What are the best private schools in Dorset?

Based on Ofsted ratings and exam results, the top-ranked private schools in Dorset include Bryanston School, Castle Court School, and Clayesmore School. Rankings are updated regularly using the latest data from the Department for Education.

How many Ofsted Outstanding private schools are in Dorset?

Dorset has 6 private schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted. A further 98 are rated Good, meaning 86% of inspected schools hold a Good or Outstanding rating.

How are private schools in Dorset ranked on Eduscope?

Schools are ranked using a composite score that combines Ofsted or ISI inspection ratings, Key Stage exam results, pupil progress measures, and other performance indicators published by the Department for Education. The score is recalculated regularly as new data becomes available.

What is the average class size in Dorset private schools?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across private schools in Dorset is 19:1. While this is not a direct measure of class size, it indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil.

How much do private schools in Dorset cost?

Fees for private schools in Dorset vary by school and age group. Day school fees typically range from £10,000 to £20,000 per year, while boarding fees can exceed £30,000. Individual school pages on Eduscope include fee information where available.

Best Private Schools in Dorset

21 private schools found

Key Facts

There are 21 private schools in Dorset, accounting for 6.5% of all schools in the area, with a total of 5,141 pupils.
In Dorset, 100.0% of inspected private schools are rated Good or Outstanding, with 1 Outstanding and 5 Good out of 6 inspected.
Private schools in Dorset have 0.0% of pupils eligible for free school meals, compared to the national average of 23.8%, and 25.5% have special educational needs.
The Attainment 8 score for private schools in Dorset is 26.83, and only 0.3% of pupils achieve grade 5+ in English & maths, falling short of national averages.

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Independent

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–

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–

Arbour House School

DT4 7QF

Independent · Primary · Ages 6–18

KS2 Expected–

Absence–

Pupils29

P/T Ratio–

Aurora Beeches School

Wimborne, BH21 5RT

Independent · Primary · Ages 11–16

KS2 Expected–

Absence–

Pupils42

P/T Ratio–

Graduately Developing Futures

Dorset, BH16 6DA

Independent · Primary · Ages 6–14

KS2 Expected–

Absence–

Pupils14

P/T Ratio–

Ringwood Waldorf School

Ringwood, BH24 2NN

Independent · Primary · Ages 2–19

KS2 Expected–

Absence–

Pupils256

P/T Ratio–

Sheiling School

Ringwood, BH24 2EB

Independent · Primary · Ages 5–19

KS2 Expected–

Absence–

Pupils34

P/T Ratio–

The Luccombe Hub

Blandford Forum, DT11 0BD

Independent · Primary · Ages 8–18

KS2 Expected–

Absence–

Pupils29

P/T Ratio–

The Forum School

Blandford Forum, DT11 0QS

Independent · Primary · Ages 7–19

KS2 Expected–

Absence–

Pupils24

P/T Ratio–

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 21 private schools in Dorset, including state-funded, academies, and independent schools.

Area Benchmarks

Metric	Dorset	England
Primary ResultsKS2 Expected Standard	54%	61%
Secondary ResultsProgress 8	-0.10	+0.00
Attainment 8	26.8	46.1
AttendancePersistent Absence	21%	20%
ResourcesPupil-Teacher Ratio	19.3:1	18.1:1
Spending per Pupil	£7,964	£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.

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Best Private Schools in Dorset

Key Facts

Bryanston School

Castle Court School

Clayesmore School

Dumpton School

Hanford School

Kingfisher School

Leweston School

Milton Abbey School

Port Regis Preparatory School

Sherborne Preparatory School

Sherborne School

Sherborne School for Girls

Sunninghill Preparatory School

Yarrells Preparatory School

Arbour House School

Aurora Beeches School

Graduately Developing Futures

Ringwood Waldorf School

Sheiling School

The Luccombe Hub

The Forum School

Frequently Asked Questions

How many private schools are in Dorset?

What are the best private schools in Dorset?

How many Ofsted Outstanding private schools are in Dorset?

How are private schools in Dorset ranked on Eduscope?

What is the average class size in Dorset private schools?

How much do private schools in Dorset cost?

Area Benchmarks

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