Classpot

Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School

Dorset, DT2 9LWPrimaryAges 3–9MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Apr 2026
KS2 Results
No data
Competition
0.6×
Not oversubscribed
3 1st-choice / 5 places
Ranking
Not ranked

About Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School

Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School sits within the Dorset local authority, a county with 119 primary schools where only three currently hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The school’s own most recent inspection, in 2023, graded it Requires Improvement overall, placing it some distance behind the top-performing peers in the area. According to local rankings, Spetisbury CofE Primary School, St Ives Primary & Nursery School, and Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are the three highest-scoring primaries nearby, each achieving ranking scores of 96, 87, and 82 respectively. Winterbourne Valley is a small Church of England first school catering for children aged 3 to 9, with just 65 pupils on roll against a capacity of 90. Its headteacher, Emma Sleightholme, leads a mixed-gender, state-funded school that also offers nursery provision. The school’s religious character as Church of England is reflected in its facilities, which include a chapel on site.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 9 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressWinterbourne Abbas, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9LW
HeadteacherEmma Sleightholme
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils65
Free School Meals (FSM)4.6%
School Capacity65 / 90 (72% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

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)
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    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

3 Jul 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 18 Sept 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

6
Sports HallPlaying FieldsICT SuiteOutdoor PlaygroundArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

7

Sports

GymnasticsTennisSwimmingAthletics

Clubs & Activities

GardeningDramaBook Club

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

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVision

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School

Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.