Girls / boys

49/51

Mixed

Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)12.9%
English as an additional language4.1%
SEN support10.4%
Education, Health and Care plan2.4%
The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.