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Schools in Dorset

184 open schools including 120 primary and 57 secondary providers. Browse top performers, Ofsted outcomes and links to explore every school on the map.

120

Primary

57

Secondary

30

Post-16

Ofsted outcomes in Dorset

Outstanding8 (4%)
Good125 (68%)
Requires improvement19 (10%)
Inadequate1 (1%)

Top primary schools in Dorset

DfE data for 202425 academic year

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  1. 1

    Trent Young's CofE Primary School

    Sherborne | Good

    95%

    KS2 RWM expected

  2. 2

    St Ives Primary & Nursery School

    Ringwood | Outstanding

    90%

    KS2 RWM expected

  3. 3

    Durweston Church of England Primary School

    Blandford Forum | Good

    80%

    KS2 RWM expected

  4. 4

    Spetisbury CofE Primary School

    Blandford Forum | Good

    77%

    KS2 RWM expected

  5. 5

    Beaminster St Mary's Academy

    Beaminster | Good

    75%

    KS2 RWM expected

  6. 6

    Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney

    Dorchester | Good

    73%

    KS2 RWM expected

  7. 7

    Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery

    Weymouth | Good

    72%

    KS2 RWM expected

  8. 8

    Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

    Beaminster | Good

    71%

    KS2 RWM expected

Top secondary schools in Dorset

DfE data for 202425 academic year

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  1. 1

    The Woodroffe School

    Lyme Regis | Good

    51.4

    Attainment 8

  2. 2

    The Thomas Hardye School

    Dorchester | Good

    49.8

    Attainment 8

  3. 3

    Beaminster School

    Beaminster | Good

    47.0

    Attainment 8

  4. 4

    The Blandford School

    Blandford Forum | Good

    47.0

    Attainment 8

  5. 5

    Lytchett Minster School

    Poole | Good

    46.7

    Attainment 8

  6. 6

    The Gryphon School

    Sherborne | Good

    46.7

    Attainment 8

  7. 7

    Sturminster Newton High School

    Sturminster Newton

    46.0

    Attainment 8

  8. 8

    Ferndown Upper School

    Ferndown | Good

    45.6

    Attainment 8

Selective schools may also appear in our grammar schools section.

Top post-16 providers in Dorset

DfE data for 2024/25 academic year

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  1. 1

    Sherborne School for Girls

    Sherborne

    38.8

    A-Level APS

  2. 2

    Bryanston School

    Blandford Forum

    38.5

    A-Level APS

  3. 3

    Sherborne School

    Sherborne

    38.1

    A-Level APS

  4. 4

    The Blandford School

    Blandford Forum | Good

    37.2

    A-Level APS

  5. 5

    Leweston School

    Sherborne

    36.8

    A-Level APS

  6. 6

    Lytchett Minster School

    Poole | Good

    35.4

    A-Level APS

  7. 7

    The Gryphon School

    Sherborne | Good

    35.1

    A-Level APS

  8. 8

    The Thomas Hardye School

    Dorchester | Good

    34.8

    A-Level APS

About schools in Dorset

This page summarises open schools in Dorset using official DfE exam results and Ofsted inspection data on FavSchools. Use the school map to search by postcode, league tables for full rankings, and compare to review schools side by side before applying through your local authority.

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Frequently asked questions

How many schools are in Dorset?
Dorset has 184 open schools on FavSchools, including 120 primary, 57 secondary and post-16 providers with published data where available.
How are top schools in Dorset ranked?
Primary schools are ranked by KS2 reading, writing and maths expected standard. Secondary schools use GCSE Attainment 8. Post-16 providers use A-Level average point score per entry. All figures come from the latest DfE performance tables.
How do I find schools near me in Dorset?
Use the FavSchools interactive map to search by postcode within Dorset, filter by Ofsted rating and phase, then compare shortlisted schools side by side.