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Shaftesbury School

Secondary · Dorset · SP7 8ER · URN 140898

Ofsted GoodLast inspected 2023-03-07Cohort 782Church of EnglandNon-selective

Exam results, in full

Every figure below comes straight from the Department for Education performance tables. We show the coverage we hold, how the school compares with its local area and with England, and which part of the score each figure feeds, so you can see exactly how the ranking was built.

Key stage 4 results

GCSE outcomes at the end of Year 11, so they describe a secondary school.

2024-2025 results · cohort 138
3 of 4 headline figures1 figure withheldArea average from 36 schools in Dorset

  • Attainment 8 score

    The average grade across eight qualifications, including English and maths.

    39.1

    Dorset 35.21England 46.1

    3.9 above the area average of 35.2

    Overall standards

  • Progress 8 score

    Progress from the same key stage 2 starting points, where 0 is average.

    Withheld

    Progress from starting points

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    27.5%

    Dorset 25.9%England 45.9%

    1.6 percentage points above the area average of 25.9

    Academic stretch

  • Grade 4 or above in English and maths

    52.9%

    Dorset 40.4%

    12.5 percentage points above the area average of 40.4

    Overall standards

  • EBacc average point score

    3.47

    Dorset 3.03England 4.07

    In line with the area average of 3

    Academic stretch

  • Achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above

    8.7%

    Dorset 8.6%England 17.6%

    In line with the area average of 8.6

    Academic stretch

  • Entered the EBacc subjects

    31.9%

    Dorset 24.7%

    7.2 percentage points above the area average of 24.7

    Context only, not scored

  • Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort

    27.5%

    Dorset 33.9%

    6.4 percentage points below the area average of 33.9

    Context only, not scored

  • Pupils in the results cohort

    138

    Dorset 110

    27.9 above the area average of 110.1

    Context only, not scored

Withheld figures are suppressed at source to protect small cohorts. Figures marked not published are ones the department no longer publishes for any school. Source: DfE performance tables, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Local authority average class size

Area benchmark

Dorset · State-funded schools · 2025/26

Secondary classes
22.3 pupils per class

This is the council-area average, not this school’s class size. It is not used in your scorecard ranking.

Source: DfE school census · 2025/26

Published figures

English as an additional language
7.4% of pupils
Eligible for free school meals
25.9% of pupils
Pupils on SEN support
19.2% of pupils
Pupils per adult, including teaching assistants
14.8pupils per adult
Pupils per teacher (2025/26 staff census)
18.4pupils per teacher
Teachers who stayed the following year (3-year average)
83.9% of teachers

Data last refreshed 2026-10-12. Source: DfE and Ofsted open data, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Where it is

Distances are straight-line from the centre of your outward postcode, not a walking or driving route, and never a catchment or admissions prediction.

Nearby secondary schools

Common questions about Shaftesbury School

What is the latest Ofsted judgement?
Ofsted rated Shaftesbury School Good at its inspection on 07/03/2023.
Where is the school and which authority runs it?
Shaftesbury School is a secondary school in Dorset, postcode SP7 8ER (URN 140898).
How does it compare with other local schools?
Build a free scorecard to rank Shaftesbury School against nearby schools using your own priorities for results, attendance, distance and intake, with the source figures shown behind every number.

Feeder schools

Named feeder primary schools

  • Chilmark and Fonthill Bishop CE VA Primary School(2024/25 arrangements)Original determined policy — checked 13 October 2026 (policy year shown)
    Admissions wording: \u201cCriterion 7: Children living outside the school's catchment area and who were attending one of the preferred school's recognised feeder schools during the previous year (secondary schools only). Feeder or catchment schools for SAST secondary schools are as follows: Shaftesbury School - The Abbey CE Primary School, S…\u201d
  • Motcombe CE Primary School Motcombe(2024/25 arrangements)Original determined policy — checked 13 October 2026 (policy year shown)
    Admissions wording: \u201cCriterion 7: Children living outside the school's catchment area and who were attending one of the preferred school's recognised feeder schools during the previous year (secondary schools only). Feeder or catchment schools for SAST secondary schools are as follows: Shaftesbury School - The Abbey CE Primary School, S…\u201d
  • Semley CE VA Primary School(2024/25 arrangements)Original determined policy — checked 13 October 2026 (policy year shown)
    Admissions wording: \u201cCriterion 7: Children living outside the school's catchment area and who were attending one of the preferred school's recognised feeder schools during the previous year (secondary schools only). Feeder or catchment schools for SAST secondary schools are as follows: Shaftesbury School - The Abbey CE Primary School, S…\u201d
  • Shaftesbury CE Primary School(2026/27 arrangements)[PDF] SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST Admissions Policy for all ...
    Admissions wording: \u201cFeeder or catchment schools for SAST secondary schools are as follows: [...] Shaftesbury School - [...] Shaftesbury CE Primary School\u201d
  • St Andrew's CE Primary School, Fontmell Magna(2024/25 arrangements)Original determined policy — checked 13 October 2026 (policy year shown)
    Admissions wording: \u201cCriterion 7: Children living outside the school's catchment area and who were attending one of the preferred school's recognised feeder schools during the previous year (secondary schools only). Feeder or catchment schools for SAST secondary schools are as follows: Shaftesbury School - The Abbey CE Primary School, S…\u201d
  • St John's CE VC Primary School, Salisbury(2024/25 arrangements)Original determined policy — checked 13 October 2026 (policy year shown)
    Admissions wording: \u201cCriterion 7: Children living outside the school's catchment area and who were attending one of the preferred school's recognised feeder schools during the previous year (secondary schools only). Feeder or catchment schools for SAST secondary schools are as follows: Shaftesbury School - The Abbey CE Primary School, S…\u201d
  • The Abbey CE Primary School, Shaftesbury(2026/27 arrangements)[PDF] SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST Admissions Policy for all ...
    Admissions wording: \u201cFeeder or catchment schools for SAST secondary schools are as follows: [...] Shaftesbury School - The Abbey CE Primary School, Shaftesbury\u201d

Being a named feeder school is one oversubscription criterion among several in the admitting school\u2019s published arrangements, not a guaranteed place. Always check the school\u2019s current admission arrangements for the detail that applies to you.

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