Dorset Studio School

Dorset Studio School is performing well, achieving a 'Good' rating in its recent Ofsted inspection. The school has demonstrated a commitment to high expectations for all pupils, with a tailored curriculum that suits their individual starting points and future aspirations. Many students engage in valuable work experience, which notably supports their transitions into employment and further education. The school's positive environment fosters strong relationships between staff and pupils, contributing to a sense of safety and enjoyment among the students. Overall, the school is effectively preparing pupils for their next steps in education and training.

Strengths

• High expectations for all pupils.
• Well-matched curriculum to starting points and aspirations.
• Valuable work experience opportunities for key stage 4 pupils.
• Strong relationships between staff and pupils.
• Land-based curriculum is inspiring and motivating.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Strong subject knowledge among teachers.
• Robust personal development program with opportunities like The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
• Thorough careers program challenging gender stereotypes.

Areas for Improvement

• Errors and misconceptions in pupil work are not always corrected promptly.
• Inconsistent enforcement of behavior expectations by staff.

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 Dorset Studio School attended 87.3% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 42.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 18.8% of pupils at Dorset Studio School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 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 Dorset Studio School had 10.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 26.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 41.0% of pupils at Dorset Studio School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 9.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Dorset Studio School received £12,191 and spent £12,868 for each of its 325 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £328,000 (£1,009 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.

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• Secondary Schools

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

What is Dorset Studio School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dorset Studio School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Dorset Studio School last inspected by Ofsted?

Dorset Studio School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Dorset Studio School have?

Dorset Studio School has 332 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dorset Studio School cover?

Dorset Studio School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Dorset Studio School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 32.0, and 13% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Dorset Studio School?

Dorset Studio School is at Kingston Maurward, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8PX.