Durweston Church of England Primary School, Blandford Forum

Ofsted's report card from its 10 February 2026 inspection grades Durweston Church of England Primary School on 7 areas: 7 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Strong standard. "Published results in the reading and mathematics national tests are well above the national average."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders' approaches to help pupils to attend well are successful."

Curriculum and teaching - Strong standard. "The curriculum across all subjects is rich and ambitious."

Early years - Strong standard. "The detailed early years curriculum sets out the building blocks essential for future learning as children progress through pre-school and Reception."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Durweston is a highly inclusive school."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders are passionate and proud of the school's achievements."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The school's extensive personal development programme is highly effective."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should develop teachers' subject-specific pedagogical knowledge even further so that teaching enables pupils to deepen their knowledge to a greater extent across the whole curriculum".

In its own words: "Our school values the individuality of all our children. We are committed to giving all of our children every opportunity to make the best possible progress and to achieve the highest standards they can. We have high expectations of our children: their achievements, attitudes and well-being matter."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are very proud of what we do here. As a small village school, we believe we get to know all of our children as individuals and strive to bring out the best in each of them. We have high expectations of work and behaviour but, as well as working hard, we make sure our children have fun too."

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care, from £5.00 per session.

In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at Durweston Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 100% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 95% in reading and 95% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Durweston Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 34 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Durweston Church of England Primary School are Milldown CofE Academy (1.7 miles, Good, 66% reading, 62% maths); Shillingstone Church of England Primary School (2.1 miles, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths); Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School (2.5 miles, Good, 76% reading, 74% maths); and Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School (2.5 miles, Good, 77% reading, 83% maths).

Durweston Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Durweston Church of England Primary School is one of 28 schools run by Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

50 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Durweston Church of England Primary School (as of April 2026): 90% would recommend the school, 92% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (92%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).

9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

Durweston Church of England Primary School had 11 teachers in 2026, one for every 11 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Durweston Church of England Primary School.

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is First School (se-bound), 120 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 4 crimes within a mile of the school, most often public order offences, anti-social behaviour and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).

Durweston Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.