St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

About St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

St Andrew's Church of England Primary School in Dorset is a small state primary that punches well above its weight academically. Its most recent Key Stage 2 results show that 80% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is a full 24 percentage points higher than the Dorset local authority average of 56%. That gap is significant and places the school 5th out of 68 primary schools in the county, comfortably in the top 25% nationally. The school is also oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 29 applications for just 17 places, with all 15 first-preference families offered a spot. This level of demand suggests local parents recognise the value on offer, and the Parent View survey backs that up — 95% of respondents would recommend the school.

Digging into the detail of those exam results, the school's strengths are clear. In reading, 93% of pupils reached the expected standard and 40% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 107. Maths was similarly strong: 87% at expected and 20% at higher, with an average score of 106. Writing was the only area where the higher standard dipped to 7%, though 80% still met expectations. The school's Ofsted rating has improved markedly — it was judged Requires Improvement in 2022, but a graded inspection in September 2024 awarded Good across the board, including for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. The early years provision also received a Good rating. With no progress scores available in the data, it's hard to say how much value the school adds, but the raw outcomes are clearly well above the local norm.

The school is a Church of England primary with a current roll of just 81 pupils against a capacity of 175, so there is room to grow. Facilities include a sports hall, playing fields, library, music rooms, art studios, an ICT suite, a sensory room and a chapel. Clubs on offer include gardening, drama, film club and eco club, while sports include gymnastics, cross country, netball and athletics. The school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and other difficulties. Parent View responses suggest strong satisfaction with SEND support — 64% strongly agreed that children with SEND get the support they need, though 9% disagreed. With a 23.5% rate of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a reasonably diverse intake. For families who prioritise strong academic outcomes in a small, community-focused setting with a Christian character, St Andrew's is clearly a compelling option.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents