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South West local authority

Schools in Dorset

Search and compare schools in Dorset with map view, rankings, Ofsted context, performance data and admissions research links. Use this page as a local hub before opening individual school profiles or building a side-by-side comparison.

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Starting school in September 2027

  • Secondary (Year 7): apply by 31 October 2026; offers on 1 March 2027.
  • Primary (Reception): apply by 15 January 2027; offers on 16 April 2027.

National dates for England. You apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council.

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Add a postcode and the table below reorders by distance.

Phase
Schools indexed
183
in Dorset
Average Attainment 8
43.4
national 46.4
Average Progress 8
-0.14
national 0.00
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
39%
national 45%
Good or Outstanding
64%
of 106 inspected

Averages cover state mainstream schools, the basis of the national figures. Special and independent schools are in the table below but not in the averages.

Ofsted across Dorset

Most recent inspection outcome for every school with a published judgement. Click a bar to filter the table.

Spread of Attainment 8

Number of Dorset secondaries in each band. Click a bar to filter the table.

Dorset schools

Ranked by Attainment 8 — switch the measure to reorder

View on map
Select#SchoolAttainment 8Progress 85+ Eng & maths
1The Woodroffe School
Foundation school · Good
50.0+0.1953%
2The Purbeck School
Academy converter
49.0+0.6049%
3Lytchett Minster School
Foundation school
47.9+0.3850%
4The Thomas Hardye School
Academy converter · Not judged
47.8+0.3051%
5The Gryphon School
Academy converter
47.4-0.0645%
6Gillingham School
Voluntary controlled school · Good
46.8-0.1845%
7Ferndown Upper School
Community school
45.9+0.3442%
8The Sir John Colfox Academy
Academy converter
45.9+0.0143%
9Beaminster School
Voluntary controlled school · Good
45.4-0.0841%
10Queen Elizabeth's School
Academy converter · Requires improvement
44.4-0.1744%
Showing 1–10 of 183 schools
Page 1 of 19

All schools in Dorset (A–Z)

1–100 of 183 schools · page 1 of 2

Schools by town in Dorset

Search paths for Dorset

Primary schoolsReview KS2 and Ofsted context locally.Secondary schoolsCompare GCSE, Progress 8 and Ofsted data.Outstanding schoolsStart with schools carrying Outstanding inspection context.Nearby school mapExplore schools geographically before comparing.

High-attainment secondary schools in Dorset

The Woodroffe School
SecondaryAttainment 8 50.0Progress 8 +0.19
The Purbeck School
SecondaryAttainment 8 49.0Progress 8 +0.60
Lytchett Minster School
SecondaryAttainment 8 47.9Progress 8 +0.38
The Thomas Hardye School
SecondaryAttainment 8 47.8Progress 8 +0.30
The Gryphon School
SecondaryAttainment 8 47.4Progress 8 -0.06

Catchment distances and university destinations in Dorset

Most leavers to Oxford or Cambridge

  1. The Woodroffe School3.3% (2015/16–2019/20)
  2. Budmouth Academy Weymouth2.1% (2015/16–2019/20)
  3. The Thomas Hardye School2.0% (2015/16–2019/20)
  4. The Sir John Colfox Academy2.0% (2015/16–2019/20)
  5. The Gryphon School2.0% (2015/16–2019/20)

Most leavers to Russell Group universities

  1. The Woodroffe School26.3% (2015/16–2019/20)
  2. The Thomas Hardye School25.0% (2015/16–2019/20)
  3. The Blandford School19.6% (2015/16–2019/20)
  4. The Gryphon School19.3% (2015/16–2019/20)
  5. Lytchett Minster School16.1% (2015/16–2019/20)

Share of sixth-form leavers, pooled over the years shown (Department for Education destination data). England Oxbridge rankings

Schools in other South West areas