Schools in Dorset

132 schools with published admissions figures

Page 1 of 2. Showing 60 of 117 schools.

The newest figures for each school. "1st prefs per place" is how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out. It measures demand, not whether a child would get a place. A dash means the figure is not available.

How the 2026 round went in Dorset

Primary

For September 2026, 93.9% of families applying for a primary place here were offered their first choice, and 99.0% were offered one of the three schools they named.

The council's primary schools between them had 3,692 places for 2,795 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Secondary

For September 2026, 97.9% of families applying for a secondary place here were offered their first choice, and 99.0% were offered one of the three schools they named.

The council's secondary schools between them had 2,797 places for 2,105 applications. That is a total for the whole council and says nothing about any one school in it.

Source: Department for Education, applications and offers. The same round across England.

If a family is refused a place

In 2026, families in Dorset lodged 120 appeals about a school place.

85 of them were heard by a panel and 28 succeeded, which is about 33 in every 100 heard.

The other 35 did not reach a panel. Most appeals that do not are withdrawn because a place comes up first.

This is a record of decisions already made. A panel hears one case at a time and decides it on what that family sets out, so these figures do not indicate what would happen in any particular appeal.

Source: Department for Education, admission appeals in England, reporting year 2026. Counts every school in this council area. The share that succeeded is taken over appeals heard by a panel, not over appeals lodged.

Primary

School 1st prefs per place Demand since Latest Ofsted
All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Sherborne
1.00 - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School
Blandford Forum
0.95 - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Beaminster St Mary's Academy
Beaminster
0.93 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary School
Weymouth
0.86 - Requires improvement
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Bere Regis Primary and Preschool
Wareham
1.00 - Not judged
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Bincombe Valley Primary School
Weymouth
1.07 - Needs attention
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School
Blandford Forum
1.10 - Standards maintained
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Bovington Academy
Wareham
0.92 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Bridport Primary School
Bridport
1.00 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
Bridport
1.00 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Broadmayne First School and Nursery
Dorchester
0.95 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Beaminster
- - Requires improvement
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School
Dorchester
1.00 - Expected standard
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School
Bridport
- - Standards maintained
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School
Dorchester
1.00 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Charmouth Primary School
Bridport
- - Requires improvement
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Cheselbourne Village School
DORCHESTER
- - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Chickerell Primary Academy
Weymouth
0.82 - Standards maintained
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Colehill First School
Wimborne
1.10 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Conifers Primary School
Weymouth
1.10 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School
Wareham
1.00 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Cranborne Church of England First School
Wimborne
0.93 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Damers First School
Dorchester
0.91 - Standards maintained
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Downlands Community School
Blandford Forum
0.95 - Needs attention
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Dunbury Church of England Academy
Winterborne Whitechurch
0.90 - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Durweston Church of England Primary School
Blandford Forum
1.00 - Strong standard
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Ferndown First School
Ferndown
0.85 - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Frome Valley CofE First School
Dorchester
1.00 - Not judged
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Gillingham Primary School
Gillingham
1.00 - Needs attention
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School
Wimborne
0.82 - none held
Hayeswood First School
Wimborne
1.13 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Hazelbury Bryan Primary School
Sturminster Newton
1.07 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Henbury View First School
Wimborne
1.20 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Hillside Community First School
Verwood
0.93 - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery
Weymouth
0.98 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Loders CofE Primary Academy
Bridport
- - Standards maintained
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary School
Wareham
- - Not judged
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Lytchett Matravers Primary School
Poole
1.08 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School
Dorchester
0.94 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Manor Park Church of England First School
Dorchester
0.95 - Expected standard
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Marshwood CofE Primary Academy
Bridport
- - Requires improvement
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Milborne St Andrew First School
Blandford Forum
- - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Milldown CofE Academy
Blandford Forum
1.00 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School
Gillingham
- - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Motcombe CofE Primary School
Shaftesbury
- - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Oakhurst Community First School
Ferndown
1.03 - Expected standard
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Pamphill Church of England First School
Wimborne
1.00 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Parley First School
Ferndown
1.14 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Beaminster
1.00 - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Piddle Valley Church of England First School
Dorchester
- - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School
Blandford Forum
0.84 - none held
Portesham Church of England Primary School
Weymouth
- - Not judged
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Bridport
- - Requires improvement
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Puddletown Church of England First School
Dorchester
1.00 - Not judged
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Radipole Primary School
Weymouth
1.17 - School remains Good
Ofsted ungraded inspection
Rushcombe First School
Wimborne
1.42 - Outstanding
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Bridport
1.13 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Wareham
0.91 - Good
Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework)
Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School
Shaftesbury
1.00 - Expected standard
Ofsted report card (current framework)
Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School
Sherborne
0.93 - Expected standard
Ofsted report card (current framework)

Elsewhere