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Best Schools in Wimborne

Dorset · 22 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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Sixth Form

Schools in Wimborne ranked

1

Allenbourn Middle School

BH21 1PLAges 9-13499 pupils
Secondary
Academy converter
Outstanding
2

Rushcombe First School

BH21 3PXAges 4-9313 pupils
Primary
Community school
Outstanding
3

Lockyer's Middle School

BH21 3HQAges 9-13436 pupils
Secondary
Academy converter
Good
4

St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill

BH21 7ABAges 9-13563 pupils
Secondary
Academy converter
Good
5

Cranborne Middle School

BH21 5RPAges 9-13265 pupils
Secondary
Community school
Good
6

Colehill First School

BH21 2LZAges 5-9148 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
7

Cranborne Church of England First School

BH21 5QBAges 2-973 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
8

Hayeswood First School

BH21 2HNAges 5-9148 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
9

Henbury View First School

BH21 3TRAges 5-9148 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
10

Merley First School

BH21 1SDAges 5-9292 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
11

Pamphill Church of England First School

BH21 4EEAges 5-967 pupils
Primary
Academy sponsor led
Good
12

St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne

BH21 1BXAges 5-9148 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
13

Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School

BH21 6RFAges 2-984 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
14

Wimborne First School and Nursery

BH21 4FWAges 2-9400 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
15

Witchampton Church of England First School

BH21 5APAges 5-945 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
Good
16

Queen Elizabeth's School

BH21 4DTAges 13-181375 pupils
Secondary
Academy converter
Requires Improvement
17

Sturminster Marshall First School

BH21 4AYAges 4-949 pupils
Primary
Community school
Requires Improvement
18

Canford School

BH21 3ADAges 13-18650 pupils
Senior
Other independent school
19

Dumpton School

BH21 7AFAges 2-13338 pupils
Independent
Other independent school
20

Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School

BH21 7LXAges 5-9134 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
21

St James Church of England First School

BH21 4JNAges 2-9134 pupils
Primary
Academy converter
22

Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery

BH21 5LXAges 2-970 pupils
Primary
Academy converter

Special schools and alternative provision in Wimborne

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 Wimborne

How many schools are there in Wimborne?

Wimborne has 26 open schools: 15 state primary, 5 state secondary or all-through, 2 independent and 4 special.

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Which schools in Wimborne are rated Outstanding?

2 schools in Wimborne were rated Outstanding at their most recent graded Ofsted inspection: Rushcombe First School and Allenbourn Middle School. Counting Good as well, 90% of the 20 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.

Rushcombe First SchoolAllenbourn Middle School

Source: Ofsted

Are there grammar schools in Wimborne?

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

Source: DfE Get Information About Schools

Do schools in Wimborne have catchment areas?

Most state schools in Wimborne have no fixed catchment boundary. When a school is oversubscribed, the council 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 Wimborne?

Apply to your council - Dorset; or Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, depending on your address - 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.