Classpot

Shaftesbury School

Dorset, SP7 8ERSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Mar 2023
Progress 8
-0.50
Below average
−20+2
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
120 1st-choice / 122 places
Ranking
#2,605
of 3,141 nationally

About Shaftesbury School

Shaftesbury School is a Church of England secondary in Dorset with 864 pupils against a school capacity of 1,283, meaning it is significantly under capacity. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 27.3%, well above the national average and pointing to a catchment with higher-than-average levels of disadvantage. Despite the spare capacity, the school is oversubscribed for Year 7 entry. For the 2025/26 intake, it received 199 applications for 122 places, with 120 of those coming as first preferences. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.63, indicating strong local demand. The school is mixed, non-selective, and has a Church of England character. It is led by headteacher Donna London-Hill and includes a sixth form.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressSalisbury Road, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8ER
HeadteacherDonna London-Hill
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils864
Free School Meals (FSM)27.3%
School Capacity864 / 1,283 (67% full)
Sixth FormYes

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
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

7 Mar 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 10 May 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Swimming PoolSports HallScience LabsArt StudiosPlaying FieldsTennis CourtsChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

17

Sports

DanceGymnasticsNetballFootballBasketballHockeyRugbyTennisCross Country

Clubs & Activities

Science ClubGardeningArt ClubEco ClubFilm ClubNewspaperCodingDuke of Edinburgh

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:30 – 15:00

Source: shaftesburyschool.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Shaftesbury School

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