Schools

Dorset schools and Ofsted

Every state school and nursery in Dorset, 162 in all, with its latest Ofsted inspection. 81% were judged good or better at their last inspection. 22 have the new-style report cards, which grade each area of the school rather than giving one word.

162state schools and nurseries

81%good or betterat their last inspection

22new report cardssince November 2025

18inspections publishedin the last six months

Darker means a bigger share of schools judged good or better. Tap an area for its page.

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Latest inspections

Every school


All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolDT9 5NQ	Primary	Bishop's Caundle	School remains Good (2023)
All Saints' Church of England AcademyDT4 9BJ	Secondary	Wyke Regis	Requires improvement (2024)
Allenbourn Middle SchoolBH21 1PL	Secondary	Wimborne Minster	Outstanding in 2, good in 2 (2025)
Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary SchoolDT11 8SW	Primary	Blandford Forum	School remains Good (2023)
Atlantic Academy PortlandDT5 2NA	Secondary	Southwell	Report card Jul 2026: Expected standard in 2, needs attention in 5
Beaminster SchoolDT8 3EP	Secondary	Beaminster	Good (2023)
Beaminster St Mary's AcademyDT8 3BY	Primary	Beaminster	Good (2023)
Beaucroft Foundation SchoolBH21 2SS	Special	Colehill	Good (2024)
Beechcroft St Paul's CofE Primary SchoolDT4 0LQ	Primary	Westham	Requires improvement (2024)
Bere Regis Primary and PreschoolBH20 7DB	Primary	Holton Heath	Good in every area (2025)
Bincombe Valley Primary SchoolDT3 6AW	Primary	Littlemoor	Report card Apr 2026: Expected standard in 4, needs attention in 3
Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolDT11 9QD	Primary	Blandford St Mary	Standards maintained (2025)
Bovington AcademyBH20 6LE	Primary	Bovington	Good (2023)
Bridport Primary SchoolDT6 3BJ	Primary	Bridport	Good (2023)
Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary SchoolDT6 5LA	Primary	Bridport	Good (2024)
Broadmayne First SchoolDT2 8PH	Primary	Broadmayne	Good (2023)
Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolDT8 3QL	Primary	Broadwindsor	Requires improvement (2024)
Buckland Newton Church of England Primary SchoolDT2 7BY	Primary	Buckland Newton	Report card Apr 2026: Expected standard in every area
Budmouth Academy WeymouthDT4 9SY	Secondary	Charlestown	Requires improvement (2024)
Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled SchoolDT6 4QS	Primary	Burton Bradstock	Standards maintained (2025)
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First SchoolDT2 7LA	Primary	Cerne Abbas	Good (2023)
Charmouth Primary SchoolDT6 6LR	Primary	Charmouth	Requires improvement (2022)
Cheselbourne Village SchoolDT2 7NT	Primary	Milborne St Andrew	School remains Good (2023)
Chickerell Primary AcademyDT3 4AT	Primary	Chickerell	Standards maintained (2025)
Colehill First SchoolBH21 2LZ	Primary	Colehill	Good (2023)
Conifers Primary SchoolDT4 0QF	Primary	Westham	Good (2022)
Corfe Castle Church of England Primary SchoolBH20 5EE	Primary	Corfe Castle	Good (2023)
Corfe Hills SchoolBH18 9BG	Secondary	Corfe Mullen	Good (2021)
Cranborne Church of England First SchoolBH21 5QB	Primary	Cranborne	Good (2023)
Cranborne Middle SchoolBH21 5RP	Secondary	Cranborne	Some aspects not as strong (2025)
Damers First SchoolDT1 3DF	Primary	Poundbury	Standards maintained (2025)
Dorchester Learning CentreDT2 9PS	Alternative provision	Poundbury	Good (2022)
Dorchester Middle SchoolDT1 2HS	Secondary	Dorchester	Report card Jul 2026: Strong standard in 1, expected standard in 4, needs attention in 1
Dorset Studio SchoolDT2 8PX	Secondary	Fordington	Good (2024)
Downlands Community SchoolDT11 8BG	Primary	Pimperne	Report card Mar 2026: Expected standard in 4, needs attention in 3
Dunbury Church of England AcademyDT11 0AW	Primary	Milton Abbas	School remains Good (2023)
Durweston Church of England Primary SchoolDT11 0QA	Primary	Durweston	Report card Apr 2026: Strong standard in every area
Emmanuel Church of England Middle SchoolBH31 6JF	Secondary	Verwood	Good (2022)
Ferndown First SchoolBH22 9FB	Primary	Ferndown	School remains Good (2023)
Ferndown Middle SchoolBH22 9UP	Secondary	Ferndown	School remains Good (2023)
Ferndown Upper SchoolBH22 9EY	Secondary	Ferndown	Report card May 2026: Strong standard in 5, expected standard in 2
Frome Valley CofE First SchoolDT2 8WR	Primary	Crossways	Good in 2, requires improvement in 2 (2025)
Gillingham Primary SchoolSP8 4QR	Primary	Gillingham	Report card Apr 2026: Expected standard in 3, needs attention in 4
Gillingham SchoolSP8 4QP	Secondary	Gillingham	Good (2023)
Harbour Vale SchoolDT9 4DN	Alternative provision	Sherborne	Good (2024)
Hawkchurch Church of England SchoolEX13 5XD	Primary	Marshwood	Good in every area (2025)
Hayeswood First SchoolBH21 2HN	Primary	Colehill	Good (2024)
Hazelbury Bryan Primary SchoolDT10 2ED	Primary	Hazelbury Bryan	Good (2023)
Henbury View First SchoolBH21 3TR	Primary	Corfe Mullen	Good (2024)
Hillside Community First SchoolBH31 7HE	Primary	Verwood	School remains Good (2023)
Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community NurseryDT4 9QX	Primary	Rodwell	Good (2024)
Lockyer's Middle SchoolBH21 3HQ	Secondary	Corfe Mullen	Good (2022)
Loders CofE Primary AcademyDT6 3SA	Primary	Loders	Standards maintained (2024)
Ludwell Primary SchoolSP7 9ND	Primary	Shaftesbury	Good (2024)
Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary SchoolBH20 5SA	Primary	West Lulworth	Good in every area (2025)
Lytchett Matravers Primary SchoolBH16 6DY	Primary	Lytchett Matravers	Good (2023)
Lytchett Minster SchoolBH16 6JD	Secondary	Lytchett Minster	School remains Good (2023)
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary SchoolDT2 0AX	Primary	Maiden Newton	Good (2024)
Manor Park Church of England First SchoolDT1 2BH	Primary	Dorchester	Report card Mar 2026: Expected standard in every area
Marshwood CofE Primary AcademyDT6 5QA	Primary	Marshwood	Requires improvement (2024)
Milborne St Andrew First SchoolDT11 0JE	Primary	Milborne St Andrew	School remains Good (2023)
Milldown CofE AcademyDT11 7SN	Primary	Blandford Forum	Good (2022)
Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary SchoolSP8 5QD	Primary	Gillingham	Good (2023)
Motcombe CofE Primary SchoolSP7 9NT	Primary	Motcombe	Good (2023)
Mountjoy SchoolDT8 3HB	Special	Beaminster	Good (2023)
Oakhurst Community First SchoolBH22 0DY	Primary	West Moors	Report card Jun 2026: Expected standard in every area
Pamphill Church of England First SchoolBH21 4EE	Primary	Pamphill	Good (2023)
Parley First SchoolBH22 8QE	Primary	West Parley	Good (2023)
Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolDT8 3JQ	Primary	Mosterton	School remains Good (2022)
Piddle Valley Church of England First SchoolDT2 7QL	Primary	Piddletrenthide	Good (2024)
Pimperne Church of England VC Primary SchoolDT11 8WF	Primary	Pimperne	Not inspected since it opened in 2024
Portesham Church of England Primary SchoolDT3 4HP	Primary	Portesham	Good in every area (2025)
Portfield SchoolBH23 6BP	Special	West Parley	Standards maintained (2024)
Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolDT6 3TB	Primary	Powerstock	Requires improvement (2024)
Primrose Lane Primary SchoolBA21 5FH	Primary	Trent	Standards maintained (2025)
Puddletown Church of England First SchoolDT2 8FZ	Primary	Puddletown	Good in every area (2025)
Queen Elizabeth's SchoolBH21 4DT	Secondary	Pamphill	Requires improvement (2024)
Radipole Primary SchoolDT3 5HS	Primary	Radipole	School remains Good (2023)
Rushcombe First SchoolBH21 3PX	Primary	Corfe Mullen	Outstanding (2023)
Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolDT6 5JE	Primary	Symondsbury	Good (2023)
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolBH20 7BN	Primary	Sandford	Good (2022)
Semley Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolSP7 9AU	Primary	Motcombe	School remains Good (2023)
Shaftesbury Church of England Primary SchoolSP7 8PZ	Primary	Shaftesbury	Report card Jul 2026: Expected standard in 3, needs attention in 4
Shaftesbury SchoolSP7 8ER	Secondary	Shaftesbury	Good (2023)
Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary SchoolDT9 6AQ	Primary	Sherborne	Report card Jul 2026: Strong standard in 2, expected standard in 5
Sherborne Primary SchoolDT9 4AJ	Primary	Sherborne	Report card Feb 2026: Expected standard in 5, needs attention in 2
Shillingstone Church of England Primary SchoolDT11 0TX	Primary	Shillingstone	Good (2023)
Sixpenny Handley First School and NurserySP5 5NJ	Primary	Sixpenny Handley	School remains Good (2023)
Southill Primary SchoolDT4 9UF	Primary	Southill	Good (2022)
Spetisbury CofE Primary SchoolDT11 9DF	Primary	Blandford St Mary	School remains Good (2023)
St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolDT9 6LS	Primary	Yetminster	Report card May 2026: Expected standard in 1, needs attention in 6
St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolDT3 6AA	Primary	Preston	Some aspects not as strong (2025)
St Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolSP7 0PF	Primary	Iwerne Minster	Good in every area (2024)
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School, WeymouthDT4 0RH	Primary	Westham	Good (2024)
St Catherine's Roman Catholic SchoolDT6 3TR	Primary	Bridport	Report card Mar 2026: Expected standard in 2, needs attention in 5
St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton MatraversBH19 3HB	Primary	Langton Matravers	Good (2023)
St George's Church of England School, BourtonSP8 5BN	Primary	Bourton	Good in every area (2025)
St George's Foundation Primary SchoolDT5 2BD	Primary	Easton	Report card Jun 2026: Expected standard in 6, needs attention in 1
St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, MarnhullDT10 1PZ	Primary	Marnhull	Requires improvement (2023)
St Ives Primary & Nursery SchoolBH24 2LE	Primary	St Leonards	Outstanding (2024)
St James Church of England First SchoolBH21 4JN	Primary	Colehill	Good in every area (2025)
St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, AlderholtSP6 3AJ	Primary	Alderholt	School remains Good (2023)
St John's Church of England First School, WimborneBH21 1BX	Primary	Wimborne Minster	Good (2023)
St John's Church of England Primary SchoolDT4 7TP	Primary	Melcombe Regis	Good (2024)
St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolBH20 6DS	Primary	Wool	Requires improvement (2024)
St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary SchoolSP8 4GG	Primary	Gillingham	School remains Good (2023)
St Mary's Catholic First School, DorchesterDT1 2DD	Primary	Fordington	School remains Good (2023)
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, MarnhullDT10 1JX	Primary	Marnhull	Good (2023)
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, SwanageBH19 1QE	Primary	Swanage	Good (2022)
St Mary's Church of England First School, CharminsterDT2 9RD	Primary	Charminster	Not inspected since it opened in 2025
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, PuddletownDT2 8SA	Secondary	Puddletown	Some aspects not as strong (2025)
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford AbbasDT9 6RH	Primary	Bradford Abbas	Report card Jun 2026: Expected standard in 5, needs attention in 2
St Mary's CofE First School & NurseryBH22 0JF	Primary	West Moors	Good in every area (2025)
St Michael's Church of England Middle School, ColehillBH21 7AB	Secondary	Colehill	School remains Good (2024)
St Michael's CofE Primary School, Lyme RegisDT7 3DY	Primary	Lyme Regis	Requires improvement (2022)
St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary SchoolDT3 5DQ	Primary	Broadwey	Outstanding in 1, good in 3 (2025)
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child OkefordDT11 8EL	Primary	Child Okeford	Report card May 2026: Expected standard in 2, needs attention in 4, urgent improvement in 1
St Osmund's Church of England Middle SchoolDT1 2DZ	Secondary	Dorchester	Good (2022)
Stalbridge Church of England Primary SchoolDT10 2LP	Primary	Stalbridge	School remains Good (2023)
Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolDT2 0JP	Primary	Evershot	Outstanding in 1, good in 3 (2024)
Stoborough Church of England Primary SchoolBH20 5AD	Primary	Stoborough	School remains Good (2023)
Stower Provost Community SchoolSP8 5LX	Primary	Marnhull	Good in every area (2025)
Sturminster Marshall First SchoolBH21 4AY	Primary	Sturminster Marshall	Good in 2, requires improvement in 2 (2025)
Sturminster Newton High SchoolDT10 1DT	Secondary	Sturminster Newton	Report card Jun 2026: Expected standard in every area
Swanage Primary SchoolBH19 2EY	Primary	Swanage	Good (2019)
Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolBH19 2PH	Primary	Langton Matravers	School remains Good (2024)
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolDT6 6HD	Primary	Symondsbury	Outstanding in 2, good in 2 (2025)
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, ShaftesburySP7 8HQ	Primary	Shaftesbury	School remains Good (2023)
The Blandford SchoolDT11 7SQ	Secondary	Blandford Forum	Good (2024)
The CompassDT4 0QU	Alternative provision	Westham	Standards maintained (2024)
The Forum CentreDT11 7BX	Alternative provision	Blandford Forum	Standards maintained (2025)
The Gryphon SchoolDT9 4EQ	Secondary	Sherborne	School remains Good (2023)
The Prince of Wales SchoolDT1 2HH	Primary	Poundbury	Outstanding in 2, good in 2 (2025)
The Purbeck SchoolBH20 4PF	Secondary	Wareham	Improved significantly (2025)
The Sir John Colfox AcademyDT6 3DT	Secondary	Bridport	School remains Good (2023)
The Swanage SchoolBH19 2PH	Secondary	Langton Matravers	Good (2023)
The Thomas Hardye SchoolDT1 2ET	Secondary	Poundbury	Good in every area (2025)
Thorncombe, St Mary's Church of England Primary AcademyTA20 4NE	Primary	Thorncombe	Requires improvement (2023)
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton CheneyDT2 9AU	Primary	Litton Cheney	Good in every area (2024)
Thornford CofE Primary SchoolDT9 6QY	Primary	Thornford	Outstanding in 2, good in 2 (2025)
Three Legged Cross First and Nursery SchoolBH21 6RF	Primary	Three Legged Cross	Good (2023)
Trent Young's CofE Primary SchoolDT9 4SW	Primary	Trent	Standards maintained (2025)
Trinity Church of England First SchoolBH31 7PG	Primary	Verwood	Outstanding in 2, good in 2 (2025)
Upton Infant SchoolBH16 5LQ	Primary	Upton	School remains Good (2023)
Upton Junior SchoolBH16 5NQ	Primary	Upton	Good (2023)
Verwood Church of England First SchoolBH31 6JF	Primary	Verwood	Good (2023)
Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolBH20 4PG	Primary	Wareham	Good (2022)
West Moors Middle SchoolBH22 0DA	Secondary	West Moors	Report card Jul 2026: Strong standard in 2, expected standard in 4
Westfield Arts CollegeDT3 6AA	Special	Preston	School remains Outstanding (2023)
Wey Valley AcademyDT3 5AN	Secondary	Broadwey	Good (2023)
Whitesheet Church of England Primary AcademyBA12 6NL	Primary	Bourton	Report card Jun 2026: Expected standard in every area
William Barnes Primary SchoolDT10 1BZ	Primary	Sturminster Newton	School remains Good (2023)
Wimborne First School and NurseryBH21 4FW	Primary	Wimborne Minster	Good (2024)
Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and NurseryBH21 5LX	Primary	Wimborne St Giles	School remains Good (2023)
Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First SchoolDT2 9LW	Primary	Winterbourne Abbas	Report card Apr 2026: Expected standard in 6, needs attention in 1
Witchampton Church of England First SchoolBH21 5AP	Primary	Pamphill	Good (2023)
Wool Church of England Primary SchoolBH20 6BT	Primary	Wool	Good (2023)
Wyke Primary SchoolSP8 4SH	Primary	Gillingham	Requires improvement (2022)
Wyke Regis Church of England Junior SchoolDT4 9NU	Primary	Wyke Regis	Good (2022)
Wyke Regis Infant School and NurseryDT4 9LU	Primary	Wyke Regis	Standards maintained (2025)
Wyvern AcademyDT3 5AL	Special	Broadwey	Standards maintained (2024)
Yewstock SchoolDT10 1EW	Special	Sturminster Newton	School remains Outstanding (2023)

How the new report cards work

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area of a school (achievement, teaching, behaviour, personal development, inclusion, leadership) on a five-point scale: exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, urgent improvement. Safeguarding is met or not met. Across the 22 Dorset report cards so far, the grades given were: expected standard 93 times, needs attention 41 times, strong standard 17 times, urgent improvement 1 times.

Schools inspected before then have a single grade (outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate), or from September 2024 a grade for each area without an overall one. Short “ungraded” visits check a school is still at its last grade.

Where the figures come from

Ofsted publishes the latest inspection of every state-funded school each month, under the Open Government Licence. We keep those at DT, BH, SP and TA postcodes and show here the ones in Dorset. Independent schools and childminders aren’t included. Each school links to its full report on the Ofsted website.

Schools in every area

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

Gillingham

H

I

Iwerne Minster

K

L

M

N

O

Okeford Fitzpaine

P

R

S

T

U

V

Verwood

W

Y

Yetminster

Questions people ask

How many schools in Dorset are rated good or better?

81% of the 162 state schools and nurseries in Dorset were judged good or better at their last Ofsted inspection.

What are Ofsted report cards?

Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area of a school separately, from exceptional to urgent improvement, instead of giving one overall word.

How many schools are there in Dorset?

There are 162 state-funded schools and nurseries in Dorset: 123 primary, 29 secondary, 6 special, 4 alternative provision.