Springdale First School

Springdale First School is a remarkable school where pupils flourish. This was its first routine section 5 inspection, and it was previously judged outstanding before becoming an academy. Since September 2024, schools no longer receive an overall effectiveness grade, but inspectors judged every inspected area to be outstanding. The school is part of Hamwic Education Trust and caters for pupils aged 4 to 9. The curriculum is meticulously designed around 'here, near and far' principles, helping pupils build knowledge exceptionally well from their own world to more abstract ideas. Early reading and phonics are at the heart of the school, and pupils, including those with SEND, receive precise teaching and swift support so they can keep up. Pupils are highly articulate, behave impeccably, and benefit from excellent enrichment and leadership opportunities. Safeguarding is effective, and the trust and local governors provide strong support and challenge. No areas of concern were identified in the report. Pupils feel safe, attend well, and are proud to be 'Springdalers', with high expectations for achievement and behaviour consistently realised.

Strengths

• Meticulously designed curriculum built around 'here, near and far' principles
• Pupils, including those with SEND, learn exceptionally well and keep up
• Early reading and phonics are central, with highly skilled staff and swift support
• Pupils show exemplary behaviour and high levels of self-control
• Personal development is exceptional, with rich enrichment and leadership roles
• Pupils are highly articulate, confident and proud of their school
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Trust and local governors provide highly effective support and challenge
• Strong attendance and pupils feel safe

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 Springdale First School attended 96.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 2.5% 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, 0.3% of pupils at Springdale First School 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 Springdale First School had 21.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 3.3% of pupils at Springdale First School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.7% 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 Springdale First School received £6,042 and spent £6,236 for each of its 290 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £4,000 (-£13 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of Hamwic Education Trust, income was £7,058 and spending £7,015 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch And Poole · Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authority: places and applications

Springdale First School is part of Hamwic Education Trust, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• Henbury View First School Wimborne
• Hillbourne Primary School Poole
• Upton Infant School Poole
• Upton Junior School Poole
• Wimborne First School and Nursery Wimborne
• Lytchett Matravers Primary School Poole
• Bearwood Primary and Nursery School Bournemouth
• Twin Sails Infant and Nursery School Poole
• Livingstone Road Junior School Poole
• Hamworthy Park Junior School Poole

What is Springdale First School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Springdale First School is Outstanding, from an inspection in November 2024.

When was Springdale First School last inspected by Ofsted?

Springdale First School was last inspected in November 2024.

How many pupils does Springdale First School have?

Springdale First School has 300 pupils on roll.

What age range does Springdale First School cover?

Springdale First School for pupils aged 5 to 9.

Where is Springdale First School?

Springdale First School is at Springdale Road, Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 9BW.