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Best Schools in Blandford Forum

Dorset · 15 schools ranked by Ofsted Rating

New inspection results and open days, weekly by email.

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days

Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.

Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days

Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.

Year 7 dates to calendar Reception dates to calendarHow to apply in Dorset →
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Schools in Blandford Forum ranked

1

Spetisbury CofE Primary School

DT11 9DFAges 4-11187 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
2

Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School

DT11 9QDAges 2-11208 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
3

Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School

DT11 8SWAges 0-11411 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
4

Shillingstone Church of England Primary School

DT11 0TXAges 4-11103 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
5

The Blandford School

DT11 7SQAges 11-181103 pupils
Secondary
Voluntary controlled school
Good
6

Milldown CofE Academy

DT11 7SNAges 4-11200 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
7

Milborne St Andrew First School

DT11 0JEAges 4-943 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
8

Downlands Community School

DT11 8BGAges 3-11201 pupils
Primary
Community school
Requires Improvement
9

Durweston Church of England Primary School

DT11 0QAAges 2-11144 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
10

Pimperne Church of England VC Primary School

DT11 8WFAges 4-11183 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
11

St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child Okeford

DT11 8ELAges 4-11125 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
12

Bryanston School

DT11 0PXAges 3-18776 pupils
All-through
Other independent school
13

Clayesmore School

DT11 8LLAges 2-19414 pupils
All-through
Other independent school
14

Hanford School

DT11 8HNAges 7-1369 pupils
Independent
Other independent school
15

Milton Abbey School

DT11 0BZAges 13-19190 pupils
Senior
Other independent school

Special schools and alternative provision in Blandford Forum

These schools serve pupils with particular needs, so they aren't ranked against mainstream schools on exam results. Places are usually arranged through the council, often via an Education, Health and Care plan.

Questions parents ask about schools in Blandford Forum

How many schools are there in Blandford Forum?

Blandford Forum has 18 open schools: 10 state primary, 1 state secondary or all-through, 4 independent, 2 special and 1 other.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Are there any Outstanding schools in Blandford Forum?

None of the 10 graded schools in Blandford Forum currently holds an Outstanding rating. 8 are rated Good, so 80% are Good or better. Ofsted stopped giving single-word overall grades in September 2024, so these are the grades from each school's last full inspection.

Source: Ofsted

Which primary schools in Blandford Forum have the best SATs results?

Of the 9 primary schools in Blandford Forum with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at Durweston Church of England Primary School (100% in reading, 100% in maths); Spetisbury CofE Primary School (92% in reading, 92% in maths); and Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School (77% in reading, 83% in maths). Small schools can swing a long way from one year to the next, because each pupil is a large share of the result.

Durweston Church of England Primary SchoolSpetisbury CofE Primary SchoolBlandford St Mary Church of England Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Blandford Forum?

No. None of the state secondary schools in Blandford Forum selects pupils by ability, so every state secondary here is comprehensive.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Blandford Forum have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Blandford Forum have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, Dorset allocates places on its published criteria - usually looked-after children first, then siblings, then home-to-school distance - so the practical cut-off moves each year. Each school's page here shows an estimate of its catchment radius.

How do I apply for a school place in Blandford Forum?

Apply to Dorset through its coordinated admissions process, even for academies and faith schools. In England the closing date is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts. Independent schools run their own admissions, so apply to those directly.