School profile

Harlington Upper School

Secondary · Academy converter · Dunstable, LU5 6NX

Good

Map showing Harlington Upper School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,608 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,625 of 2,536

Worse than 64% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Harlington Upper School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 3 Oct 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages13 to 18
Pupils1,156
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMrs Helen Harris
TrustTHE PYRAMID SCHOOLS TRUST
Local authorityCentral Bedfordshire
Opened01 Mar 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137941.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.46.1, similar to England, better than Central Bedfordshire43.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.67.7%, similar to England, better than Central Bedfordshire61.7%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.45.9%, similar to England, better than Central Bedfordshire41.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.11.8%, worse than England, similar to Central Bedfordshire10%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths60.2%, similar to England, better than Central Bedfordshire55.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4279--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.31.41, worse than England, similar to Central Bedfordshire32.6835
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels32.6, worse than England, similar to Central Bedfordshire34.2535.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better17.4%, similar to England, similar to Central Bedfordshire14.4%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.08, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study208--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,156
Girls570
Boys586
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.12.1%
First language not English4.4%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,463
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.21%
Sixth form places2024/25300
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.121
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.34
Average class size20.6

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
63.8%
Other mixed
8.2%
White and Black Caribbean
4.7%
Other White
3.5%
White and Asian
3%
Indian
2.7%
African
2.7%
Caribbean
1.9%
Pakistani
1.7%
Irish
1.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher17.4
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.8
Teachers (FTE)66.35
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.38
Support staff (FTE)34.71
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2572.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2559.9
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256.8
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.5

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2025/26

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 9)Places offered on national offer day.202
Applications (Year 9)Includes every preference parents listed.284
First preference applications (Year 9)Families who put this school as their first choice.184
First preference offers (Year 9)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.184
Applications from another local authority (Year 9)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolCentral BedfordshireEngland
Overall absence7.8%, similar to England, worse than Central Bedfordshire7.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.21.6%, similar to England, worse than Central Bedfordshire18.7%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.9%, similar to England, worse than Central Bedfordshire3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate14.9%
Pupils with one or more suspensions6.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions5

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.95.8%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.88.5%
Further education44.7%
School sixth form39.6%
Apprenticeship5.8%
Sixth form college3.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.1.9%
Employment1.6%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.82.2%
Higher education47.1%
Employment24.7%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.14.4%
Apprenticeship7.5%
Further education2.9%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Harlington Upper School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimaryHarlington Lower SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.1 miPrimaryWestoning Lower SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Harlington Upper School

What is Harlington Upper School's Ofsted rating?

Harlington Upper School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 3 Oct 2023.

How does Harlington Upper School rank in England?

Harlington Upper School ranks 1,608 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools) and 1,625 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 64% of schools).

What are Harlington Upper School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 45.9% of pupils at Harlington Upper School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 46.1 (England 46.2).

What are Harlington Upper School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Harlington Upper School was C, and 17.4% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Harlington Upper School?

For Year 9 entry in 2025/26, Harlington Upper School made 202 offers from 284 applications (1.4 per offer), and 184 of 184 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Harlington Upper School?

Harlington Upper School has 1,156 pupils aged 13 to 18.

What is the capacity of Harlington Upper School?

Harlington Upper School had 1,463 school places in 2024/25.

Does Harlington Upper School have a sixth form?

Yes, Harlington Upper School has a sixth form with 300 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Harlington Upper School?

At Harlington Upper School, the average class had 20.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 17.4 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Harlington Upper School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Harlington Upper School missed 7.8% of sessions (England 8%), and 21.6% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.