Best Secondary Schools in Dorset 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 18 schools across Dorset. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
18
Open secondary schools in Dorset
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
15 Good or better
of 18 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
The Woodroffe School currently leads
Methodology

Dorset has 18 open secondary schools. Of the 18 with a published Ofsted inspection, 1 (6%) 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, The Woodroffe 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. The Woodroffe School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
2. The Thomas Hardye School
Secondary
 Outstanding 59 View school
3. The Blandford School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
4. Beaminster School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
5. The Gryphon School
Secondary
 Good 57 View school
6. Lytchett Minster School
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
7. The Sir John Colfox Academy
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
8. The Purbeck School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
9. Gillingham School
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
10. Ferndown Upper School
Secondary
 Good 46 View school
11. The Swanage School
Secondary
 Good 39 View school
12. Dorset Studio School
Secondary
 Good 38 View school
13. Wey Valley Academy
Secondary
 Good 38 View school
14. Sturminster Newton High School
Secondary
 Good 37 View school
15. Budmouth Academy Weymouth
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 37 View school
16. Shaftesbury School
Secondary
 Good 36 View school
17. Queen Elizabeth's School
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 29 View school
18. All Saints' Church of England Academy
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 24 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 Primary schools in DorsetReception–Year 6 only 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 secondary schools are there in Dorset?
There are 18 open secondary schools in Dorset (closed schools are excluded). 1 of the 18 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 secondary schools in Dorset?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Dorset is The Woodroffe School. The full ranked table above lists the top 18 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.