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Schools in Dorset

Dorset has 155 schools: 129 primary and 26 secondary or all-through. 68% of the 108 schools with an Ofsted grade are rated Good or better (Strong standard or better under the new report cards). Among secondary schools, The Woodroffe School has the highest Attainment 8 score (51.4 in 2025). Among primary schools, Trent Young's CofE Primary School has the highest share of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (95% in 2025).

  • 176 schools
  • 26 secondary
  • 129 primary

Secondary Schools in Dorset

Ranked by Attainment 8, the average GCSE score per pupil. Progress 8 is from the latest year published.

#SchoolOfstedAttainment 8Progress 8Pupils
1 The Woodroffe School Good 51.4 (2025) +0.19 (2024) 886
2 The Thomas Hardye School – 49.8 (2025) +0.30 (2024) 2,014
3 Beaminster School Good 47.0 (2025) -0.08 (2024) 673
4 The Blandford School Good 47.0 (2025) -0.33 (2024) 1,103
5 Lytchett Minster School Good 46.8 (2025) +0.38 (2024) 1,624
6 The Gryphon School Good 46.7 (2025) -0.06 (2024) 1,569
7 Sturminster Newton High School Expected standard 46.1 (2025) -0.39 (2024) 605
8 Ferndown Upper School Expected standard 45.7 (2025) +0.34 (2024) 1,134
9 Queen Elizabeth's School Requires Improvement 43.3 (2025) -0.17 (2024) 1,375
10 The Sir John Colfox Academy Good 43.0 (2025) +0.01 (2024) 756
11 Budmouth Academy Weymouth Requires Improvement 42.0 (2025) -0.62 (2024) 1,466
12 The Purbeck School – 41.9 (2025) +0.60 (2024) 1,022
13 Wey Valley Academy Good 41.0 (2025) -0.36 (2024) 994
14 Shaftesbury School Good 39.1 (2025) -0.50 (2024) 782
15 The Swanage School Good 36.9 (2025) -0.28 (2024) 349
16 All Saints' Church of England Academy Needs attention 35.6 (2025) -0.33 (2024) 598
17 Dorset Studio School Good 34.1 (2025) -0.50 (2024) 332
18 Atlantic Academy Portland Needs attention 34.0 (2025) -0.74 (2024) 769
19 Harbour School Dorset Good 3.9 (2025) -2.15 (2024) 145
20 Westfield Arts College Outstanding 0.8 (2018) -1.62 (2018) 233
21 Beaucroft Foundation School Good – – 241
22 Gillingham School – – – –
23 Mountjoy School Good – – 112
24 Weymouth and Kingston Maurward College Good – – –
25 Wyvern Academy Good – – 95
26 Yewstock School Outstanding – – 167

Primary Schools in Dorset

Ranked by the percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of Year 6.

#SchoolOfstedMet expected standardPupils
1 Trent Young's CofE Primary School – 95% (2025) 143
2 St Ives Primary & Nursery School Outstanding 90% (2025) 245
3 Durweston Church of England Primary School Strong standard 80% (2025) 144
4 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School – 80% (2024) 101
5 Spetisbury CofE Primary School – 77% (2025) 187
6 Lockyer's Middle School Good 76% (2025) 436
7 Beaminster St Mary's Academy Good 75% (2025) 140
8 Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney – 73% (2025) 115
9 Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery Good 72% (2025) 471
10 Bovington Academy Good 71% (2025) 180
11 Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School Expected standard 71% (2025) 110
12 Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Expected standard 71% (2025) 132
13 Wyke Primary School – 71% (2025) 161
14 Conifers Primary School Good 69% (2025) 324
15 Allenbourn Middle School – 68% (2025) 499
16 Lytchett Matravers Primary School Good 68% (2025) 484
17 Motcombe CofE Primary School Good 68% (2025) 146
18 Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School Good 67% (2025) 208
19 Charmouth Primary School Needs attention 67% (2025) 71
20 Shillingstone Church of England Primary School Good 67% (2025) 103
21 St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton Matravers Expected standard 67% (2025) 85
22 St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull Good 67% (2025) 82
23 St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School – 67% (2025) 213
24 Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School – 67% (2025) 107
25 Cranborne Middle School Good 65% (2025) 265
26 Emmanuel Church of England Middle School Good 65% (2025) 434
27 St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage Expected standard 65% (2025) 175
28 St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill Good 65% (2025) 563
29 Stalbridge Church of England Primary School Good 65% (2025) 188
30 Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School Needs attention 65% (2025) 340
31 Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School – 64% (2025) 411
32 Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School Good 64% (2025) 99
33 Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School Good 63% (2025) 137
34 Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School – 63% (2025) 183
35 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury Good 62% (2025) 201
36 Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary School Requires Improvement 61% (2025) 189
37 Hazelbury Bryan Primary School Good 61% (2025) 114
38 St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown Good 61% (2025) 441
39 Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Needs attention 60% (2025) 93
40 Radipole Primary School Good 60% (2025) 437
41 Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Good 60% (2025) 109
42 St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School – 59% (2025) 242
43 St Osmund's Church of England Middle School Expected standard 58% (2025) 714
44 Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School Good 57% (2025) 87
45 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School Good 56% (2025) 225
46 Stoborough Church of England Primary School – 56% (2025) 195
47 William Barnes Primary School Good 55% (2025) 162
48 Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Good 54% (2025) 342
49 Bincombe Valley Primary School Needs attention 53% (2025) 291
50 St George's Church of England School, Bourton – 53% (2025) 142
51 St Michael's CofE Primary School, Lyme Regis – 53% (2025) 59
52 Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School – 53% (2025) 70
53 Thornford CofE Primary School – 53% (2025) 104
54 Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School Good 52% (2025) 194
55 Chickerell Primary Academy Good 52% (2025) 420
56 Bridport Primary School Good 50% (2025) 267
57 Gillingham Primary School Needs attention 50% (2025) 233
58 Loders CofE Primary Academy Good 50% (2025) 72
59 Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Requires Improvement 50% (2025) 33
60 St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, Marnhull – 50% (2025) 51
61 Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School Needs attention 50% (2025) 165
62 Dorchester Middle School Needs attention 49% (2025) 527
63 West Moors Middle School Expected standard 49% (2025) 240
64 Milldown CofE Academy Good 48% (2025) 200
65 Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School Expected standard 48% (2025) 336
66 Sherborne Primary School – 47% (2025) 304
67 Swanage Primary School – 47% (2025) 222
68 Upton Junior School Good 47% (2025) 351
69 St George's Foundation Primary School Needs attention 46% (2025) 406
70 St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Requires Improvement 46% (2025) 81
71 Wool Church of England Primary School Good 46% (2025) 116
72 Bere Regis Primary and Preschool – 45% (2025) 119
73 Dunbury Church of England Academy Good 45% (2025) 131
74 Ferndown Middle School – 45% (2025) 600
75 St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, Weymouth Good 45% (2025) 201
76 Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School Needs attention 44% (2025) 333
77 St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford Abbas Needs attention 44% (2025) 90
78 St John's Church of England Primary School Good 43% (2025) 224
79 St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child Okeford Urgent improvement 43% (2025) 125
80 Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School Good 43% (2025) 89
81 Downlands Community School Needs attention 42% (2025) 201
82 Southill Primary School Good 42% (2025) 212
83 Stower Provost Community School – 40% (2025) 92
84 Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School – 39% (2025) 119
85 Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary School – 38% (2025) 95
86 Marshwood CofE Primary Academy Requires Improvement 38% (2025) 43
87 Portesham Church of England Primary School – 38% (2025) 46
88 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School Needs attention 31% (2025) 99
89 St Catherine's Roman Catholic School Needs attention 30% (2025) 100
90 All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School – – 130
91 Broadmayne First School and Nursery Good – 139
92 Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School Good – 77
93 Cheselbourne Village School Good – 49
94 Colehill First School Good – 148
95 Cranborne Church of England First School Good – 73
96 Damers First School – – 475
97 Ferndown First School – – 348
98 Frome Valley CofE First School – – 141
99 Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School Expected standard – 134
100 Hayeswood First School Good – 148
101 Henbury View First School Good – 148
102 Hillside Community First School – – 221
103 Manor Park Church of England First School Expected standard – 396
104 Milborne St Andrew First School – – 43
105 Oakhurst Community First School Expected standard – 173
106 Pamphill Church of England First School Good – 67
107 Parley First School Good – 313
108 Piddle Valley Church of England First School Good – 40
109 Puddletown Church of England First School – – 134
110 Rushcombe First School Outstanding – 313
111 Sixpenny Handley First School and Nursery – – 73
112 St James Church of England First School – – 134
113 St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt – – 125
114 St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne Good – 148
115 St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester – – 177
116 St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster – – 148
117 St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery – – 148
118 Sturminster Marshall First School – – 49
119 The Prince of Wales School – – 156
120 Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary Academy – – 34
121 Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School Good – 84
122 Trinity Church of England First School – – 128
123 Upton Infant School – – 250
124 Verwood Church of England First School Good – 289
125 Wimborne First School and Nursery Good – 400
126 Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery – – 70
127 Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School Needs attention – 60
128 Witchampton Church of England First School Good – 45
129 Wyke Regis Infant School and Nursery Good – 220

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