Voluntary aided school · Dorset

Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

4–11Ages
107Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
113815URN

Symondsbury, Bridport, DT6 6HD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2025 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

2.8per place

0.7 above Dorset median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Dorset

39 applications for 14 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

67%met the expected standard

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 7 May 2025Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

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

2.8applications per place, Reception

0.7 above Dorset median (2.1) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

39 applications · 14 places offered · 13 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.8; Dorset median median 2.1
2025 2.9; Dorset median median 2.0
2024 2.8; Dorset median median 2.1
2023 3.1; Dorset median median 2.0
2022 2.5; Dorset median median 2.0
2021 3.2; Dorset median median 2.0
2020 3.1; Dorset median median 1.9
2019 3.4; Dorset median median 2.1
2018 3.4; Dorset median median 2.0
2017 3.4; Dorset median median 2.0
2016 4.0; Dorset median median 2.0
2015 3.3; Dorset median median 1.9
2014 3.9; Dorset median median 1.8

More applications per place than the Dorset median in 13 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	14	39	2.8	13	0.93
Sep 2025	15	43	2.9	22	1.47
Sep 2024	9	25	2.8	9	1.00
Sep 2023	15	47	3.1	16	1.07
Sep 2022	13	33	2.5	11	0.85
Sep 2021	15	48	3.2	15	1.00
Sep 2020	14	44	3.1	8	0.57
Sep 2019	15	51	3.4	16	1.07
Sep 2018	16	54	3.4	16	1.00
Sep 2017	16	55	3.4	20	1.25
Sep 2016	11	44	4.0	10	0.91
Sep 2015	16	53	3.3	12	0.75
Sep 2014	10	39	3.9	8	0.80

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 83% · Writing 67% · Maths 75% → all three 67% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard67%15th of 78 in Dorset

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard83%

Dorset 73% England 78%

Higher standard25%

Dorset 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard67%

Dorset 71% England 75%

Greater depth17%

Dorset 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard75%

Dorset 68% England 77%

Higher standard17%

Dorset 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	67%	17%	105	103
2023/24	38%	0%	103	101
2022/23	67%	13%	109	104

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

Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.8applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Bridport, St Mary's Church of England Primary School
2.0 km · Dorset

Good2024

2.7applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
St Catherine's Roman Catholic School
2.4 km · Dorset

2026

2.6applications per place 30%met the SATs standard
Bridport Primary School
2.7 km · Dorset

Good2023

1.6applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
4.4 km · Dorset

Good2023

2.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Loders CofE Primary Academy
5.0 km · Dorset

Standards maintained2024

1.9applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School
6.0 km · Dorset

Standards maintained2024

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

Requires improvement2024

2.5applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Charmouth Primary School
8.0 km · Dorset

2026

1.8applications per place 67%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: 113815 · 838/3364
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 112 pupils · 107 on roll
Free school meals: 14.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Symondsbury, Bridport, DT6 6HD
Local authority: Dorset

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