Best Schools in Ferndown

How many schools are there in Ferndown?

Ferndown has 7 open schools: 4 state primary and 3 state secondary or all-through.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Are there any Outstanding schools in Ferndown?

None of the 5 graded schools in Ferndown currently holds an Outstanding rating. 5 are rated Good, so 100% 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

Are there grammar schools in Ferndown?

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

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Ferndown have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Ferndown 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 Ferndown?

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.