Classpot

William Barnes Primary School

Dorset, DT10 1BZPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Feb 2023
KS2 Results
45%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
25 1st-choice / 26 places
Ranking
#11,734
of 13,686 nationally

About William Barnes Primary School

William Barnes Primary School in Dorset sits below the local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 45% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Dorset average of 56%. This places the school 48th out of 119 primary schools in the local authority, in the bottom half of the rankings. The gap is notable, but the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects. Reading scores are a relative strength: 68% of pupils met the expected standard and 26% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 105. Writing also performed reasonably well, with 77% reaching the expected level and 10% at the higher tier. Maths, however, is where the school struggles most — only 45% of pupils met the expected standard, and just 3% reached the higher standard, with an average score of 98. The school’s ranking in the South West region (1170th out of 1469) and nationally (11734th out of 13686) reflects these mixed results.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressBridge Street, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1BZ
HeadteacherFiona Locke
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils166
Free School Meals (FSM)24.1%
School Capacity166 / 210 (79% 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
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

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, 25 Jul 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

6
GymnasiumForest SchoolMusic RoomsLibraryPlaying FieldsChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

TennisAthleticsSwimmingCross Country

Clubs & Activities

CodingChessFilm ClubChoirGardeningEco Club

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

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & Language

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:30-08:45

After-school care

15:15-17:15

Source: williambarnes.dorset.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About William Barnes Primary School

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