Dunbury Church of England Academy

Dunbury Church of England Academy continues to be recognized as a good school, providing a safe and happy environment for its pupils, who engage enthusiastically in their learning. The school's strong focus on its core values promotes good behavior and a sense of community. However, while the curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced, some areas require further development to ensure comprehensive educational excellence. Notably, the school is praised for its support of pupils with special educational needs and the encouragement of reading from an early age.

Strengths

• Pupils are safe, happy, and enjoy attending school.
• The school has high expectations and fosters persistence in learning.
• Strong subject knowledge among teachers enhances pupils' understanding.
• Effective early reading program that supports catch-up for older pupils.
• Pupils develop good character aligned with Christian values.

Areas for Improvement

• Teacher checks do not always identify learning errors in a timely manner.
• Some pupils lack participation in extracurricular activities.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Dunbury Church of England Academy attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Dunbury Church of England Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Dunbury Church of England Academy had 19.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.3% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 12.2% of pupils at Dunbury Church of England Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Dunbury Church of England Academy received £8,359 and spent £8,506 for each of its 113 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £146,000 (£1,289 per pupil).

Across all 28 schools of Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, income was £7,549 and spending £7,556 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Dorset · Dorset local authority: places and applications

Dunbury Church of England Academy is part of Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, which runs 28 schools. The nearest others:

• Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School Blandford Forum
• Spetisbury CofE Primary School Blandford Forum
• Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School Blandford Forum
• Milldown CofE Academy Blandford Forum
• Durweston Church of England Primary School Blandford Forum
• St James Church of England First School Wimborne
• St Andrew's Church of England Primary School Weymouth
• Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery Wimborne
• St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School Weymouth
• St John's Church of England Primary School Weymouth

What is Dunbury Church of England Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dunbury Church of England Academy is Good, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Dunbury Church of England Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Dunbury Church of England Academy was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Dunbury Church of England Academy have?

Dunbury Church of England Academy has 131 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dunbury Church of England Academy cover?

Dunbury Church of England Academy for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Dunbury Church of England Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 45% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Dunbury Church of England Academy?

Dunbury Church of England Academy is at DOLWAY LANE, BLANDFORD FORUM, WINTERBORNE WHITECHURCH, DORSET, DT11 0AW.