Priory Academy
similar schools
Priory Academy is a converter academy in Dunstable for boys and girls aged 9 to 16. It has 830 pupils, 130 more than it has places for. About 15 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 46 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 33% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Priory Academy, Britain Street, Dunstable, LU5 4JA01582 661158prioryacademy.co.ukMr Ian Bailey headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 20 April 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
Results
GCSE results, summer 2025
103 pupils sat their GCSEs. Here is how they did against every state secondary in England.
All GCSE measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2019 | 2018 | Central Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of Year 11 | 103 | 93 | 96 | 94 | 82 | 84 | – | – |
| Average GCSE scoreAttainment 8 | 46.2 | 41.7 | 49.1 | 53.7 | 51.0 | 54.3 | 44.1 | 46.8 |
| Progress from age 11Progress 8 | – | -0.21 | +0.23 | +0.06 | -0.09 | +0.10 | – | – |
| Strong pass in English and mathsGrade 5+ in English and maths | 50% | 42% | 52% | 65% | 59% | 68% | 42% | 46% |
| Standard pass in English and mathsGrade 4+ in English and maths | 70% | 62% | 77% | 94% | 79% | 82% | 66% | 66% |
| Core subjects scoreEBacc average point score | 4.08 | 3.85 | 4.48 | 4.96 | 4.28 | 4.84 | 3.81 | 4.15 |
| Taking the core subjectsEBacc entry | 30% | 67% | 70% | 74% | 45% | 55% | 31% | 41% |
| Average GCSE score: low-income pupilsAttainment 8, disadvantaged | 24.7 | 35.9 | 40.1 | 43.9 | 39.8 | 50.4 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: other pupilsAttainment 8, non-disadvantaged | 49.9 | 43.0 | 50.5 | 55.2 | 53.3 | 54.6 | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started behindAttainment 8, low prior attainers | – | 26.6 | 32.6 | 36.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Average GCSE score: pupils who started aheadAttainment 8, high prior attainers | – | 62.8 | 64.9 | 66.4 | 61.0 | 62.3 | – | – |
Subjects
Results came out for 20 GCSE subjects in 2025. Each figure is the share of pupils who got a grade 5 or better, next to the average for state secondaries in England.
Strongest subjects
Subjects that did worse than the England average: Computer Science (13% here, 56% across England), Music (27% here, 61% across England), Design & Technology (39% here, 50% across England).
The small number is how many pupils sat each subject. Subjects with fewer than six pupils aren't published.
Every subject against England, 2025
| Subject | Entries | Grades 9 to 7 | Grades 9 to 5 | Grades 9 to 4 | England 9 to 5 | Rank in England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 98 | 16% | 59% | 81% | 53% | 996 of 3,211 |
| English Language | 98 | 19% | 58% | 72% | 54% | 1,097 of 3,210 |
| English Literature | 97 | 18% | 58% | 77% | 58% | 1,424 of 3,202 |
| Combined Science | 86 | 6% | 43% | 69% | 36% | 932 of 3,084 |
| Geography | 65 | 17% | 49% | 65% | 51% | 1,463 of 3,116 |
| History | 54 | 32% | 56% | 74% | 52% | 1,195 of 3,126 |
| Food Preparation & Nutrition | 33 | 9% | 46% | 73% | 52% | 656 of 1,098 |
| Spanish | 20 | 10% | 50% | 70% | 54% | 1,166 of 1,941 |
| Religious Studies | 19 | 26% | 68% | 68% | 60% | – |
| Design & Technology | 18 | 6% | 39% | 56% | 50% | – |
| Computer Science | 16 | 13% | 13% | 31% | 56% | – |
| Art and Design | 16 | 25% | 69% | 81% | 58% | – |
| Music | 15 | 0% | 27% | 47% | 61% | – |
| Physics | 12 | 67% | 100% | 100% | 82% | – |
| Physical Education | 12 | 25% | 50% | 75% | 56% | – |
| Drama | 12 | 17% | 58% | 83% | 60% | – |
| Chemistry | 12 | 75% | 100% | 100% | 81% | – |
| Biology | 12 | 58% | 100% | 100% | 82% | – |
| Statistics | 11 | 18% | 64% | 73% | 51% | – |
| French | 9 | 33% | 78% | 89% | 60% | – |
In combined science each pupil gets two grades and we count the lower one. Rankings only include state secondaries where 20 or more pupils sat the subject.
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
123 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Central Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 123 | 119 | 119 | 115 | 118 | 119 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 65% | 67% | 69% | 60% | 64% | 71% | 53% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 7% | 3% | 9% | 3% | 13% | 11% | 3% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 105.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 101.0 | 105.0 | 105.0 | 104.4 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 104.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 102.9 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 103.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 106.0 | 107.0 | 103.6 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 75% | 81% | 82% | 63% | 71% | 81% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 75% | 79% | 86% | 83% | 80% | 94% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 75% | 71% | 76% | 83% | 86% | 82% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -0.4 | -4.0 | -3.4 | -0.2 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.1 | -0.4 | -2.6 | +1.2 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 50% | 47% | 48% | 55% | 39% | 52% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 67% | 70% | 73% | 62% | 69% | 77% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 7 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At GCSE, 2025
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have grown by 8% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
How places were given out for September 2026. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child chosen by how close to the school they lived, but the council didn't publish how far away that was.
| Entry | Places | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Secondary | 120 | – | LA |
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (36), Autistic spectrum disorder (33), Specific learning difficulty (25), emotional and mental health (24), language and communications needs (21), Other difficulty or disability (7).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 830 | 808 | 791 | 770 | 749 | 736 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 15% | 14% | 15% | 15% | 13% | 13% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 16% | 17% | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 11% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 5% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 7.3% | 7.6% | 7.1% | 7.0% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.7% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 6.0% | 2.9% | 2.5% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.6% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.2% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 17.7% | 20.2% | 22.0% | 20.2% | 7.2% | 6.1% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 6.9 | 8.2 | 4.9 | 1.5 | 1.4 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – |
What pupils do next
After GCSEs
Where the 96 pupils who left in 2022/23 were a year later.
Earlier years
| Destination | 2022/23 leavers | 2021/22 leavers | 2020/21 leavers | 2019/20 leavers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in education, work or training | 98% | 95% | 94% | 98% |
| Education | 93% | 90% | 89% | 93% |
| Apprenticeship | 3% | 1% | 1% | 4% |
| Work | 2% | 3% | 4% | 1% |
| Not in education, work or training | 2% | 5% | 5% | 2% |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watling Lower School | Academy | 560 m | 190 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Dunstable Icknield Lower School | Academy | 710 m | 295 | Requires improvement 2023 | 1 | Compare |
| Ardley Hill Academy | Academy | 900 m | 422 | Good 2024 | 33 | Compare |
| St. Augustine's Academy | Academy | 950 m | 177 | Good 2024 | 8 | Compare |
| Stannard School | Independent | 0.6 miles | 34 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Ashton St Peter's VA C of E School | Church of England | 0.6 miles | 205 | Report card 2026 | 33 | Compare |
| Queensbury Academy | Academy | 0.7 miles | 1,093 | No overall grade 2024 | 13 | Compare |
| Hadrian Academy | Academy | 0.8 miles | 394 | Good 2023 | 46 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Priory Academy with the 45 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 45 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 45 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Priory Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houstone School | Free school | 2.1 miles | 765 | No overall grade 2025 | 63 | Compare |
| Putteridge High School | Academy | 5.9 miles | 1,193 | Not inspected | 75 | Compare |
| Leighton Middle School | Council | 6.8 miles | 597 | Good 2024 | 83 | Compare |
| Linslade School | Academy | 7.1 miles | 721 | Good 2022 | 75 | Compare |
| Barclay Academy | Academy | 13.5 miles | 1,044 | Good 2023 | 62 | Compare |
| Stanborough School | Academy | 14.2 miles | 1,287 | Good 2023 | 72 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 46 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 46% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 34 to 57. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 20% | in line | -0.01 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 103 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.02 | Ofsted grade, 3.4 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | -0.05 | DfE progress measure; 103 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.18 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.06 | 2024/25; 821 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | +0.03 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 103 pupils |
| What pupils do next | 5% | above | +0.04 | 96 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Priory Academy a good school?
It is about average. Priory Academy scores 46 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 33% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 34 to 57, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Priory Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Priory Academy good at its last full inspection on 20 April 2023.
How good are Priory Academy's GCSE results?
In summer 2025, 50% of pupils got a grade 5 or better in both English and maths. Across England it was 46%. Its Attainment 8 score, which is the average grade across a pupil's best eight subjects times ten, was 46.2, against 46.8 for England. In each subject, pupils here finished a little behind children across England who started secondary school at the same level.
How good are Priory Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 65% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 7% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Priory Academy have?
830 pupils aged 9 to 16 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 700 places, so it is 119% full.
Is Priory Academy oversubscribed?
Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.
What is attendance like at Priory Academy?
Pupils were in school 92.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Priory Academy?
The average class had 24.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 25% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
Does Priory Academy have a sixth form?
No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship; 98% of 2022/23 leavers were still in education, work or training six months on.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Priory Academy, Britain Street, Dunstable, LU5 4JA
- Telephone
- 01582 661158
- Website
- www.prioryacademy.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr Ian Bailey
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- All-through school, ages 9-16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Scholars' Education Trust (13 schools)
- Local authority
- Central Bedfordshire
- Ward
- Dunstable East
- Constituency
- Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 June 2012 (academy converter)
- URN
- 138181 · LAESTAB 8234007 · UKPRN 10037432
- Formerly
- Priory Middle School
Recent changes
- New KS4 results for 2024/25
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- GCSE results: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25 final.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Central Bedfordshire council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.