Best Primary Schools in Dorset 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 119 schools across Dorset. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
119
Open primary schools in Dorset
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
99 Good or better
of 119 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
St Ives Primary & Nursery School currently leads
Methodology

Dorset has 119 open primary schools. Of the 119 with a published Ofsted inspection, 8 (7%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 83% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, St Ives Primary & Nursery School currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Dorset follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. St Ives Primary & Nursery School
Primary
 Outstanding 90 View school
2. Witchampton Church of England First School
Primary
 Good 88 View school
3. Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery
Primary
 Good 83 View school
4. Sixpenny Handley First School and Nursery
Primary
 Good 82 View school
5. Rushcombe First School
Primary
 Outstanding 81 View school
6. Trent Young's CofE Primary School
Primary
 Good 81 View school
7. Colehill First School
Primary
 Good 80 View school
8. Cranborne Church of England First School
Primary
 Good 78 View school
9. Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School
Primary
 Good 78 View school
10. Spetisbury CofE Primary School
Primary
 Good 78 View school
11. St James Church of England First School
Primary
 Outstanding 75 View school
12. Pamphill Church of England First School
Primary
 Good 74 View school
13. Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School
Primary
 Outstanding 74 View school
14. St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Outstanding 72 View school
15. St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster
Primary
 Good 72 View school
16. Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Primary
 Good 72 View school
17. Trinity Church of England First School
Primary
 Outstanding 71 View school
18. St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton Matravers
Primary
 Good 71 View school
19. St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt
Primary
 Good 71 View school
20. Shillingstone Church of England Primary School
Primary
 Good 70 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Dorset

Best primary schools in DorsetTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in DorsetTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in DorsetPrimary & secondary combined Secondary schools in DorsetYear 7 onwards How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in SomersetCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in WiltshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Bath and North East SomersetCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Dorset

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many primary schools are there in Dorset?
There are 119 open primary schools in Dorset (closed schools are excluded). 8 of the 119 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated primary schools in Dorset?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked primary school in Dorset is St Ives Primary & Nursery School. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Dorset?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Dorset?
Primary and secondary applications in Dorset are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Dorset council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.