1
The Thomas Hardye School
Secondary • Academy converter • Dorchester • Dorset • DT1 2ET
Outstanding
Top 10 Secondary schools in Dorset
Updated for the latest inspections (median graded year: 2023)
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This Top 10 showcases secondary schools in the local authority of Dorset. It’s built from the latest graded Ofsted inspections. We rank Outstanding (grade 1) above Good (grade 2), then prioritise newer inspections. As tie-breakers, we consider the “Quality of education” sub-judgement (where available), then %FSM and school size.
Total secondary schools
18
Outstanding
1
Good
14
Median inspection year
2023
Ofsted grade mix (graded schools)
O: 6% · G: 78% · RI: 17% · I: 0%
2
The Blandford School
Secondary • Voluntary controlled school • Blandford Forum • Dorset • DT11 7SQ
Good
3
Dorset Studio School
Secondary • Studio schools • Dorchester • Dorset • DT2 8PX
Good
4
The Woodroffe School
Secondary • Foundation school • Lyme Regis • Dorset • DT7 3LX
Good
5
The Swanage School
Secondary • Free schools • Swanage • Dorset • BH19 2PH
Good
6
Wey Valley Academy
Secondary • Academy converter • Weymouth • Dorset • DT3 5AN
Good
7
Beaminster School
Secondary • Voluntary controlled school • Beaminster • Dorset • DT8 3EP
Good
8
Gillingham School
Secondary • Voluntary controlled school • Gillingham • Dorset • SP8 4QP
Good
9
Shaftesbury School
Secondary • Academy converter • Shaftesbury • Dorset • SP7 8ER
Good
10
The Sir John Colfox Academy
Secondary • Academy converter • Bridport • Dorset • DT6 3DT
Good
How we rank these schools
- Headline Ofsted grade: Outstanding (1) outranks Good (2), then RI (3), then Inadequate (4).
- More recent graded inspection dates rank higher.
- Where available, we use the Quality of education sub-judgement as a tie-breaker.
- Lower free school meals (%) may break remaining ties.
- Larger roll (pupil count) is a final tie-breaker.
Only the ten highest-ranked schools are shown; we also list “near misses” just below.
About Ofsted grades
- Outstanding (1): Highest judgement across key areas.
- Good (2): Strong effectiveness; meets standards consistently.
- Requires improvement (3): Not yet good; clear areas to improve.
- Inadequate (4): Significant weaknesses found.
Ungraded Section 8 visits check whether the previous graded judgement still stands, but they don’t replace it.
Data freshness & coverage
We refresh inspections and school snapshots regularly. If a school was inspected very recently, its report may not yet appear here.
Top-10 pages only appear for areas with at least 10 secondary schools that have a graded Ofsted inspection.
Map of the Top 10
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Also highly rated nearby
- Ferndown Upper School Good • Jul 2016
- Sturminster Newton High School Good • Jun 2015
-
🔒 6 more near-miss schoolsUnlock
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