The hardest schools to get into in Central Bedfordshire
Secondary: 209 families put Houstone School first in 2026 and 177 of them (85%) were offered a place.
Reception: 53 families put Dovery Academy first in 2026 and 29 of them (55%) were offered a place.
Every state school in Central Bedfordshire with at least 20 first-choice applicants, hardest first. Of the families who put the school first on their application, the share who were offered a place there. Data: Department for Education.
Secondary schools (Year 7)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houstone School · Dunstable | 209 | 177 (85%) | 184 |
| 2 | Stratton School · Biggleswade | 133 | 131 (99%) | 131 |
| 3 | Sandy Secondary School · Sandy | 185 | 185 (100%) | 191 |
| 4 | Henlow Church of England Academy · Henlow · faith | 173 | 173 (100%) | 177 |
| 5 | Queensbury Academy · Dunstable | 173 | 173 (100%) | 190 |
| 6 | Manshead Church of England Academy · Luton · faith | 162 | 162 (100%) | 189 |
| 7 | Edward Peake CofE VC School · Biggleswade · faith | 70 | 70 (100%) | 71 |
| 8 | All Saints Academy Dunstable · Dunstable · faith | 59 | 59 (100%) | 85 |
| 9 | Fulbrook School · Milton Keynes | 31 | 31 (100%) | 40 |
Primary schools (Reception)
| # | School | Put it first | Of them, offered | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dovery Academy · Leighton Buzzard | 53 | 29 (55%) | 29 |
| 2 | Linslade Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 48 | 30 (63%) | 30 |
| 3 | Lark Rise Academy · Dunstable | 69 | 44 (64%) | 45 |
| 4 | Lidlington Primary School · Bedford | 23 | 15 (65%) | 15 |
| 5 | Haynes Lower School · Bedford | 36 | 24 (67%) | 24 |
| 6 | Raynsford Church of England Academy · Henlow · faith | 40 | 27 (68%) | 30 |
| 7 | Beaudesert Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 74 | 50 (68%) | 56 |
| 8 | Heathwood Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 34 | 23 (68%) | 27 |
| 9 | Gravenhurst Academy · Bedford | 20 | 14 (70%) | 15 |
| 10 | Clifton All Saints Academy · Near Shefford · faith | 42 | 30 (71%) | 30 |
| 11 | Toddington St George Church of England School · Dunstable · faith | 79 | 58 (73%) | 58 |
| 12 | St Vincent's Catholic Primary School · Dunstable · faith | 36 | 27 (75%) | 30 |
| 13 | Watling Lower School · Dunstable | 35 | 28 (80%) | 28 |
| 14 | Stanbridge Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 26 | 21 (81%) | 24 |
| 15 | Houghton Regis Primary School · Dunstable | 47 | 39 (83%) | 45 |
| 16 | Potton Primary School · Sandy | 69 | 58 (84%) | 59 |
| 17 | The Rushmere Park Academy · Leighton Buzzard | 26 | 22 (85%) | 29 |
| 18 | Derwent Primary School · Henlow | 66 | 56 (85%) | 60 |
| 19 | Maple Tree Primary School · Sandy | 34 | 30 (88%) | 30 |
| 20 | Shefford Lower School · Shefford | 94 | 84 (89%) | 90 |
| 21 | St Mary's CofE Academy Stotfold · Hitchin · faith | 66 | 59 (89%) | 59 |
| 22 | Ashton St Peter's VA C of E School · Dunstable · faith | 31 | 28 (90%) | 30 |
| 23 | Lawnside Academy · Biggleswade | 61 | 56 (92%) | 60 |
| 24 | Thornhill Primary School · Dunstable | 93 | 86 (93%) | 89 |
| 25 | St Mary's Catholic Primary School · Luton · faith | 30 | 28 (93%) | 28 |
| 26 | Russell Lower School · Ampthill | 94 | 89 (95%) | 90 |
| 27 | Langford Village Academy · Biggleswade | 40 | 38 (95%) | 45 |
| 28 | Moggerhanger Primary School · Bedford | 20 | 19 (95%) | 20 |
| 29 | St. Augustine's Academy · Dunstable · faith | 27 | 26 (96%) | 26 |
| 30 | Harlington Lower School · Dunstable | 30 | 29 (97%) | 30 |
| 31 | Robert Peel Primary School · Sandy | 38 | 37 (97%) | 39 |
| 32 | Clipstone Brook Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 45 | 44 (98%) | 60 |
| 33 | Lancot School · Dunstable | 51 | 50 (98%) | 60 |
| 34 | Marston Moreteyne VC School · Marston Moreteyne · faith | 104 | 104 (100%) | 107 |
| 35 | Biggleswade Academy · Biggleswade | 99 | 99 (100%) | 114 |
| 36 | Cranfield Church of England Academy · Bedford · faith | 82 | 82 (100%) | 86 |
| 37 | Roecroft Lower School · Hitchin | 75 | 75 (100%) | 81 |
| 38 | Fairfield Park Lower School · Fairfield Park | 74 | 74 (100%) | 85 |
| 39 | Tithe Farm Primary School · Dunstable | 57 | 57 (100%) | 60 |
| 40 | Flitwick Lower School · Bedford | 56 | 56 (100%) | 56 |
| 41 | Beecroft Academy · Dunstable | 54 | 54 (100%) | 60 |
| 42 | Ramsey Manor Lower School · Bedford | 53 | 53 (100%) | 54 |
| 43 | Hadrian Academy · Dunstable | 52 | 52 (100%) | 60 |
| 44 | The Vale Academy · Dunstable | 51 | 51 (100%) | 56 |
| 45 | Lime Tree Primary Academy · Houghton Regis East | 51 | 51 (100%) | 59 |
| 46 | The Mary Bassett Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 50 | 50 (100%) | 59 |
| 47 | Swallowfield Primary · Milton Keynes | 45 | 45 (100%) | 46 |
| 48 | St Andrew's CofE VC Primary School · Biggleswade · faith | 45 | 45 (100%) | 57 |
| 49 | Southcott Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 43 | 43 (100%) | 56 |
| 50 | The Firs Lower School · Bedford | 43 | 43 (100%) | 48 |
| 51 | Pulford CofE VA Lower School · Leighton Buzzard · faith | 42 | 42 (100%) | 45 |
| 52 | St Christophers Academy · Dunstable | 41 | 41 (100%) | 42 |
| 53 | Leedon Lower School · Leighton Buzzard | 38 | 38 (100%) | 60 |
| 54 | Greenleas School · Leighton Buzzard | 37 | 37 (100%) | 43 |
| 55 | Templefield Lower School · Bedford | 37 | 37 (100%) | 37 |
| 56 | Gothic Mede Academy · Arlesey | 34 | 34 (100%) | 35 |
| 57 | Dunstable Icknield Lower School · Dunstable | 33 | 33 (100%) | 38 |
| 58 | Ardley Hill Academy · Dunstable | 29 | 29 (100%) | 37 |
| 59 | Greenfield CofE VC Lower School · Greenfield · faith | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 60 | Silsoe CofE VC Lower School · Bedford · faith | 29 | 29 (100%) | 29 |
| 61 | Caddington Village School · Luton | 28 | 28 (100%) | 42 |
| 62 | Maulden Lower School · Bedford | 23 | 23 (100%) | 23 |
| 63 | St Mary's VA CofE Lower School · Clophill · faith | 23 | 23 (100%) | 26 |
| 64 | Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy · Dunstable · faith | 22 | 22 (100%) | 30 |
| 65 | Laburnum Primary School · Sandy | 21 | 21 (100%) | 21 |
| 66 | Houghton Conquest Primary School · Bedford | 21 | 21 (100%) | 23 |
| 67 | Wrestlingworth CofE Infant School · Sandy · faith | 21 | 21 (100%) | 22 |
| 68 | Campton Academy · Shefford | 20 | 20 (100%) | 28 |
| 69 | Kingsmoor Lower School · Bedford | 20 | 20 (100%) | 20 |
Getting into a school in Central Bedfordshire
What is the hardest school to get into in Central Bedfordshire?
For secondary places, 209 families put Houstone School first in 2026 and 177 of them (85%) were offered a place. For Reception, 53 families put Dovery Academy first and 29 of them (55%) were offered a place.
How many families in Central Bedfordshire get their first-choice school?
91.0% of families applying for a secondary place got their first preference, and 90.3% of those applying for Reception did (offers for September 2026).
Does putting a school first improve our chances?
Not at the other schools you name. Councils in England use an equal-preference system: every school you list is considered against its own admissions criteria, and if more than one could offer a place you get the one you ranked highest. So list schools in your genuine order of preference, and include at least one you are very likely to get.
What does "last distance offered" mean?
For schools that give places by distance, it is how far from the school the last child offered a place under that criterion lived. It changes every year with the number and location of applicants, so treat it as a guide, not a guarantee. We show it where Central Bedfordshire published it in its admissions booklet.