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Academy converter · Dorset

St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford Abbas

  • 4–11Ages
  • 90Pupils
  • PrimaryPhase
  • Church of EnglandReligious character
  • 144299URN

Mill Lane, Sherborne, DT9 6RH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected May 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
3.4per place
1.4 above Dorset median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Dorset

24 applications for 7 places
Every year since 2014
SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25
44%met the expected standard
Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 6 May 2026Published 18 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsExpected standard
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 6 May 2026
    Report card · 5 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
  2. 2 February 2022
    Graded inspection: 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
3.4applications per place, Reception
1.4 above Dorset median (2.1) 1.2 above England median (2.2)

24 applications · 7 places offered · 7 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

  1. 2026 3.4; Dorset median median 2.1
  2. 2025 1.5; Dorset median median 2.0
  3. 2024 2.4; Dorset median median 2.1
  4. 2023 2.3; Dorset median median 2.0
  5. 2022 2.8; Dorset median median 2.0
  6. 2021 2.3; Dorset median median 2.0
  7. 2020 2.2; Dorset median median 1.9
  8. 2019 2.5; Dorset median median 2.1
  9. 2018 2.4; Dorset median median 2.0
  10. 2017 2.7; Dorset median median 2.0
  11. 2016 2.3; Dorset median median 2.0; as the previous school
  12. 2015 2.4; Dorset median median 1.9; as the previous school
  13. 2014 2.4; Dorset median median 1.8; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Dorset median in 9 of 10 years.
  • This school
  • Dorset median

Dashed bars: as St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Bradford Abbas (URN 113775), the previous school.

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.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20267243.471.00
Sep 202514211.5130.93
Sep 202411262.4111.00
Sep 202311252.3111.00
Sep 202214392.8130.93
Sep 202114322.3141.00
Sep 202013292.2131.00
Sep 201915382.5120.80
Sep 201814342.4120.86
Sep 201712322.7121.00
Sep 2016 *17392.3181.06
Sep 2015 *17412.4191.12
Sep 2014 *17412.4171.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 63% · Writing 56% · Maths 69% → all three 44% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard44%65th of 78 in Dorset
Reading
Expected standard63%
Higher standard19%
Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)
Writing
Expected standard56%
Greater depth6%
Maths
Expected standard69%
Higher standard6%
Average scaled score 98 (100 = expected standard)
  • This school
  • Dorset median
  • England median
Every year as a table
YearExpected standardHigher standardReading scoreMaths score
2024/2544%0%10098
2023/2458%8%107103
2022/2350%29%104102

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

  • 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
Academy converter
Phase
Primary
URN · DfE number
144299 · 838/3049
Trust
Sherborne Area Schools' Trust
Religious character
Church of England
Capacity
119 pupils · 90 on roll
Free school meals
10.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 June 2017
Replaced
St Mary's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Bradford Abbas (URN 113775)
Address
Mill Lane, Sherborne, DT9 6RH
Local authority
Dorset

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