Ferndown Upper School
Ferndown, BH22 9EY · Dorset · secondary school
Check the area around this school
2nd of 19 secondary schools in Dorset we can score, 29 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 890 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 5.1/10 among them, against 5.6/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 84 | 35% | 2.96 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 41.7 · 42 | 30% | 1.24 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.34 · 75 | 25% | 1.88 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 45.9 · 49 | 10% | 0.49 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Ferndown Upper School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 45.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 45.7, compared with the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.34 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did better than those nationally who started from the same place. Its position is much the same whether compared with all schools or only those whose pupils have similar backgrounds (5.9 out of 10 against similar schools, 6.1 out of 10 against all schools). Ofsted inspected the school in March 2026 under the new framework, which grades areas separately without an overall grade.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,134 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,146. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
With 12 places currently spare, how does the school manage entry-year availability for new applicants? Since the March 2026 inspection uses separate area grades, which specific areas received the highest scores? How does the school support pupils to reach the national median in Attainment 8?
What Ofsted said about Ferndown Upper School
Overview
The inspection describes a school where pupils are "happy and safe" and make "remarkable progress" from their starting points. Leaders have established an "inclusive culture" with "exemplary" behaviour, ensuring students are "exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain."
Strengths
- Pupils make "remarkable progress," particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- Behaviour is "exemplary," with "extremely rare" low-level disruption and bullying.
- The school has a "highly effective" specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND.
- Staff are "overwhelmingly supportive" of leadership, which prioritises workload and wellbeing.
- Pupils benefit from "high quality pastoral care" and an "extensive" extra-curricular offer.
Areas to improve
- Staff do not "consistently adapt teaching appropriately" for pupils with barriers to learning, which sometimes hinders progress.
- Leaders should ensure teaching is "consistently effective" in the sixth form so A-level students make "consistently strong progress."
Safeguarding
The safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing an "open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility" and concerns are "actively identified, acted upon and managed."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 48.3 |
| 2024/25 | 45.7 |
| 2025/26 | 45.9 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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