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 62%. 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, with 79% of schools 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.
Explore schools on an interactive map. Click markers to view detailed information, performance data, and Ofsted ratings.
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Broadmayne First School | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | None | Good |
State • Primary • 4-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School | State | Primary | 2-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 2-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School | State | Primary | 3-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 3-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 4-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Cheselbourne Village School | State | Primary | 3-9 years | Mixed | None | Good |
State • Primary • 3-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Frome Valley CofE VA First School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | Requires Improvement |
State • Primary • 2-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #7 | Dorchester Middle School | State | Primary | 9-13 years | Mixed | None | Requires Improvement |
State • Primary • 9-13 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | State | Primary | 5-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 5-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #4 | Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney | State | Primary | 2-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 2-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3 | Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School | State | Primary | 4-11 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 4-11 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Piddle Valley Church of England First School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 2-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5 | St Osmund's Church of England Middle School | State | Primary | 9-13 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
| N/A | Damers First School | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | None | Good |
| N/A | Manor Park Church of England First School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | Inadequate |
| N/A | St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | Catholic | Good |
| N/A | Sunninghill Preparatory School | Independent | Primary | 2-13 years | Mixed | None | Not inspected by Ofsted |
| N/A | The Prince of Wales School | State | Primary | 2-9 years | Mixed | None | Good |
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 | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 | St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown | State | Primary | 9-13 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
| N/A | Puddletown Church of England First School | State | Primary | 4-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | Good |
State • Primary • 9-13 years
State • Primary • 4-9 years
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Phase | Age Range | Gender | Religious | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School | State | Primary | 3-9 years | Mixed | Church of England | Requires Improvement |
State • Primary • 3-9 years
