All Saints Academy Dunstable
76%
Capacity
564
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About All Saints Academy Dunstable
All Saints Academy Dunstable’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.88 sits well below the Central Bedfordshire local authority average of -0.46, placing it 14th out of 16 secondary schools in the area. This means that, on average, pupils here achieve nearly a grade less per subject across eight GCSEs than students with similar starting points nationally. The school’s attainment 8 score of 36.1 and its EBacc average point score of 3.3 both reflect this challenge, and only 28.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school is also heavily oversubscribed in terms of demand relative to capacity — it has 564 pupils against a capacity of 740 — and a third of its students (33.8%) are eligible for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average and points to a community with high levels of disadvantage.
The most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024 judged the school as Requires Improvement overall, but the picture is more nuanced than that headline suggests. Behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and the sixth-form provision were all rated Good, while personal development was judged Outstanding — a notable turnaround from the previous inspection in 2022, when the school was rated Inadequate overall and behaviour and attitudes were also Inadequate. Academically, the sixth form is a relative bright spot: its value-added score of 0.36 is above average, meaning A-level students make stronger progress than similar students nationally, and the average points per entry of 25 equates to a C- grade. At GCSE level, however, the school ranks in the bottom 5% nationally for Progress 8, and its EBacc entry rate of 55.7% is high but only 6.4% of pupils actually achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above.
Parents responding to the Parent View survey between September 2024 and September 2025 gave a mixed verdict: 66% would recommend the school, but 34% would not. Positives include strong agreement that children can take part in clubs and activities (61% agree, 0% disagree) and that the school supports wider personal development (34% strongly agree). The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, chapel, and astro turf, plus clubs from chess to eco club. Its SEND provisions cover nine areas including dyslexia, autism, and speech and language needs. For families considering this school, the key trade-off is between its improving behaviour and leadership under headteacher Elizabeth Furber and the still-significant academic underperformance at GCSE level, particularly for pupils who are not in the sixth form.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Houghton Road, Dunstable, Central Bedfordshire, LU5 5AB |
| Headteacher | Elizabeth Furber |
| Local Authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 564 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 33.8% |
| School Capacity | 564 / 740 (76% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
12 Nov 2024Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 4 Dec 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.88)
2970th of 3,141
Nationally
336th of 350
In East of England
14th of 16
In Central Bedfordshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
21.7
'22/23
19.4
'23/24
25.0
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2311%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 110 pupils).
- FE college62%
- School sixth form (stay)11%
- Sixth form college9%
- Employment8%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship1%
92% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2353%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 19 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
3%
Russell Group
3%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)53%
- Employment32%
- Further education11%
- Apprenticeship5%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- English Literature6
- Sociology3
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
41 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British59.9%
- White (other)10.6%
- Asian7.9%
- Mixed6.9%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
8
Total schools
6
Oversubscribed
6
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About All Saints Academy Dunstable
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
Contact Information
Houghton Road, Dunstable
Central Bedfordshire, LU5 5AB
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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