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Schools in Sherborne

A town in Dorset

  • Town
  • 11 schools and nurseries
  • 2,232 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, more than across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were close to England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Sherborne at a glance

Strong primary inspections, weaker results at 11

How Sherborne's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries112 primary · 1 secondary · 4 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 95%
  • Met the standard at 1148%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths45%Attainment 8 47.4, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary24%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school19%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Sherborne

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.

All Sherborne primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Sherborne

2 mainstream schools in Sherborne, best first

Sherborne Primary School

Sherborne, DT9 4AJ · Academy · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Needs attention in 2 areas

Results well below the England average.

48 first choices, 47 offers made

Met the standard at 1147%

England 62%

Days missed
5.4%
Pupils
304
Pupils per teacher
21.0
View school Sherborne Primary School
See all 4 primary schools

Top Secondary Schools in Sherborne

1 mainstream schools in Sherborne, best first

The Gryphon School

Sherborne, DT9 4EQ · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

265 first choices, 234 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1647.4

England 46.2

Days missed
7.9%
Pupils
1,569
Pupils per teacher
16.4
View school The Gryphon School
See all 5 secondary schools

Nurseries in Sherborne

4 in Sherborne, highest Ofsted grade first

See all 4 nurseries

Sixth Forms in Sherborne

3 in Sherborne, by the school's Eduscope score

The Gryphon School

Sherborne, DT9 4EQ · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

265 first choices, 234 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1647.4

England 46.2

Days missed
7.9%
Pupils
1,569
Pupils per teacher
16.4
View school The Gryphon School

Sherborne School

Sherborne, DT9 3AP · Independent · Secondary · Ages 13 to 19 · Boys

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
538
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Sherborne School

Sherborne School for Girls

Sherborne, DT9 3QN · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 19 · Girls

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
456
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Sherborne School for Girls

Private Schools in Sherborne

3 in Sherborne. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Sherborne Preparatory School

Sherborne, DT9 3NY · Independent · All-through · Ages 3 to 14

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
204
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Sherborne Preparatory School

Sherborne School

Sherborne, DT9 3AP · Independent · Secondary · Ages 13 to 19 · Boys

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
538
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Sherborne School

Sherborne School for Girls

Sherborne, DT9 3QN · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 19 · Girls

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
456
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Sherborne School for Girls
The map

Every school in Sherborne, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Sherborne Preparatory School, InspectedSherborne School, InspectedSherborne School for Girls, InspectedThe Gryphon School, GoodSherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School, Expected standard or betterSherborne Primary School, Needs attention in 2 areasHarbour Vale School, GoodForget Me Not Day Nursery, GoodHarlequins Pre-School, GoodPear Tree Nursery and Pre-School
  • Good4
  • Not graded yet6
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Sherborne school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Sherborne's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Sherborne by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Sherborne vs England

How good are Sherborne's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Sherborne

SherborneEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade.

    100%

    England 95%

    Above England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    48%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    45%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    19%

    England 18%

    Close to England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    24%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 2 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good2
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Sherborne in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%65%90%20182019202320242025
48% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap30%45%60%2018201920222023202420252026
45% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
19% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Sherborne has 11 schools and nurseries.

There are 2% more pupils than in 2018.

24% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Sherborne's state schools each January.

Up 2% 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.

Sherborne24%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Sherborne

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Find a school to follow
Questions

Questions parents ask about Sherborne

Nearby areas

How many schools are in Sherborne?

Sherborne has 11 schools, including 4 primary schools, 5 secondary schools, 4 nurseries, 3 independent schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Sherborne?

The highest-ranked schools in Sherborne on Eduscope are The Gryphon School, Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School, Sherborne Primary 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 Sherborne are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Sherborne hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 2 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Sherborne perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Sherborne, 48% 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 Sherborne?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Sherborne is 16.5:1. 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 Sherborne schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Sherborne is 18.6%. 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 Sherborne?

There are 2,232 pupils enrolled across schools in Sherborne, with 640 in primary and 1,592 in secondary. 19.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Sherborne?

There are 3 independent schools in Sherborne. 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 Sherborne on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Sherborne?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 11 schools in Sherborne 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.

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