St Osmund's Church of England Middle School
100%
Capacity
717
Pupils
N/A
Demand
About St Osmund's Church of England Middle School
Parents considering St Osmund's Church of England Middle School will find a school that is clearly popular with local families. With 717 pupils on roll against a capacity of 720, the school is effectively full, a strong signal of demand from the community. The data does not include a specific parent recommendation percentage, but the high occupancy rate, combined with the school's status as a Church of England middle school serving the 9-13 age range in Dorset, suggests it holds a firm place in local preference. The headteacher, Gareth Biddle, leads a mixed, state-funded secondary school in the South West region. The school's religious character is Church of England, though the data does not specify whether faith-based criteria are used in admissions. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 18.4, slightly above the national average, indicating the school serves a mixed socioeconomic catchment.
Academically, St Osmund's has undergone a notable transformation. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, the school was rated Good across all four key categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This represents a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2018, when it was rated Inadequate overall, with leadership and management also rated Inadequate. The school does not have a sixth form, so its academic focus is on Key Stages 2 and 3. While St Osmund's specific Progress 8 score is not available in the data, the local authority average Progress 8 score for Dorset is -0.09, which provides a useful benchmark for context. The school's improvement journey from Inadequate to Good across all measures in a single inspection cycle is a concrete indicator of effective leadership and teaching quality.
The school offers a broad range of facilities that support both academic and extracurricular life, including a theatre, swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, ICT suite, science labs, library, and chapel. Sports on offer include rounders, swimming, badminton, cricket, martial arts, and hockey, while clubs extend to gardening, orchestra, choir, science club, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. For families with children who have additional needs, the school provides support for a wide spectrum of SEND provisions, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and physical disabilities. This combination of strong facilities, a varied extracurricular programme, and comprehensive SEND support makes St Osmund's a practical choice for families seeking a middle school that balances academic recovery with personal development opportunities in the Dorset area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 9 to 13 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Barnes Way, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 2DZ |
| Headteacher | Gareth Biddle |
| Local Authority | Dorset |
| Number of Pupils | 717 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 18.4% |
| School Capacity | 717 / 720 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
5 Jul 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Source: Ofsted, 21 Sept 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
School day
Teaching hours
08:30 – 15:15
Source: stosmunds.wessex.ac. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
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%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British84.7%
- Mixed4.7%
- White (other)4.3%
- Asian4.2%
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
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half 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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
5
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
2
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 St Osmund's Church of England Middle 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
School Admissions Timeline 2026/27
Key dates for primary, secondary and nursery applications
Contact Information
Barnes Way, Dorchester
Dorset, DT1 2DZ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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