Dorset schools and admissions data

Dorset Council has 158 primary schools and 48 secondary schools. 12% of Dorset's schools are private schools. 46 state schools in Dorset follow the local authority's admissions criteria, while 119 set their own.

Get detailed data on schools in Dorset

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Ofsted ratings
in Dorset

  1. Outstanding 28
  2. Good 91
  3. Requires Improvement 24
  4. Inadequate 12

Most popular state schools
in Dorset in 2019

  1. Primary
  2. Secondary
  1. 1

    Loders CofE Primary Academy

    Academy sponsor led • Bridport

    Ofsted: None

  2. 2

    St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

    Academy sponsor led • Preston, Weymouth

    Ofsted: None

  3. 3

    St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

    Academy sponsor led • Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury

    Ofsted: None

  4. 4

    Atlantic Academy Portland

    Academy sponsor led • Southwell Park, Portland

    Ofsted: None

  5. 5

    Emmanuel Middle Church of England Middle School

    Academy sponsor led • Verwood

    Ofsted: None

  6. 6

    Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

    Voluntary aided school • Bridport

    Ofsted: Good

  7. 7

    Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School

    Academy converter • Corfe Castle, Wareham

    Ofsted: Requires Improvement

  8. 8

    St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

    Academy converter • Wool, Wareham

    Ofsted: Requires Improvement

  9. 9

    Beechcroft St Pauls CofE Primary School

    Academy converter • Weymouth

    Ofsted: Requires Improvement

  10. 10

    Swanage Primary School

    Community school • Mount Scar, Swanage

    Ofsted: Good

  11. 11

    St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown

    Academy converter • Dorchester

    Ofsted: Good

  12. 12

    St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster

    Voluntary controlled school • Charminster, Dorchester

    Ofsted: Good

  13. 13

    St Catherine's Roman Catholic School

    Academy converter • Bridport

    Ofsted: Requires Improvement

  14. 14

    Cranborne Middle School

    Community school • Wimborne

    Ofsted: Good

  15. 15

    Wool Church of England Primary School

    Academy sponsor led • Wool, Wareham

    Ofsted: Inadequate

  16. 16

    Pamphill Church of England First School

    Academy sponsor led • Wimborne

    Ofsted: Inadequate

  17. 17

    Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

    Voluntary aided school • Evershot, Dorchester

    Ofsted: Good

  18. 18

    Dorchester Middle School

    Academy converter • Dorchester

    Ofsted: Requires Improvement

  19. 19

    Beaminster St Mary's Academy

    Academy sponsor led • Beaminster

    Ofsted: Requires Improvement

  20. 20

    Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School

    Academy converter • Blandford St Mary, Blandford Forum

    Ofsted: Good

  1. 1

    Sheiling College

    Special post 16 institution • Ashley, Ringwood, Hampshire

    Ofsted: None

  2. 2

    Dorset Studio School

    Studio schools • Dorchester

    Ofsted: None

  3. 3

    Employ My Ability (EMA) Ltd

    Special post 16 institution • Moreton, Dorchester

    Ofsted: None

  4. 4

    Aurora Boveridge College

    Special post 16 institution • Wimborne

    Ofsted: None

  5. 5

    Harbour School Dorset

    Free schools special • Bovington

    Ofsted: None

  6. 6

    Wey Valley Academy

    Academy converter • Weymouth

    Ofsted: Inadequate

  7. 7

    All Saints' Church of England Academy

    Academy sponsor led • Wyke Regis, Weymouth

    Ofsted: Inadequate

  8. 8

    Budmouth Academy Weymouth

    Academy sponsor led • Weymouth

    Ofsted: Inadequate

  9. 9

    The Sir John Colfox Academy

    Academy converter • Bridport

    Ofsted: Good

  10. 10

    The Blandford School

    Voluntary controlled school • Blandford Forum

    Ofsted: Requires Improvement

Popularity is based on the number of first preference applications a school received compared to the number of places available, where we have this data. Where places available data isn't held, first preferences are compared to the number of offers made.

Visit Dorset's website to find out more.

Also see Dorset's Ofsted reports and school performance dashboard