Best Schools in Sturminster Newton

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.

Yewstock SchoolAges 2-19 · Outstanding

Questions parents ask about schools in Sturminster Newton

How many schools are there in Sturminster Newton?

Sturminster Newton has 6 open schools: 4 state primary, 1 state secondary or all-through and 1 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Sturminster Newton are rated Outstanding?

1 school in Sturminster Newton was rated Outstanding at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Yewstock School. Counting Good as well, 100% of the 4 graded schools here are rated 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.

Yewstock School

Source: Ofsted

Which primary schools in Sturminster Newton have the best SATs results?

Of the 4 primary schools in Sturminster Newton with 2025 Key Stage 2 results, the highest shares of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading and maths were at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull (80% in reading, 80% in maths); Hazelbury Bryan Primary School (72% in reading, 78% in maths); and William Barnes Primary School (71% in reading, 68% 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.

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Marnhull Hazelbury Bryan Primary School William Barnes Primary School

Source: DfE school performance data

Are there grammar schools in Sturminster Newton?

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

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Sturminster Newton have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Sturminster Newton 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 Sturminster Newton?

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.