Harlington Lower School
93%
Capacity
140
Pupils
2.6x
Demand
About Harlington Lower School
Harlington Lower School is a small state primary for children aged 4 to 9, currently teaching 140 pupils against a capacity of 150. That near-full roll is no accident: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 49 applications for just 19 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.58. Every one of those 19 offers went to first-preference families, which tells you this is a school local parents actively want. The pupil body is notably less disadvantaged than the national average — just 5% of children qualify for free school meals, compared with roughly 23% across England. That low FSM figure, combined with the high demand, suggests a catchment that skews towards families who are engaged and able to advocate for their child’s place. The school is non-denominational, mixed, and led by headteacher Victoria Blunt, who took over a school that had previously been rated Outstanding.
Academically, Harlington’s most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2023 judged it Good across every category: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This represents a step down from its previous inspection in 2010, when it was rated Outstanding overall, but the current report notes no specific weaknesses. The school’s Key Stage 2 performance data is not included in this snapshot, but the local authority average for KS2 attainment sits at 54%, which gives a rough benchmark for the area. Harlington is not among the top three ranked primaries in Central Bedfordshire — those are Lark Rise Academy, Totternhoe Church of England Academy, and Raynsford Church of England Academy — but its Good rating and oversubscription figures indicate solid academic standing within the local market.
The school offers a practical range of facilities for its size: a gymnasium, sports hall, library, ICT suite, music rooms, and a chapel, plus outdoor playing fields and a Forest School area. Sports provision includes cricket, gymnastics, football, dance, and cross country, while clubs extend to science, book, choir, and film. SEND support is available for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, speech and language needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is no nursery or sixth form, and the school is not a boarding option. For families in Central Bedfordshire who want a non-religious, well-subscribed lower school with strong local demand and a manageable pupil count, Harlington Lower School is a realistic choice — provided you get your application in early.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 9 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Westoning Road, Dunstable, Central Bedfordshire, LU5 6PD |
| Headteacher | Victoria Blunt |
| Local Authority | Central Bedfordshire |
| Number of Pupils | 140 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 5.0% |
| School Capacity | 140 / 150 (93% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Dec 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 22 Jan 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed19
49
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
19 families put this school as their 1st choice (39% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/2575% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British75.7%
- Mixed8.6%
- Asian7.1%
- White (other)5.0%
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
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Harlington Lower School
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Contact Information
Westoning Road, Dunstable
Central Bedfordshire, LU5 6PD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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