Shaftesbury School
Shaftesbury, SP7 8ER · Dorset · secondary school
Check the area around this school
14th 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 879 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.4/10 among them, against 1.3/10 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 | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 25.2 · 8 | 30% | 0.24 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.5 · 16 | 25% | 0.40 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 40.1 · 20 | 10% | 0.20 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Shaftesbury School overview
How it's doing
Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2023. In 2024/25, 27.5% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 39.1, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.5 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 0.5 out of 10 among them, against 1.5 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join clubs for athletics, badminton, basketball, rock-climbing, cricket, dance, football, and gymnastics.
Getting in
The published school roll is 782 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,283. 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
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific strategies are used to improve Progress 8 scores for students from similar backgrounds? How are the various sports clubs structured to ensure broad participation across the year?
What Ofsted said about Shaftesbury School
Overview
Shaftesbury School is rated as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories. Pupils are encouraged to be ‘the best they can be’, benefiting from positive relationships with staff who know them well and encourage deep thinking. The school offers a broad curriculum with a strong academic core and vocational courses, supported by an impressive range of extra-curricular activities.
Strengths
- Teachers present information clearly, enabling pupils, including sixth-form students, to recall prior learning and develop a ‘rich understanding’ of subjects.
- The school has ‘prioritised reading’, with pupils reading widely and those who struggle receiving well-structured support.
- Pupils behave well, with clear procedures for managing expectations that are ‘well understood by pupils’.
- Strong pastoral care supports pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those struggling.
- Sixth-form students take on leadership roles and are well supported in preparing for university and careers.
Areas to improve
- Teachers do not always have accurate information to support pupils with SEND, meaning the curriculum is not always adapted effectively, causing some to fall behind.
- The teaching of relationships and sex education is ‘not consistently strong’, leaving some pupils with a ‘weaker understanding of healthy relationships’.
- Teaching does not routinely correct pupils’ mistakes, leading to gaps in knowledge for some learners.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with leaders keeping accurate records, working collaboratively with external agencies, and maintaining a ‘culture of vigilance’ to ensure pupils feel safe.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.1 |
| 2024/25 | 39.1 |
| 2025/26 | 40.1 |
| 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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