Dorchester primary schools deliver strong academic results in the county town of Dorset, with 74% of pupils meeting expected standards in reading, writing and maths, well above England's 82%. 22% achieve the higher standard, nearly triple the England average of 8%. Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School, Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, and Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School are among the highest-performing options, 79% of schools are rated Good or Outstanding. With 20 schools serving Dorchester, families in Poundbury, Fordington, Town Centre, and Castle Park have access to well-established schools with strong community ties. Use the map view to explore the schools and see which serve your neighbourhood.
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| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Broadmayne First School | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | None | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 4-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School | State | Primary | 2-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 2-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School | State | Primary | 3-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 3-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 4-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Cheselbourne Village School | State | Primary | 3-9 years | Mixed | None | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 3-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Frome Valley CofE VA First School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | 5.1/10Developing |
State • Primary • 2-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #7 | Dorchester Middle School | State | Primary | 9-13 years | Mixed | None | 4.7/10Developing |
State • Primary • 9-13 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | State | Primary | 5-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7.6/10Excellent |
State • Primary • 5-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4 | Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney | State | Primary | 2-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | 6.6/10Good |
State • Primary • 2-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3 | Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School | State | Primary | 4-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 4-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Piddle Valley Church of England First School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 2-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5 | St Osmund's Church of England Middle School | State | Primary | 9-13 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
| N/A | Damers First School | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | None | 7/10Good |
| N/A | Manor Park Church of England First School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | 2.4/10Rebuilding |
| N/A | St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Catholic | 7/10Good |
| N/A | Sunninghill Preparatory School | Independent | Primary | 2-13 years | Mixed | None | 9.4/10Elite |
| N/A | The Prince of Wales School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | None | 8.5/10Excellent |
State • Primary • 9-13 years
State • Primary • 4-9 years
State • Primary • 2-9 years
State • Primary • 2-9 years
Independent • Primary • 2-13 years
State • Primary • 2-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown | State | Primary | 9-13 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
| N/A | Puddletown Church of England First School | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | 7/10Good |
State • Primary • 9-13 years
State • Primary • 4-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | FMS Inspection Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School | State | Primary | 3-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | 5.5/10Developing |
State • Primary • 3-9 years
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