Hanford School, Blandford Forum
Hanford School is an independent school for girls aged 7 to 13 in Blandford Forum. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in December 2025.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Hanford School in detail
Hanford School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We firmly believe in the power of the Hanford experience to shape our pupils for the rest of their lives. We are a unique community in which academic rigour is balanced with creativity and a celebration of all-things outdoors. Ours is a warm and family-like atmosphere where children are given space to be themselves."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include gardening and debating.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026, an open day on Saturday 5 December 2026, an open day on Saturday 30 January 2027 and an open day on Saturday 13 March 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Dorset
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Hanford School are Clayesmore School (2.5 miles); and Bryanston School (2.8 miles, selective).
Who goes there
In 2026, 16 pupils (23.2%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 1 crime within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
2 December 2025
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
8 November 2022
Regulatory Compliance
14 March 2018
Integrated
3 March 2015
About
Hanford School is a girls' boarding preparatory school located in Hanford, Child Okeford, Dorset, England, established in 1947 and located in a grade II* listed house built in 1604 by Sir Robert Seymer.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Hanford School
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
57%
Available places
69 pupils
120 places
51 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Blandford Forum
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Blandford Forum
Across Dorset council
Places available
2,797
Applications
2,105
Got 1st preference
97.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All secondary applications across Dorset council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
16
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
23.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
69
Total Pupils
0
Boys
69
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Hanford School
When was Hanford School last inspected?
Hanford School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in December 2025.
How many pupils go to Hanford School?
Hanford School has around 69 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Hanford School?
Hanford School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Hanford School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hanford School?
Hanford School is at Child Okeford, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 8HN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)