Schools in Dorset
Dorset at a glance
- Schools
- 162 119 state primary, 29 state secondary, 1 sixth-form or college and 13 private. DfE Get Information about Schools, 17 October 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 87% 101 of the 116 state schools whose latest Ofsted inspection gave a grade. 21 more have the new report card, which gives no single grade. Ofsted, latest inspections.
- Oversubscribed in 2026
- 26 Of 132 state schools with DfE figures for 2026: more first preferences than places at entry (Reception or Year 7). DfE, school applications and offers, 2026.
- Offer distances held
- 30% How far the last place reached on offer day: held for 44 of 148 state schools that take an intake. Dorset's published offer-day figures.
The best schools in Dorset
Primary
| Place in Dorset | School | Town | Band in England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Ives Primary & Nursery School | Ringwood | Top 1% |
| 2 | All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School | Sherborne | Top 5% |
| 3 | Trent Young's CofE Primary School | Sherborne | Top 10% |
| 4 | Spetisbury CofE Primary School | Blandford Forum | Top 10% |
| 5 | Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School | Blandford Forum | Top 25% |
| 6 | Thornford CofE Primary School | Sherborne | Top 25% |
| 7 | Lockyer's Middle School | Wimborne | Top 25% |
| 8 | Emmanuel Church of England Middle School | Verwood | Top half |
| 9 | Atlantic Academy Portland | Portland | Top half |
| 10 | Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School | Blandford Forum | Top half |
Ranked on three years of results, progress first, the same measures as the full Dorset primary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 2 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Secondary (GCSE)
| Place in Dorset | School | Town | Band in England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Purbeck School | Wareham | Top half |
| 2 | Lytchett Minster School | Poole | Top half |
| 3 | The Woodroffe School | Lyme Regis | Top half |
| 4 | The Thomas Hardye School | Dorchester | Top half |
| 5 | Ferndown Upper School | Ferndown | Top half |
| 6 | The Gryphon School | Sherborne | Top half |
| 7 | The Sir John Colfox Academy | Bridport | Lower half |
| 8 | Beaminster School | Beaminster | Lower half |
| 9 | Gillingham School | Gillingham | Lower half |
| 10 | Queen Elizabeth's School | Wimborne | Lower half |
Ranked on three years of results, progress first, the same measures as the full Dorset secondary table (method). Source: DfE, key stage 4 school performance tables; table built 16 October 2026.
Towns
- Beaminster 4 schools · best schools
- Blandford Forum 14 schools · best schools
- Bridport 11 schools · best schools
- Dorchester 22 schools · best schools
- Ferndown 7 schools · best schools
- Fordingbridge 1 school · best schools
- Gillingham 7 schools · best schools
- Lyme Regis 2 schools · best schools
- Poole 5 schools · best schools
- Portland 2 schools · best schools
- Ringwood 2 schools · best schools
- Salisbury 1 school · best schools
- Shaftesbury 6 schools · best schools
- Sherborne 12 schools · best schools
- Stalbridge 1 school · best schools
- Sturminster Newton 5 schools · best schools
- Swanage 5 schools · best schools
- Thorncombe 1 school · best schools
- Verwood 4 schools · best schools
- Wareham 10 schools · best schools
- Weymouth 18 schools · best schools
- Wimborne 20 schools · best schools
- Winterborne Whitechurch 1 school · best schools
Getting in
Starting Reception in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 January 2027 | Primary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Dorset council |
| 16 April 2027 | Primary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Dorset council |
Starting secondary school (Year 7) in September 2027
| Date | What | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 October 2026 | Secondary applications close | Apply to your home council (where you live), listing your schools in order of preference. A late application is looked at after every on-time one. | Dorset council |
| 1 March 2027 | Secondary offer day | Offers arrive by email from your home council. Check which school you were offered. | Dorset council |
Every Dorset admission date · After offer day in Dorset: replies, waiting lists and appeals
Dorset catchment maps: the 131 school catchments we hold, with each map's source and year.
Offer-day distances (how far the last place reached) are held for 44 of 148 state schools (30%). Could we get in? sets your distance beside them.
Private schools, fees and childcare
Private school fees in Dorset: we hold checked fees for 5 of 13 private schools.
Childcare costs, town by town: 123 nurseries and pre-schools in Dorset, with fees held for 37. Nurseries in Dorset by Ofsted rating.
Every school in Dorset, A to Z by town
Beaminster
- Beaminster School
- Beaminster St Mary's Academy
- Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
- Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Blandford Forum
- Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School
- Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School
- Bryanston School
- Downlands Community School
- Durweston Church of England Primary School
- Hanford School
- Milborne St Andrew First School
- Milldown CofE Academy
- Milton Abbey School
- Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School
- Shillingstone Church of England Primary School
- Spetisbury CofE Primary School
- St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child Okeford
- The Blandford School
Bridport
- Bridport Primary School
- Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
- Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School
- Charmouth Primary School
- Loders CofE Primary Academy
- Marshwood CofE Primary Academy
- Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
- Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
- St Catherine's Roman Catholic School
- Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
- The Sir John Colfox Academy
Dorchester
- Broadmayne First School and Nursery
- Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School
- Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School
- Cheselbourne Village School
- Damers First School
- Dorchester Middle School
- Dorset Studio School
- Frome Valley CofE First School
- Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School
- Manor Park Church of England First School
- Piddle Valley Church of England First School
- Puddletown Church of England First School
- St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester
- St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster
- St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown
- St Osmund's Church of England Middle School
- Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
- Sunninghill Preparatory School
- The Prince of Wales School
- The Thomas Hardye School
- Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney
- Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School
Dorset
Ferndown
- Ferndown First School
- Ferndown Middle School
- Ferndown Upper School
- Oakhurst Community First School
- Parley First School
- St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery
- West Moors Middle School
Fordingbridge
Gillingham
- Gillingham Primary School
- Gillingham School
- Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School
- St George's Church of England School, Bourton
- St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School
- Stower Provost Community School
- Wyke Primary School
Lyme Regis
Poole
- Lytchett Matravers Primary School
- Lytchett Minster School
- Upton Infant School
- Upton Junior School
- Yarrells Preparatory School
Portland
Ringwood
Salisbury
Shaftesbury
- Motcombe CofE Primary School
- Port Regis Preparatory School
- Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School
- Shaftesbury School
- St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
- The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
Sherborne
- All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
- Leweston School
- Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School
- Sherborne Preparatory School
- Sherborne Primary School
- Sherborne School
- Sherborne School for Girls
- St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
- St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford Abbas
- The Gryphon School
- Thornford CofE Primary School
- Trent Young's CofE Primary School
Stalbridge
Sturminster Newton
- Hazelbury Bryan Primary School
- St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, Marnhull
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull
- Sturminster Newton High School
- William Barnes Primary School
Swanage
- St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton Matravers
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage
- Swanage Primary School
- Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School
- The Swanage School
Thorncombe
Verwood
- Emmanuel Church of England Middle School
- Hillside Community First School
- Trinity Church of England First School
- Verwood Church of England First School
Wareham
- Bere Regis Primary and Preschool
- Bovington Academy
- Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School
- Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary School
- Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
- St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
- Stoborough Church of England Primary School
- The Purbeck School
- Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School
- Wool Church of England Primary School
Weymouth
- All Saints' Church of England Academy
- Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary School
- Bincombe Valley Primary School
- Budmouth Academy Weymouth
- Chickerell Primary Academy
- Conifers Primary School
- Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery
- Portesham Church of England Primary School
- Radipole Primary School
- Southill Primary School
- St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
- St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Weymouth
- St John's Church of England Primary School
- St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School
- Wey Valley Academy
- Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College
- Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School
- Wyke Regis Infant School and Nursery
Wimborne
- Allenbourn Middle School
- Colehill First School
- Cranborne Church of England First School
- Cranborne Middle School
- Dumpton School
- Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School
- Hayeswood First School
- Henbury View First School
- Lockyer's Middle School
- Pamphill Church of England First School
- Queen Elizabeth's School
- Rushcombe First School
- St James Church of England First School
- St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne
- St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill
- Sturminster Marshall First School
- Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School
- Wimborne First School and Nursery
- Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery
- Witchampton Church of England First School
Winterborne Whitechurch
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