In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Schools and nurseries24066 primary · 22 secondary · 126 nurseries
Primaries Good or better96%England 96%
Met the standard at 1163%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths56%Attainment 8 49.9, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary21%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
How school places work in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is a unitary authority in the South West with 66 mainstream primary schools and 22 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. It has 4 grammar schools, which choose pupils by a test. It has 1 middle school, so some children change school at a different age. Most state schools here are academies or free schools (88%), so many set their own term dates and admissions rules.
Good to know in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Burton CE Primary School is a faith school, and families applying on faith grounds must complete and return a supplementary information form. Source
Apart from the four schools the council runs admissions for, primary schools in BCP are academies or voluntary aided schools with their own admission policies. Source
BCP has a separate application page for primary, infant or first school places. Source
For academies, foundation and voluntary aided schools, a request to start outside the normal year group goes to the school's governing body and not to the council. Source
Eligible post-16 students (or their families) are asked to pay towards transport, which is £525 for 2026 to 2027 and can be paid in three termly instalments. Source
From Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
92.2%got their first-choice primary school in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 87 of 151 councils. 99.0% got one of their top three.2.8% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
86.4%got their first-choice secondary school in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 66 of 151 councils. 96.1% got one of their top three.3.1% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
3 of 32 primary appeals heard in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole succeeded in 2025. 31 of 185 secondary appeals heard in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 6 November 2026.
How good are Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's schools?
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 46 primaries with one.
96%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
17 of the 17 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
63%
England 62%
Close to England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
56%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
17%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
21%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 71 schools that have one.
97%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding9
Good60
Requires improvement2
Inadequate0
How it has changed
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1163% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths56% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
97%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
63%
62%
Attainment 8
49.9
46.2
Persistent absence
17%
18%
Pupils per teacher
17.5:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£7,439
£8,120
In education or work after 16
93%
91%
Went on to higher education
45%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
21%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
18%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
20%
27%
DfE local authority code 839, ONS code E06000058.
Living here
What it's like for families
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has 240 schools and nurseries across 4 towns and villages, the biggest being Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Merley.
There are 5% more pupils than in 2018.
21% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's state schools each January.
49.7k2018
50.4k2019
51.5k2021
52.3k2022
52.4k2023
52.7k2024
52.7k2025
52.2k2026
Up 5% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole21%
Keep up with schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
Questions parents ask about Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
How many schools are in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?+
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has 240 schools, including 84 primary schools, 42 secondary schools, 126 nurseries, 11 independent schools, 15 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?+
The highest-ranked schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole on Eduscope are Bournemouth School for Girls, Avonwood Primary School, Bournemouth School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are rated Good or Outstanding?+
97% of inspected schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 9 schools rated Outstanding and 60 rated Good.
How do primary schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, 63% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 17.5:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 16.5%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?+
There are 52,200 pupils enrolled across schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, with 25,232 in primary and 26,968 in secondary. 20.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?+
There are 11 independent schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.
How do I choose the right school in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 240 schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
