Lytchett Minster School
96%
Capacity
1,590
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Lytchett Minster School
Lytchett Minster School is a large secondary in Dorset that is clearly in demand. With 1,590 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,650, it is running very close to full. The school received 460 total applications for 251 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, making it officially oversubscribed, and 247 of those offers went to first-preference families. That level of competition — an oversubscription ratio of 1.83 — suggests strong local confidence. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 17.8%, which is slightly above the national average for secondary schools and indicates a genuinely mixed intake. The school is non-denominational and co-educational, taking pupils from age 11 through to 19 via its own sixth form. Andrew Mead is the headteacher, and the school sits within the Dorset local authority.
Academically, Lytchett Minster performs well above the local average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.38 is rated ‘Above average’ nationally and places it third out of 20 schools in Dorset, well ahead of the local authority average of -0.09. Attainment 8 sits at 48.4, and 75% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths. At A-level, the school’s value-added score of 0.14 is positive, and the average points per entry of 36.59 equates to a B- grade. The most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 judged the school as ‘Good’ overall, with both leadership and management and the quality of education also rated ‘Good’. The previous graded inspection in 2013 had rated the school ‘Outstanding’, so the 2023 judgement represents a slight downgrade, but the ungraded visit confirmed the school remains Good.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, astro turf, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include rugby, football, badminton, cross country, dance, and martial arts, while extracurricular clubs range from orchestra and choir to Model UN, Debate, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The school has a well-documented SEND offer covering dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, among others. This is a school that suits families looking for a large, academically strong state secondary with a genuine sixth form and a busy co-curricular programme. The high oversubscription means early application is essential, and the mixed intake suggests it is a genuinely comprehensive school serving its local community.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Post Green Road, Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6JD |
| Headteacher | Andrew Mead |
| Local Authority | Dorset |
| Number of Pupils | 1,590 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 17.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,590 / 1,650 (96% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
22 Feb 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (22 Feb 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 3 Jul 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.38)
685th of 3,141
Nationally
46th of 306
In South West
3rd of 20
In Dorset
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
39.0
'22/23
36.0
'23/24
36.6
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2358%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 224 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)58%
- FE college29%
- Apprenticeship6%
- Employment5%
- Not sustained2%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2352%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 124 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
22%
Russell Group
20%
Top-third HE
3%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)52%
- Employment25%
- Not sustained10%
- Apprenticeship5%
- Further education4%
- Other education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Geography32
- Biology26
- Psychology24
- History22
- Mathematics20
- Sociology19
- Art and Design (Fine Art)16
- Business Studies:Single14
- English Literature12
- Government and Politics12
- Chemistry11
- Design and Technology (Product Design)8
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed251
460
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
294 families put this school as their 1st choice (64% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:15
Source: lytchett.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British90.5%
- White (other)4.1%
- Mixed3.2%
- Asian0.3%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
1
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Lytchett Minster School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Post Green Road, Lytchett Minster, Poole
Dorset, BH16 6JD
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