Demand for places (Year 7, September 2026):Demand for placesFrom the government's figures on school applications and offers. We show how many children had the school as their first choice for every 10 places it offered. 22 for every 10 places means more than twice as many children put it first as there were places, so not everyone who put it first got in. 10 or fewer means there were enough places for everyone who put it first.
The figures are for families applying in the normal admissions round, and they change every year with the number of children in the area - never a guarantee for the year you apply in. Read them alongside the furthest-distance figure, if there is one. 52 families put it first for 52 places
– 10 for every 10 places.
Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area.Applying to a school in another boroughYou can apply to any state school in England, whichever council area it's in. List it on your own council's application form - they pass it on.
Schools generally can't favour children just for living in the same borough: distance is measured the same way for everyone. Some schools do use a catchment area or feeder schools, so check the school's own admissions rules. The "out of area" figure on a school's page shows how many places went to families from other council areas last year.Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 10 · 2024 10 · 2025 10 · 2026 10
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026):Demand for placesFrom the government's figures on school applications and offers. We show how many children had the school as their first choice for every 10 places it offered. 22 for every 10 places means more than twice as many children put it first as there were places, so not everyone who put it first got in. 10 or fewer means there were enough places for everyone who put it first.
The figures are for families applying in the normal admissions round, and they change every year with the number of children in the area - never a guarantee for the year you apply in. Read them alongside the furthest-distance figure, if there is one. 18 families put it first for 19 places
– 9 for every 10 places.
Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area.Applying to a school in another boroughYou can apply to any state school in England, whichever council area it's in. List it on your own council's application form - they pass it on.
Schools generally can't favour children just for living in the same borough: distance is measured the same way for everyone. Some schools do use a catchment area or feeder schools, so check the school's own admissions rules. The "out of area" figure on a school's page shows how many places went to families from other council areas last year.Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 7 · 2024 8 · 2025 10 · 2026 9
Sixth form: Yes
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: None
Nursery provision: No
Who goes here
769 pupilsout of 1020 placesPlenty of room
Pupils eligible for free school meals: 267
% eligible for free school meals: 34.7%
Pupil mix: 2 in 10 (similar to the Dorset average)Pupil mixA single measure of how varied a school's pupils are in their recorded ethnic backgrounds: the chance that two pupils picked at random come from different backgrounds. Higher means more mixed.
We deliberately show just this one number, compared with the area, rather than a breakdown by group - it describes how diverse a school is without labelling who its pupils are. It's worked out from the Department for Education's official school census.
English as an additional language: 3% (England 22%)English as an additional languagePupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. It says nothing about how well they speak English - many are fully fluent. A higher figure often means a school has experience supporting children who are still learning English, and a wide mix of languages in the classroom. Nationally it's about 21.6%.
Staff
Teachers leaving each year
Teacher turnover: 13.2% a year (Dorset 15%, typical in England 15.5%)
Where they went: about 49% moved to another school, 51% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)
Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.
Behaviour
Awaiting Data
About this Behaviour status
We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.
Across Dorset: suspensions by reason
Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 49 (2.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 1.7)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 2
Suspensions for bullying: 54 (2.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 1.9)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 20 (0.8 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.8)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)
These are figures for all state secondary schools in Dorset, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.
Attendance
Overall absence: 9.0%
Persistently absent pupils: 22.2%
Data year: 2024/25
About persistent absence
A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.
SEN
No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision
SEN Unit and Resourced Provision
Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.
Pupils on SEN Support: 36.9%SEN SupportPupils identified as having special educational needs who get extra help arranged by the school itself, without an EHC Plan. Nationally it's roughly 1 in 7 pupils. A higher figure can mean the school takes more children with additional needs, or that it's good at spotting them - it isn't a good or bad sign on its own.
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 5.2%EHC Plan (EHCP)An Education, Health and Care Plan is a legal document from the council for children with greater needs, setting out support the school must provide. In mainstream schools it's usually just a few percent of pupils. Schools with an SEN Unit or Resourced Provision often have a noticeably higher figure.
Data year: 2025/26
Most common needs - SEN Support
Social, emotional and mental health: 104 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 53 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 45 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 42 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 14 pupils
Most common needs - EHC Plan
Speech, language and communications needs: 22 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 6 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 5 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Physical disability: 2 pupils
These figures show the makeup of the school.
About these SEND figures
These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.
SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.
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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.
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Would recommend–
Educational Attainment
Ofsted report cardMarch 2026
Ofsted's new report cards grade each part of school life separately, instead of giving one overall word.
SafeguardingMet
InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingNeeds attention
Early yearsExpected standard
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
Before this, under the old system, Ofsted rated the school Good (2022). The report card above replaces that grade.
How Ofsted report cards work
Since November 2025, Ofsted grades each area of a school on its own five-point scale, and no longer gives a single word like “Good” or “Outstanding”. Safeguarding (keeping children safe) is simply met or not met.
Exceptional The very best practice nationally
Strong standard Above what Ofsted expects
Expected standard What Ofsted expects of every school
Needs attention Some weaknesses the school needs to fix
“Expected standard” is a sound result – it's what Ofsted expects a good school to do. Report cards aren't directly comparable with the old single grades, which is why we don't turn them into one.
SecondaryGCSE results, Year 11
Attainment 8 score: 34.0
Compared with the area: 10.3 points below the Dorset average (44.3)
Compared with schools with similar pupils:Below(−3.6 points against an expected 37.6)Compared with schools with similar pupilsResults depend a lot on who a school teaches. Using every comparable state secondary in England, we work out the Attainment 8 score you'd expect from a school's own pupils - how many are disadvantaged, have SEN, or speak English as an additional language - and compare it with what the school actually got.
Within about 2 points either way counts as "as expected". It's one year of results and these factors explain only part of the picture, so treat it as one useful view, not a verdict.
Grade 4+ in English and maths: 39% (Dorset 64%, England 65%)↘ Falling
GCSE results over timeResults over timeThe school's official results for the last three years, next to the area average and England. For London boroughs and other single councils that's the official council-wide figure; for districts within a county (like Epping Forest in Essex) it's the average of that district's own state schools, weighted by pupil numbers. We call it improving or falling only when the change is bigger than the normal wobble between one year group and the next; smaller changes are shown as broadly steady.
In small primary schools a couple of children can move the percentage a lot, so we allow for that too. A change of headteacher, a new trust or a very different intake can all shift results - worth asking the school about.
This schoolDorset averageEngland↘ Falling Down 9.7 points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 10.3 points below the Dorset average (44.3).
About the Attainment 8 score
Attainment 8 measures a pupil's average result across 8 GCSE-equivalent qualifications (English and maths count double). It shows how pupils performed, not how much progress they made getting there - a school with a higher score doesn't necessarily add more value, since pupils often arrive with different starting points. Progress 8 is the measure designed to account for that, but it currently can't be calculated for any school for the two most recent academic years, due to a nationwide gap in the data caused by COVID-19 disruption to Key Stage 2 testing.
18th of 18 all-through schools in Dorset for Attainment 8
#16All Saints' Church of England Academy35.6
#17Dorset Studio School34.1
#18Atlantic Academy Portland34.0
Click to see the full ranking
Attainment 8 ranking
Illustrative MVP scores - not based on verified data yet.
RankSchoolScore
#1The Woodroffe School51.4
#2The Thomas Hardye School49.8
#3Beaminster School47.0
#4The Blandford School47.0
#5Lytchett Minster School46.8
#6The Gryphon School46.7
#7Sturminster Newton High School46.1
#8Ferndown Upper School45.7
#9Queen Elizabeth's School43.3
#10The Sir John Colfox Academy43.0
#11Budmouth Academy Weymouth42.0
#12The Purbeck School41.9
#13Wey Valley Academy41.0
#14Shaftesbury School39.1
#15The Swanage School36.9
#16All Saints' Church of England Academy35.6
#17Dorset Studio School34.1
#18Atlantic Academy Portland34.0
Leaver Destinations
In education, employment, or training a year later: 91.0%
Went into further education: 83.0%
Data year: 2024/25
About leaver destinations
This shows where a school's Year 11 leavers were recorded the following year - in a "sustained" destination means in education, an apprenticeship, or employment for at least 6 months, not just enrolled briefly. It's a different picture from exam results alone, and can highlight schools that support pupils well beyond just their GCSE grades.
GCSE Subjects Offered
English Language
English Literature
Maths (General)
Science Double Award
History
Geography
French Language
Business Studies
Art & Design
About this subject list
This isn't the school's own description of its curriculum - it's real DfE exam entry data, showing which GCSE subjects this school's pupils were actually entered for in 2024/25. A subject not appearing here may still be taught but had no pupils entered that year, so treat this as a helpful guide rather than a complete guarantee - it's worth confirming directly with the school for the year your child would actually study.
PrimaryYear 6 SATs results
Year 6 SATs resultsYear 6 SATs: expected standardThe share of Year 6 pupils who reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths - all three - in their SATs (Key Stage 2). Nationally it was 62% in 2024/25. The higher standard is the top band, reached by about 8% nationally.
In a small school, one or two children can move the percentage a lot, so check how many pupils it's based on - the 3-year average, where shown, is steadier. Like any results, it reflects the pupils a school takes as well as its teaching.
Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths:
64%
(England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 8% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 7 percentage points above the Dorset average (57%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils:Well above(3-year average 70% against an expected 54%)SATs compared with similar schoolsUsing every comparable state primary and junior school in England, we work out the share of Year 6 pupils you'd expect to meet the expected standard, from how many are disadvantaged, have SEN, or speak English as an additional language - and compare it with what the school actually achieved.
Primary year groups are small, so we use the three-year average and allow for each school's own pupil numbers: a small school needs a bigger gap before it's called above or below. These factors explain only part of the picture, so treat it as one useful view, not a verdict.
3-year average (expected standard): 70%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 72% · Writing 81% · Maths 69% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 67%
Average test scores: reading 104, maths 104SATs average scoresSATs reading and maths tests are marked on a scale from 80 to 120, where 100 means a pupil met the expected standard. This is the school's average. Nationally the averages were 106 in reading and 105 in maths in 2024/25. Writing isn't a test - it's assessed by teachers - so it has no score.
SATs results over timeResults over timeThe school's official results for the last three years, next to the area average and England. For London boroughs and other single councils that's the official council-wide figure; for districts within a county (like Epping Forest in Essex) it's the average of that district's own state schools, weighted by pupil numbers. We call it improving or falling only when the change is bigger than the normal wobble between one year group and the next; smaller changes are shown as broadly steady.
In small primary schools a couple of children can move the percentage a lot, so we allow for that too. A change of headteacher, a new trust or a very different intake can all shift results - worth asking the school about.
This schoolDorset averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 7 percentage points above the Dorset average (57%).
Year 6 SATs: joint 25th of 79 junior and primary schools in the area
=22Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School65%
=25Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School64%
=25Atlantic Academy Portland64%
=25Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School64%
=28Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School63%
Click to see the full ranking
Year 6 SATs ranking
Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.
RankSchoolScore
#1Trent Young's CofE Primary School95%
#2St Ives Primary & Nursery School90%
#3Durweston Church of England Primary School80%
#4Spetisbury CofE Primary School77%
#5Beaminster St Mary's Academy75%
#6Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney73%
#7Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery72%
=8Bovington Academy71%
=8Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School71%
=8Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School71%
=8Wyke Primary School71%
#12Conifers Primary School69%
=13Lytchett Matravers Primary School68%
=13Motcombe CofE Primary School68%
=15Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School67%
=15Charmouth Primary School67%
=15Shillingstone Church of England Primary School67%
=15St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton Matravers67%
=15St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull67%
=15St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School67%
=15Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School67%
=22St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage65%
=22Stalbridge Church of England Primary School65%
=22Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School65%
=25Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School64%
=25Atlantic Academy Portland64%
=25Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School64%
=28Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School63%
=28Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School63%
#30The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury62%
=31Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary School61%
=31Hazelbury Bryan Primary School61%
=33Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School60%
=33Radipole Primary School60%
=33Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School60%
#36St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School59%
#37Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School57%
=38St Andrew's Church of England Primary School56%
=38Stoborough Church of England Primary School56%
#40William Barnes Primary School55%
#41Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School54%
=42Bincombe Valley Primary School53%
=42St George's Church of England School, Bourton53%
A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.
14th of 25 all-through schools in Dorset for spending per pupil
#12The Blandford School£7,449
#13The Thomas Hardye School£7,222
#14Atlantic Academy Portland£7,205
#15Lytchett Minster School£6,991
#16Wey Valley Academy£6,932
Click to see the full ranking
Spending Per Pupil ranking
Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.
RankSchoolScore
#1Dorset Studio School£12,868
#2The Sir John Colfox Academy£9,808
#3West Moors Middle School£9,264
#4The Swanage School£9,162
#5All Saints' Church of England Academy£8,352
#6Ferndown Upper School£7,798
#7Beaminster School£7,758
#8The Woodroffe School£7,651
#9Cranborne Middle School£7,640
#10The Purbeck School£7,591
#11Queen Elizabeth's School£7,473
#12The Blandford School£7,449
#13The Thomas Hardye School£7,222
#14Atlantic Academy Portland£7,205
#15Lytchett Minster School£6,991
#16Wey Valley Academy£6,932
#17St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown£6,672
#18Budmouth Academy Weymouth£6,654
#19Dorchester Middle School£6,499
#20Ferndown Middle School£6,227
#21St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill£6,062
#22Emmanuel Church of England Middle School£5,779
#23St Osmund's Church of England Middle School£5,695
