Cheselbourne Village School
About Cheselbourne Village School
Cheselbourne Village School is a small state primary in Dorset, currently home to 51 pupils against a capacity of 60, meaning it operates at roughly 85% of its maximum. Its free school meal rate of 17.6% sits above the national average for primary schools, suggesting a higher-than-typical proportion of children from less advantaged backgrounds for a village setting. Despite its modest size, demand is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 17 applications for 11 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.55, with all 10 first-preference applicants offered a spot. This indicates a local reputation that outweighs its physical capacity. The school serves children from age 3 to 9, with nursery provision on site, and is non-denominational. Headteacher Christopher Perry leads a mixed-gender school that draws families from the surrounding Dorset area, where the local authority runs 119 primary schools in total.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Mar 2023Latest monitoring visit (8 Mar 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 20 May 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
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