Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School, Poole

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 5 strong standard and 2 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Attendance is a clear priority for the school."

Early years - Strong standard. "The early years provision is highly effective, giving children a very positive start to their education."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Pupils know that their school welcomes everyone and celebrates difference."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leadership is a clear strength of the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Leaders are passionate and deeply committed to developing the whole child."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils achieve well across the school and make secure progress from their starting points, including disadvantaged pupils."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the quality of teaching and the curriculum across the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that pupils develop secure and detailed knowledge and skills across all wider curriculum areas, and that this is consistently demonstrated through high-quality work and learning that reflects the ambition and progression built into each subject"; "Leaders should strengthen their work to ensure all pupils make consistently strong progress from their starting points, so that outcomes across subjects continue to rise and exceed national figures".

From the headteacher's welcome: "We warmly welcome you to Bishop Aldhelm's C.E. Primary School. We are a family school founded upon a Christian tradition of faithful service to the local community. I am delighted to be able to write this introductory to you in my role as Headteacher."

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 79% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 75% in reading and 70% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 62 families put Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 147 named it as one of their preferences, for 63 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School are Talbot Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 80% reading, 84% maths); St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole (0.7 miles, Good, 76% reading, 71% maths); Heatherlands Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 74% reading, 69% maths); and St Mark's Church of England Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 81% reading, 68% maths).

Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School is one of 37 schools run by Hamwic Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 57% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

14.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Branksome Rail Station, about 1040 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bishop Aldhelms School (w-bound), 60 metres away.

In 2024/25, Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School issued 21 suspensions, 3.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School are St Aldhelm's Academy (1.2 miles), Winton Academy (1.2 miles), Glenmoor Academy (1.3 miles) and The Bourne Academy (1.6 miles).