Classpot

Priestlands School

New Forest, SO41 8FZSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Feb 2023
Progress 8
-0.01
Below average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
227 1st-choice / 229 places
Ranking
#1,532
of 3,141 nationally

About Priestlands School

Priestlands School is clearly a popular choice among local families. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 302 applications for 229 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1. 32, meaning roughly three children competed for every two spots. Of those applications, 227 were first-preference choices, and all 227 received an offer. This level of demand suggests strong parent confidence, and it aligns with the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, which judged it to be Good overall, with Good leadership and management. The school has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections, though its previous graded inspection in 2012 also rated it Good, while the earlier 2008 inspection had awarded it Outstanding. With 1,236 pupils on roll against a capacity of 1,215, Priestlands is operating slightly above its intended size, which is another sign of its draw in the New Forest area.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressNorth Street, Lymington, New Forest, SO41 8FZ
HeadteacherPeter Main
Local AuthorityHampshire
Number of Pupils1,236
Free School Meals (FSM)19.8%
School Capacity1,236 / 1,215 (102% full)

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

22 Feb 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (22 Feb 2023): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 21 Jun 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionLearning DifficultyOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Priestlands School

Priestlands School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.