Voluntary aided school · Dorset

Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney

2–11Ages
115Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
113804URN

Litton Cheney, Dorchester, DT2 9AU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.4per place

0.7 below Dorset median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Dorset

22 applications for 16 places · 73rd of 80 in Dorset

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

73%met the expected standard

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 24 September 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education	Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management	Good
Early years provision		Requires improvement

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.4applications per place, Reception

0.7 below Dorset median (2.1) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

22 applications · 16 places offered · 16 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.4; Dorset median median 2.1
2025 1.3; Dorset median median 2.0
2024 1.3; Dorset median median 2.1
2023 1.4; Dorset median median 2.0
2022 1.3; Dorset median median 2.0
2021 1.7; Dorset median median 2.0
2020 1.4; Dorset median median 1.9
2019 1.3; Dorset median median 2.1
2018 1.6; Dorset median median 2.0
2017 1.5; Dorset median median 2.0
2016 1.7; Dorset median median 2.0
2015 1.5; Dorset median median 1.9
2014 1.5; Dorset median median 1.8

More applications per place than the Dorset median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Dorset median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	16	22	1.4	16	1.00
Sep 2025	12	16	1.3	11	0.92
Sep 2024	16	20	1.3	17	1.06
Sep 2023	10	14	1.4	10	1.00
Sep 2022	16	21	1.3	16	1.00
Sep 2021	9	15	1.7	9	1.00
Sep 2020	13	18	1.4	13	1.00
Sep 2019	18	24	1.3	18	1.00
Sep 2018	9	14	1.6	9	1.00
Sep 2017	6	9	1.5	6	1.00
Sep 2016	10	17	1.7	9	0.90
Sep 2015	4	6	1.5	3	0.75
Sep 2014	15	22	1.5	15	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 87% · Writing 80% · Maths 87% → all three 73% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard73%6th of 78 in Dorset

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard87%

Dorset 73% England 78%

Higher standard47%

Dorset 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard80%

Dorset 71% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Dorset 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard87%

Dorset 68% England 77%

Higher standard33%

Dorset 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Dorset median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	73%	7%	108	107
2023/24	78%	0%	106	104
2022/23	64%	0%	109	106

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Thorner's Church of England School, Litton CheneyThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.4applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School
6.2 km · Dorset

Standards maintained2024

2.4applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
6.9 km · Dorset

Requires improvement2024

2.5applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Loders CofE Primary Academy
6.9 km · Dorset

Standards maintained2024

1.9applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School
6.9 km · Dorset

2026

1.3applications per place
Portesham Church of England Primary School
7.0 km · Dorset

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.0applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Bridport Primary School
8.4 km · Dorset

Good2023

1.6applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School
8.8 km · Dorset

Good2024

1.4applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
St Catherine's Roman Catholic School
8.9 km · Dorset

2026

2.6applications per place 30%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 113804 · 838/3332
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 105 pupils · 115 on roll
Free school meals: 12.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Litton Cheney, Dorchester, DT2 9AU
Local authority: Dorset

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources