Harlington Upper School, Dunstable

In 2026, pupils at Harlington Upper School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.7 in Central Bedfordshire and 47 across England.

46% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 41% in Central Bedfordshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 47.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.34: pupils made below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 36.2, against 47.7 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 11.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.

For September 2025 entry, 184 families put Harlington Upper School as their first choice and 284 named it as one of their preferences, for 202 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2025 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Harlington Upper School are Parkfields Middle School (2.4 miles, Good); Woodland Middle School Academy (2.6 miles, Good); Arnold Academy (2.9 miles, Good); and Lealands High School (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.7).

Harlington Upper School is one of 10 schools run by The Pyramid Schools Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 313 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 45% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 174 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 47% went on to university or other higher education, 8% to apprenticeships and 25% into work. 21% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

12.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (64%), Mixed (17%) and Asian (6%).

In 2026, 121 pupils (10.5%) received SEN support and 34 (2.9%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Harlington Upper School has a resourced provision for hearing impairment.

The nearest railway station is Harlington (Beds) Rail Station, about 840 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Harlington Upper School (outside), 80 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Harlington Upper School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 7 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, other theft and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47).

In 2024/25, Harlington Upper School issued 178 suspensions, 14.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Harlington Upper School are Harlington Lower School (0.3 miles) and Westoning Lower School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.