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Schools in Wool

A town in Dorset

  • Town
  • 5 schools and nurseries
  • 522 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, fewer than across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were below England in 2026. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

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

Wool at a glance

Behind England on primary inspections

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries53 primary · 1 nursery
  • Primaries Good or better67%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1156%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths6%Attainment 8 3.6, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary16%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school23%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Wool

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 Wool primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Wool

3 mainstream schools in Wool, best first

Bovington Academy

Wareham, BH20 6LE · Academy · Primary · Ages 4 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well above the England average.

24 first choices, 26 offers made

Met the standard at 1171%

England 62%

Days missed
5.3%
Pupils
180
Pupils per teacher
17.3
View school Bovington Academy

Secondary Schools in Wool

0 in Wool. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Harbour School Dorset

Bh20 6nu · Secondary · Ages 10 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
31.5%
Pupils
145
Pupils per teacher
6.0
View school Harbour School Dorset

Nurseries in Wool

1 in Wool, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Wool

1 in Wool, by the school's Eduscope score

Harbour School Dorset

Bh20 6nu · Secondary · Ages 10 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
31.5%
Pupils
145
Pupils per teacher
6.0
View school Harbour School Dorset

Special Schools in Wool

1 in Wool. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Harbour School Dorset

Bh20 6nu · Secondary · Ages 10 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
31.5%
Pupils
145
Pupils per teacher
6.0
View school Harbour School Dorset
The map

Every school in Wool, 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
St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Requires improvementHarbour School Dorset, GoodBovington Academy, GoodWool Church of England Primary School, GoodBovington Nursery, Expected standard or better
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement1
  • Not graded yet1
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.

Postcodes

Browse Wool by postcode

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

Wool vs England

How good are Wool'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 Wool

WoolEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 3 primaries with one.

    67%

    England 96%

    Below England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    56%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    6%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

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

    23%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    16%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 4 schools that have one.

75%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement1
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap20%45%70%20182019202320242025
50% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
0%15%30%20222023202420252026
6% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
23% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Wool has 5 schools and nurseries.

There are 6% fewer pupils than in 2018.

16% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Wool's state schools each January.

Down 6% since 2018.

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.

Wool16%

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 Wool

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

Questions

Questions parents ask about Wool

How many schools are in Wool?

Wool has 5 schools, including 3 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 1 nursery, 1 special school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Wool?

The highest-ranked schools in Wool on Eduscope are Bovington Academy, Wool Church of England Primary School, St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic 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 Wool are rated Good or Outstanding?

75% of inspected schools in Wool hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Wool, 50% 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 Wool?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Wool is 11.8:1. 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 Wool schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Wool is 22.7%. 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 Wool?

There are 522 pupils enrolled across schools in Wool, with 377 in primary and 145 in secondary. 27.0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Wool?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 5 schools in Wool 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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