Conifers Primary School

Dorset · DT4 0QF

General information Primary School · 4-11 years Who goes here 324 pupils, 34.3% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 23.8% on SEN support Behaviour 6.4% absence rate Staff 12.3% turnover Financials £6,457 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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Conifers Primary School

General Information

Address: Radipole Lane, Weymouth, DT4 0QF – View on map
Phone: 01305771289
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Sara Ellis
Age range: 4-11 years
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

324 pupils out of 390 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 111
% eligible for free school meals: 34.3%
Pupil mix: 3 in 10 (more mixed than the Dorset average)
English as an additional language: 9% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 12.3% a year (Dorset 14.7%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 55% moved to another school, 45% 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: 2 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 2 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary 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: 6.4%
Persistently absent pupils: 17.7%
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: 23.8%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 4.3%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 33 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 23 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 15 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 2 pupils
Hearing impairment: 2 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 10 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 2 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 1 pupil
Social, emotional and mental health: 1 pupil

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.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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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

Good 2022 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 69% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 4% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 12 percentage points above the Dorset average (57%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: As expected (3-year average 60% against an expected 58%)
3-year average (expected standard): 60%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 82% · Writing 75% · Maths 78% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 65%
Average test scores: reading 104, maths 103
Based on: 55 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolDorset averageEngland↗ Improving Up 22 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 12 percentage points above the Dorset average (57%).

Year 6 SATs: 12th of 79 junior and primary schools in the area

=8Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School71%
=8Wyke Primary School71%
#12Conifers Primary School69%
=13Lytchett Matravers Primary School68%
=13Motcombe CofE Primary School68%

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.

Rank School Score

#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%
=42St Michael's CofE Primary School, Lyme Regis53%
=42Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School53%
=42Thornford CofE Primary School53%
=47Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School52%
=47Chickerell Primary Academy52%
=49Bridport Primary School50%
=49Gillingham Primary School50%
=49Loders CofE Primary Academy50%
=49Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School50%
=49St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, Marnhull50%
=49Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School50%
=55Milldown CofE Academy48%
=55Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School48%
=57Sherborne Primary School47%
=57Swanage Primary School47%
=57Upton Junior School47%
=60St George's Foundation Primary School46%
=60St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School46%
=60Wool Church of England Primary School46%
=63Bere Regis Primary and Preschool45%
=63Dunbury Church of England Academy45%
=63St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Weymouth45%
=66Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School44%
=66St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford Abbas44%
=68St John's Church of England Primary School43%
=68St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child Okeford43%
=68Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School43%
=71Downlands Community School42%
=71Southill Primary School42%
#73Stower Provost Community School40%
#74Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School39%
=75Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary School38%
=75Marshwood CofE Primary Academy38%
=75Portesham Church of England Primary School38%
#78St Andrew's Church of England Primary School31%
#79St Catherine's Roman Catholic School30%

View full Ofsted inspection report

13th of 77 primary schools in Dorset for Ofsted rating

#11Cheselbourne Village SchoolGood
#12Colehill First SchoolGood
#13Conifers Primary SchoolGood
#14Corfe Castle Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#15Cranborne Church of England First SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Rushcombe First SchoolOutstanding
#2St Ives Primary & Nursery SchoolOutstanding
#3All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolGood
#4Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#5Beaminster St Mary's AcademyGood
#6Bovington AcademyGood
#7Bridport Primary SchoolGood
#8Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#9Broadmayne First School and NurseryGood
#10Cerne Abbas CofE VC First SchoolGood
#11Cheselbourne Village SchoolGood
#12Colehill First SchoolGood
#13Conifers Primary SchoolGood
#14Corfe Castle Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#15Cranborne Church of England First SchoolGood
#16Dunbury Church of England AcademyGood
#17Ferndown First SchoolGood
#18Frome Valley CofE First SchoolGood
#19Hayeswood First SchoolGood
#20Hazelbury Bryan Primary SchoolGood
#21Henbury View First SchoolGood
#22Hillside Community First SchoolGood
#23Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community NurseryGood
#24Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary SchoolGood
#25Lytchett Matravers Primary SchoolGood
#26Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#27Milborne St Andrew First SchoolGood
#28Milldown CofE AcademyGood
#29Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#30Motcombe CofE Primary SchoolGood
#31Pamphill Church of England First SchoolGood
#32Parley First SchoolGood
#33Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#34Piddle Valley Church of England First SchoolGood
#35Puddletown Church of England First SchoolGood
#36Radipole Primary SchoolGood
#37Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#38Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#39Shillingstone Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#40Sixpenny Handley First School and NurseryGood
#41Southill Primary SchoolGood
#42Spetisbury CofE Primary SchoolGood
#43St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#44St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, WeymouthGood
#45St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton MatraversGood
#46St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, AlderholtGood
#47St John's Church of England First School, WimborneGood
#48St John's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#49St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#50St Mary's Catholic First School, DorchesterGood
#51St Mary's Catholic Primary School, MarnhullGood
#52St Mary's Catholic Primary School, SwanageGood
#53St Mary's CofE First School & NurseryGood
#54Stalbridge Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#55Stoborough Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#56Swanage Primary SchoolGood
#57Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#58The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, ShaftesburyGood
#59The Prince of Wales SchoolGood
#60Three Legged Cross First and Nursery SchoolGood
#61Verwood Church of England First SchoolGood
#62Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#63William Barnes Primary SchoolGood
#64Wimborne First School and NurseryGood
#65Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and NurseryGood
#66Witchampton Church of England First SchoolGood
#67Wool Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#68Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#69Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#70Charmouth Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#71Marshwood CofE Primary AcademyRequires improvement
#72Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#73St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, MarnhullRequires improvement
#74St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#75St Michael's CofE Primary School, Lyme RegisRequires improvement
#76Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyRequires improvement
#77Wyke Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,457 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

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.

66th of 103 primary schools in Dorset for spending per pupil

#64St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt£6,496
#65Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School£6,492
#66Conifers Primary School£6,457
#67Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School£6,451
#68Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney£6,445

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.

Rank School Score

#1Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy£15,705
#2Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£13,171
#3Marshwood CofE Primary Academy£11,275
#4Piddle Valley Church of England First School£11,182
#5Portesham Church of England Primary School£10,667
#6Cheselbourne Village School£10,457
#7The Prince of Wales School£10,234
#8Sturminster Marshall First School£10,018
#9Milborne St Andrew First School£9,979
#10St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, Marnhull£9,877
#11Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery£9,455
#12Cranborne Church of England First School£9,153
#13Sixpenny Handley First School and Nursery£9,110
#14Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School£9,082
#15Witchampton Church of England First School£8,961
#16Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School£8,861
#17Charmouth Primary School£8,771
#18St Michael's CofE Primary School, Lyme Regis£8,699
#19Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary School£8,697
#20Wool Church of England Primary School£8,652
#21Gillingham Primary School£8,470
#22Stower Provost Community School£8,448
#23St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton Matravers£8,253
#24Beaminster St Mary's Academy£8,120
#25Dunbury Church of England Academy£8,115
#26Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£8,115
#27St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School£7,957
#28Downlands Community School£7,923
#29Bere Regis Primary and Preschool£7,908
#30Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School£7,877
#31Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School£7,847
#32Bincombe Valley Primary School£7,760
#33Loders CofE Primary Academy£7,696
#34Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School£7,617
#35Bovington Academy£7,603
#36Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£7,454
#37Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£7,441
#38Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School£7,441
#39St James Church of England First School£7,392
#40St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull£7,345
#41Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£7,278
#42Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary School£7,250
#43St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery£7,221
#44Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£7,191
#45St Catherine's Roman Catholic School£7,178
#46St Andrew's Church of England Primary School£7,169
#47St John's Church of England Primary School£7,157
#48William Barnes Primary School£7,154
#49Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School£7,010
#50Hazelbury Bryan Primary School£6,957
#51Parley First School£6,906
#52Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery£6,890
#53Pamphill Church of England First School£6,871
#54Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School£6,838
#55Trinity Church of England First School£6,812
#56Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School£6,724
#57Chickerell Primary Academy£6,621
#58Broadmayne First School and Nursery£6,617
#59Swanage Primary School£6,574
#60St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School£6,565
#61Durweston Church of England Primary School£6,511
#62Stoborough Church of England Primary School£6,500
#63Ferndown First School£6,497
#64St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt£6,496
#65Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School£6,492
#66Conifers Primary School£6,457
#67Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School£6,451
#68Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney£6,445
#69Milldown CofE Academy£6,430
#70Wyke Primary School£6,374
#71Frome Valley CofE First School£6,338
#72Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School£6,316
#73St George's Church of England School, Bourton£6,311
#74Bridport Primary School£6,240
#75Oakhurst Community First School£6,211
#76Henbury View First School£6,172
#77Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School£6,149
#78Stalbridge Church of England Primary School£6,118
#79Trent Young's CofE Primary School£6,110
#80Hayeswood First School£6,070
#81St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne£6,064
#82Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School£6,037
#83The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury£6,022
#84St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage£6,017
#85St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester£6,006
#86Wimborne First School and Nursery£5,995
#87Spetisbury CofE Primary School£5,973
#88Puddletown Church of England First School£5,919
#89Damers First School£5,895
#90Hillside Community First School£5,879
#91Southill Primary School£5,879
#92Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School£5,822
#93Colehill First School£5,776
#94St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Weymouth£5,698
#95St George's Foundation Primary School£5,657
#96Lytchett Matravers Primary School£5,594
#97Verwood Church of England First School£5,478
#98Radipole Primary School£5,435
#99St Ives Primary & Nursery School£5,363
#100Manor Park Church of England First School£5,358
#101Rushcombe First School£5,073
#102St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster£4,295
#103All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School£2,784

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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