Schoolfile
Search

Academy converter · Dorset

Sherborne Primary School

  • 4–11Ages
  • 304Pupils
  • PrimaryPhase
  • 144417URN

Harbour Way, Sherborne, DT9 4AJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

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

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.7per place
0.4 below Dorset median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Dorset

78 applications for 47 places · 53rd of 80 in Dorset
Every year since 2014
SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25
47%met the expected standard
Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 6 January 2026Published 10 February 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 January 2026
    Report card · 5 Expected standard, 2 Needs attention
  2. 14 October 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains 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
1.7applications per place, Reception
0.4 below Dorset median (2.1) 0.5 below England median (2.2)

78 applications · 47 places offered · 48 named it first

  1. 2026 1.7; Dorset median median 2.1
  2. 2025 1.7; Dorset median median 2.0
  3. 2024 1.6; Dorset median median 2.1
  4. 2023 1.6; Dorset median median 2.0
  5. 2022 2.0; Dorset median median 2.0
  6. 2021 1.8; Dorset median median 2.0
  7. 2020 1.6; Dorset median median 1.9
  8. 2019 1.5; Dorset median median 2.1
  9. 2018 1.7; Dorset median median 2.0
  10. 2017 1.8; Dorset median median 2.0
  11. 2016 1.6; Dorset median median 2.0; as the previous school
  12. 2015 1.6; Dorset median median 1.9; as the previous school
  13. 2014 1.5; Dorset median median 1.8; as the previous school
More applications per place than the Dorset median in 0 of 10 years.
  • This school
  • Dorset median

Dashed bars: as Sherborne Primary School (URN 113673), 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 202647781.7481.02
Sep 202542701.7390.93
Sep 202447761.6491.04
Sep 202347741.6430.91
Sep 202232642.0280.88
Sep 202136641.8361.00
Sep 202040651.6401.00
Sep 201948731.5491.02
Sep 201839681.7391.00
Sep 201748841.8511.06
Sep 2016 *48751.6481.00
Sep 2015 *48781.6511.06
Sep 2014 *41611.5411.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 69% · Writing 71% · Maths 55% → all three 47% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard47%56th of 78 in Dorset
Reading
Expected standard69%
Higher standard35%
Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)
Writing
Expected standard71%
Greater depth8%
Maths
Expected standard55%
Higher standard12%
Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)
  • This school
  • Dorset median
  • England median
Every year as a table
YearExpected standardHigher standardReading scoreMaths score
2024/2547%6%103100
2023/2447%4%104102
2022/2355%12%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
144417 · 838/2029
Trust
Sherborne Area Schools' Trust
Capacity
330 pupils · 304 on roll
Free school meals
18.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 June 2017
Replaced
Sherborne Primary School (URN 113673)
Address
Harbour Way, Sherborne, DT9 4AJ
Local authority
Dorset

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