Best Primary Schools in Dorset
154 primary schools found
Key Facts
- In Dorset, 154 primary schools, accounting for 48.0% of all primary schools, educate 27,314 pupils across the region.
- Dorset's primary schools have an Ofsted rating of 86.3% Good or Outstanding, with 5 Outstanding and 77 Good ratings out of 95 inspected schools.
- With 17.0% of pupils eligible for free school meals, Dorset's primary schools have a lower proportion than the national average, and a spending per pupil of £8,038.
- Dorset primary schools have a pupil-teacher ratio of 20.86, and 52.8% of pupils meet the expected standard at KS2, with a persistent absence rate of 14.5%.
Bryanston School
Blandford Forum, DT11 0PX
Independent · Primary · Ages 3–18
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils778
P/T Ratio–
Castle Court School
BH21 3RF
Independent · Primary · Ages 2–13
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils259
P/T Ratio–
Clayesmore School
Blandford Forum, DT11 8LL
Independent · Primary · Ages 2–19
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils489
P/T Ratio–
Dumpton School
Wimborne, BH21 7AF
Independent · Primary · Ages 2–13
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils339
P/T Ratio–
Hanford School
Blandford Forum, DT11 8HN
Independent · Primary · Ages 7–13 · Girls
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils69
P/T Ratio–
Kingfisher School
Weymouth, DT4 0JH
Independent · Primary · Ages 6–16
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils2
P/T Ratio–
Leweston School
Sherborne, DT9 6EN
Independent · Primary · Ages 2–19
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils576
P/T Ratio–
Milton Abbey School
Blandford Forum, DT11 0BZ
Independent · Primary · Ages 13–19
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils218
P/T Ratio–
Port Regis Preparatory School
Shaftesbury, SP7 9QA
Independent · Primary · Ages 2–13
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils317
P/T Ratio–
Sherborne Preparatory School
Sherborne, DT9 3NY
Independent · Primary · Ages 3–14
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils198
P/T Ratio–
Sherborne School
Sherborne, DT9 3AP
Independent · Primary · Ages 13–19 · Boys
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils573
P/T Ratio–
Sherborne School for Girls
Sherborne, DT9 3QN
Independent · Primary · Ages 11–18 · Girls
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils466
P/T Ratio–
SP
Sunninghill Preparatory School
Dorchester, DT1 1EB
Independent · Primary · Ages 2–13
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils171
P/T Ratio–
Yarrells Preparatory School
Poole, BH16 5EU
Independent · Primary · Ages 2–11
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils258
P/T Ratio–
Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School
Gillingham, SP8 5QD
Academy · Primary · Ages 4–11
KS2 Expected–
Absence–
Pupils122
P/T Ratio17.4
All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
Sherborne, DT9 5NQ
Academy · Primary · Ages 4–11
St Ives Primary & Nursery School
Ofsted
Outstanding
Ringwood, BH24 2LE
Academy · Primary · Ages 2–11
KS2 Expected87%
Absence3.7%
Pupils256
P/T Ratio24.9
Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery
Wimborne, BH21 5LX
Academy · Primary · Ages 2–9
KS2 Expected–
Absence5.9%
Pupils62
P/T Ratio14.8
HS
Harbour School Dorset
Ofsted
Good
BH20 6NU
Primary · Ages 10–19
KS2 Expected0%
Absence31.2%
Pupils140
P/T Ratio5.5
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull
Ofsted
Good
Sturminster Newton, DT10 1JX
Academy · Primary · Ages 2–11
KS2 Expected54%
Absence5.9%
Pupils87
P/T Ratio18.9
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 155 primary schools in Dorset, including state-funded, academies, and independent schools.
Area Benchmarks
| Metric | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|
| School QualityGood or Outstanding (Ofsted) | 86% | 90% |
| Primary ResultsKS2 Expected Standard | 53% | 61% |
| AttendancePersistent Absence | 15% | 20% |
| ResourcesPupil-Teacher Ratio | 20.9:1 | 18.1:1 |
| Spending per Pupil | £8,038 | £7,460 |
About This Data
- •School information is sourced from Get Information About Schools (GIAS), the official UK government register maintained by the Department for Education.
- •Inspection ratings are from Ofsted (state schools) and ISI (independent schools).
- •Performance data includes Key Stage 2, GCSE, and A-Level results from the Department for Education.