Dunstable East
Summary
Dunstable East (E02003645) is part of Central Bedfordshire local authority (view on map). Dunstable East has an approximate population of 7,000 people, of which 18% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: nearer to a major town or city".
Dunstable East neighbours Lewsey North, Lewsey South, Houghton Regis South, Dunstable Central, Dunstable Manshead, and Caddington & Slip End.
Headlines
- 10% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England – see more.
- 8% of pupils are receiving SEN support, placing it in the bottom 10% of all areas in England – see more.
Guidance and data sources
Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.
The data displayed is sourced from:
Deprivation
Dunstable East is the 18th least deprived area in Central Bedfordshire (out of 33) with 25% of children living in low-income families, compared to 25% across Central Bedfordshire and 38% nationally.
State-funded pupil characteristics
Information acquired from the school census.
Free school meals
In Dunstable East, 10% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 16% in Central Bedfordshire and 27% nationally.
Contents
Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
| % in Dunstable East | % in Central Bedfordshire | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals | 10% | 16% | 27% |
| Not eligible for free school meals | 90% | 84% | 73% |
Special educational needs
In Dunstable East, 12% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 17% in Central Bedfordshire, and 19% nationally.
This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
| % in Dunstable East | % in Central Bedfordshire | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No special educational needs | 88% | 83% | 81% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 8% | 11% | 14% |
| With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) | 4% | 6% | 5% |
Ethnicity
In Dunstable East, 40% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 21% in Central Bedfordshire, and 33% nationally.
Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.
Contents
Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups
Table
| % in Dunstable East | % in Central Bedfordshire | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 58% | 80% | 67% |
| Asian | 23% | 5% | 14% |
| Black | 6% | 4% | 7% |
| Mixed | 8% | 9% | 7% |
| Other | 3% | 1% | 3% |
| Not known | 2% | 2% | 2% |
English as an additional language
The percentage of pupils in Dunstable East with English as an additional language is 34%, compared with 11% in Central Bedfordshire, and 22% nationally.
Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language
Table
| % in Dunstable East | % in Central Bedfordshire | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Known or believed to be other than English | 34% | 11% | 22% |
| Known or believed to be English | 66% | 89% | 78% |
Provider information
Jump to:
Registered childcare providers
Dunstable East has 12 registered childcare providers.
| Type | Number in Dunstable East |
|---|---|
| All childcare providers | 12 |
| Childminders | 11 |
| Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care | 1 |
There have been no inspections of childcare providers in Dunstable East since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
State-funded schools
Dunstable East has 3 state-funded schools.
| Type | Number in Dunstable East |
|---|---|
| All state-funded schools | 3 |
| Nursery schools | 1 |
| Primary and all-through schools | 3 |
| Secondary and all-through schools | 0 |
| Special schools | 0 |
| Registered alternative provision | 0 |
There have been no inspections of schools in Dunstable East since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
Data sources: