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Downlands Community School

Dorset, DT11 8BGPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Mar 2026
KS2 Results
42%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
15 1st-choice / 17 places
Ranking
#12,257
of 13,686 nationally

About Downlands Community School

Downlands Community School in Dorset is a primary school where, based on the most recent admissions data for the 2025/26 school year, every family that applied got a place. The school received exactly 17 applications for its 17 available places, and 15 of those were first-preference choices, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.0. This suggests a settled local demand rather than a scramble for places. The school is led by headteacher James Rielly and caters for 215 pupils aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. Just 4.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the national average, which may reflect the demographic of the surrounding area. The school has a chapel on site and offers a range of facilities including music rooms, an ICT suite, art studios, and playing fields, alongside clubs such as gardening, book club, science club, and art club.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressBlandford Camp, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8BG
HeadteacherJames Rielly
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils215
Free School Meals (FSM)4.4%
School Capacity215 / 420 (51% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

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 English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

7 Jun 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 20 Jul 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

9
Music RoomsGymnasiumICT SuiteOutdoor PlaygroundLibraryDining HallArt StudiosPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

FootballGymnasticsTennisCross CountryCricketSwimming

Clubs & Activities

GardeningBook ClubScience ClubArt Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:45-08:40

After-school care

15:15-17:00

Source: downlandsschool.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Downlands Community School

Downlands Community School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.