Dorney School, Maidenhead
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Dorney School excels at making learning come alive through its ambitious curriculum, outdoor woodland provision, and memorable trips to museums and places of worship. Your child will thrive in a safe, nurturing environment where staff provide high-quality pastoral care and help build genuine confidence. The school has established a genuine love of reading and offers a comprehensive range of enrichment activities including sports clubs, music opportunities, and community work.
Key Strengths
- Strong reading programme with phonics taught logically and pupils reading ambitious, diverse texts
- High-quality curriculum design that builds on previous learning, with effective use of local area and trips to enhance learning
- Swift identification and effective support for pupils with SEND
- Excellent early years provision with staff expertly developing children's language and learning
- Comprehensive enrichment activities including workshops, inter-faith days, and clubs in arts, music and sports
Areas for Improvement
- Some curriculum activities do not focus sharply on key aims, resulting in pupils not learning in sufficient depth or speed
- Inconsistent expectations for pupils' writing across different subjects, with subject-specific vocabulary and grammatical accuracy not consistently applied
- Need to strengthen embedding of school values and mutual respect, as some pupils occasionally fall short in appreciating difference and positive peer relationships
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating a positive culture that prioritises pupils' interests.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs in arts and music, sports clubs, workshops, inter-faith day, trips to museums and parks, visits to places of worship, garden tending, animal care (chickens, fish, guinea pigs), intergenerational activities with grandparents, mentoring and buddy schemes with secondary schools
Dorney School is a friendly and nurturing primary school where pupils feel safe and happy, with a broad, ambitious curriculum that has improved from its previous 'Requires Improvement' rating. The school has revised its curriculum design and provides high-quality pastoral care, resulting in good progress across all key areas of inspection.
At a Glance
16.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
40 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 84% to 57%. Maths has declined from 79% to 61%. Writing has declined from 84% to 64%.
Class Sizes
22.0
Avg class size
17.0
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
5
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
75%
Available places
158 pupils
210 capacity
52 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Maidenhead
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Maidenhead
Admissions Demand - Buckinghamshire
Places available
6,847
Applications
5,934
Got 1st preference
89.9%
Got preferred school
98.7%
Primary admissions across Buckinghamshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(4)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.53244%
Overall absence
8.72483%
Persistent absence
149
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Dorney School
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