The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury

Dorset · SP7 8HQ

General information Primary School · 4-11 years Who goes here 201 pupils, 16.9% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 14.9% on SEN support Behaviour 5.4% absence rate Staff 4.3% turnover Financials £6,022 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury

General Information

Address: St James's Street, Shaftesbury, SP7 8HQ – View on map
Phone: 01747852620
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mr Michael Salisbury
Age range: 4-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 28 families put it first for 29 places – 10 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. 1 of the 29 places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 10 · 2024 10 · 2025 12 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Church of England
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

201 pupils out of 210 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 34
% eligible for free school meals: 16.9%
Pupil mix: 2 in 10 (similar to the Dorset average)
English as an additional language: 5% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 4.3% a year (Dorset 14.7%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 33% moved to another school, 67% 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. This is a small staff, so one or two teachers leaving moves the figure a lot.

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: 5.4%
Persistently absent pupils: 15.7%
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: 14.9%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 4.0%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 14 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 9 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 7 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 4 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 2 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 1 pupil
Physical disability: 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: 62% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 5% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 5 percentage points above the Dorset average (57%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: As expected (3-year average 64% against an expected 65%)
3-year average (expected standard): 64%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 90% · Writing 67% · Maths 86% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 86%
Average test scores: reading 108, maths 106
Based on: 21 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↘ Falling Down 10 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 5 percentage points above the Dorset average (57%).

Year 6 SATs: 30th of 79 junior and primary schools in the area

=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%

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

62nd of 82 primary schools in Dorset for Ofsted rating

#60Swanage Primary SchoolGood
#61Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#62The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, ShaftesburyGood
#63The Prince of Wales SchoolGood
#64Three Legged Cross First and Nursery 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
#6Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#7Bovington AcademyGood
#8Bridport Primary SchoolGood
#9Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#10Broadmayne First School and NurseryGood
#11Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled SchoolGood
#12Cerne Abbas CofE VC First SchoolGood
#13Cheselbourne Village SchoolGood
#14Chickerell Primary AcademyGood
#15Colehill First SchoolGood
#16Conifers Primary SchoolGood
#17Corfe Castle Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#18Cranborne Church of England First SchoolGood
#19Dunbury Church of England AcademyGood
#20Ferndown First SchoolGood
#21Frome Valley CofE First SchoolGood
#22Hayeswood First SchoolGood
#23Hazelbury Bryan Primary SchoolGood
#24Henbury View First SchoolGood
#25Hillside Community First SchoolGood
#26Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community NurseryGood
#27Loders CofE Primary AcademyGood
#28Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary SchoolGood
#29Lytchett Matravers Primary SchoolGood
#30Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#31Milborne St Andrew First SchoolGood
#32Milldown CofE AcademyGood
#33Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#34Motcombe CofE Primary SchoolGood
#35Pamphill Church of England First SchoolGood
#36Parley First SchoolGood
#37Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#38Piddle Valley Church of England First SchoolGood
#39Puddletown Church of England First SchoolGood
#40Radipole Primary SchoolGood
#41Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#42Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolGood
#43Shillingstone Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#44Sixpenny Handley First School and NurseryGood
#45Southill Primary SchoolGood
#46Spetisbury CofE Primary SchoolGood
#47St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#48St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, WeymouthGood
#49St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton MatraversGood
#50St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, AlderholtGood
#51St John's Church of England First School, WimborneGood
#52St John's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#53St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#54St Mary's Catholic First School, DorchesterGood
#55St Mary's Catholic Primary School, MarnhullGood
#56St Mary's Catholic Primary School, SwanageGood
#57St Mary's CofE First School & NurseryGood
#58Stalbridge Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#59Stoborough Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#60Swanage Primary SchoolGood
#61Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#62The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, ShaftesburyGood
#63The Prince of Wales SchoolGood
#64Three Legged Cross First and Nursery SchoolGood
#65Trent Young's CofE Primary SchoolGood
#66Verwood Church of England First SchoolGood
#67Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#68William Barnes Primary SchoolGood
#69Wimborne First School and NurseryGood
#70Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and NurseryGood
#71Witchampton Church of England First SchoolGood
#72Wool Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#73Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#74Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#75Charmouth Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#76Marshwood CofE Primary AcademyRequires improvement
#77Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#78St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, MarnhullRequires improvement
#79St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#80St Michael's CofE Primary School, Lyme RegisRequires improvement
#81Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyRequires improvement
#82Wyke Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £6,022 (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.

83rd of 103 primary schools in Dorset for spending per pupil

#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

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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