Gillingham Primary School, Gillingham

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 411

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.3km)Possible (~1.8km)Unlikely (~2.4km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Susan Preston
Pupils:233 / 420 capacity
LA:Dorset
Phone:01747823245
Address:School Road, Gillingham, SP8 4QR
Trust:PICKWICK ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 December 2022

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 8 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Expected Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 6 January 2026View full report
URN:149413
UKPRN:10091387
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:North Dorset
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Gillingham Primary School is a warm, inclusive community where all children feel valued and cared for. The school does excellent work in the early years and has strong behaviour and attendance through its supportive approach to families. Staff place a clear emphasis on children's emotional wellbeing and resilience, helping them to be ready to learn.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture where pupils feel safe and supported
  • Excellent early years provision with clear routines and high-quality pastoral care
  • Positive behaviour and attendance through caring approach and emotional support
  • Wide range of clubs and activities including sports, coding, art and leadership roles
  • Good phonics and multiplication tables results in Year 1 and Year 4

Areas for Improvement

  • Key stage 2 results in reading, writing and maths are below national average
  • Teaching does not always break down content into manageable steps for disadvantaged pupils
  • Teachers do not consistently identify where pupils have misunderstandings
  • Support for pupils with special educational needs lacks precision and clarity
  • Pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils is not having enough impact yet

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Football, athletics, cross country, coding, art, sports leadership, librarian roles, bronze ambassadors

Gillingham Primary School is a happy, welcoming and nurturing school where pupils feel special and cared for, with a strong culture of equality and positivity. However, achievement in reading, writing and mathematics at key stage 2 remains below average, and the school needs to improve how it supports disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.

At a Glance

25.0%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+9ppMaths+2ppWriting+6pp

Reading has improved from 57% to 66%. Maths has remained stable at around 53%. Writing has improved from 57% to 63%.

Class Sizes

27.9

Avg class size

28.3

Infant (KS1)

27.6

KS2

8

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Gillingham (Dorset) Rail Station
471m · 8 min walk

Bus Stops

Gillingham High St (opp. School Road) (NE-bound)
130m · 2 min walk
Gillingham School (W-bound)
156m · 3 min walk
Methodist Church (opp)
164m · 3 min walk
Station Road Top (SW-bound)
181m · 3 min walk
Bus Shelter (E-bound)
228m · 4 min walk
Can you get into this school?
Enter your postcode to find out

Commute Calculator

Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply

Sign up free to see your commute to this school

What are my chances?

Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.

Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

55%

Available places

233 pupils

420 capacity

187 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Gillingham

Medium pressure
New homes approved:1,897
Projected new pupils:474

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Gillingham

Admissions Demand - Dorset

Low demand0.74x oversubscription

Places available

3,776

Applications

2,808

Got 1st preference

94.1%

Got preferred school

99.1%

Primary admissions across Dorset (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

6 January 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
7 December 2022

House Prices

Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost

Sign up free to see house prices near this school

SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

Sign up free to see special needs support at this school

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.

Sign up free to see who goes to this school

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.

Sign up free to see teacher and staff data

School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

Sign up free to see how this school is funded

Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.43947%

Overall absence

9.09091%

Persistent absence

209

Enrolments

Authorised4.16758%
Unauthorised1.27188%
Persistent (10%+)9.09091%
Severe (50%+)1.43541%

Absence trend

5.19067%
22/23
4.97633%
23/24
5.43947%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

Reviews

No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.

Leave a Review

You need to be signed in to leave a review.

Secondary Schools Nearby

Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to

Nearby Schools

Do you work at this school?

Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.