The Purbeck School
Wareham, BH20 4PF · Dorset · secondary school
Check the area around this school
3rd 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 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 7.8/10 against 910 of them, against 7.1/10 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 | 48.5 · 59 | 30% | 1.77 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.6 · 88 | 25% | 2.20 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 49.0 · 65 | 10% | 0.65 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
The Purbeck School overview
How it's doing
The school is rated Good by Ofsted, inspected in 2025-06. In 2024/25, 36.6% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 41.9, compared with the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.6 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 (5.1 out of 10 against similar schools, 5.3 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join a STEM club, play football or tennis, and participate in the choir or musical. Trips include an Africa Ghana Adventure and a Journey to Rwanda. An after-school club is available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,022 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,180. 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 the current Attainment 8 score and the national median? What specific support is available for students aiming to improve their Progress 8 scores?
What Ofsted said about The Purbeck School
Overview
This ungraded inspection found that the school’s work has "improved significantly across all areas" since the previous inspection, prompting a future graded review. The report highlights a culture underpinned by "kindness" and "high expectations," resulting in "exceptional progress" and strong outcomes for all pupils.
Strengths
- Leaders drive improvement with "strong" oversight, ensuring pupils are "at the heart of the school’s work" and disadvantaged pupils achieve "very positive" outcomes.
- The curriculum is "detailed and coherent," with teachers using "highly effective strategies" to help pupils retain knowledge and deepen understanding.
- Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is "precise and diagnostic," providing tailored adaptations that enable successful learning.
- Attendance has "considerably increased" through a "rigorous and systematic approach," while suspensions have "reduced dramatically" due to revised behaviour practices.
- Personal development is "exceptional," with pupils discussing challenging concepts with "maturity" and benefiting from an "aspirational programme" of clubs and career opportunities.
Areas to improve
- The report identifies no significant areas for improvement.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are "effective."
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 49.9 |
| 2024/25 | 41.9 |
| 2025/26 | 49.0 |
| 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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