Leweston School, Sherborne
Leweston School is an independent school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Sherborne. It has a Catholic religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in November 2025.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Leweston School in detail
Leweston School in its own words
In its own words: "Leweston is a Catholic boarding and day school which focuses on preparing pupils for life beyond the school. The independence, resilience and willingness to try instilled at Leweston provides pupils with the confidence to meet the challenges of the wider world."
From the headteacher's welcome: "The Leweston Chedington Riding Academy (LCRA) is a purpose-built equestrian centre set within Leweston School's 50-acre Dorset campus. The centre is a British Horse Society approved centre and is open to all pupils from Nursery through to Sixth Form, whether your child has never sat on a horse or is competing at national level."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include tennis, running, ballet, choir, cooking, gardening, debating and Duke of Edinburgh.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care until 5:45pm, from £4.50 per day.
Coming up: an admissions event on Wednesday 17 March 2027 and an admissions event on Friday 16 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Dorset
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Leweston School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Leweston School are Sherborne School (2.6 miles, selective); Sherborne Preparatory School (2.6 miles); and Sherborne School for Girls (2.7 miles, selective).
Sherborne SchoolSherborne Preparatory SchoolSherborne School for Girls
Where pupils go next
Of the 47 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 34% went on to university or other higher education and 15% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 187 pupils (32.4%) received SEN support and 5 (0.9%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sherborne Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); 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
25 November 2025
Early Years Inspection
25 November 2025
Short Visit
27 April 2023
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
21 September 2022
Integrated Inspection
10 February 2015
About
Leweston School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school near Sherborne in Dorset. The School consists of a Nursery, Prep School, Senior School and Sixth Form.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Leweston School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby all-through school
Keep up with Leweston 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
80%
Available places
577 pupils
725 places
148 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sherborne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sherborne
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
187
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
33.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
577
Total Pupils
255
Boys
322
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Leweston School
What are GCSE results like at Leweston School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Leweston School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Leweston School last inspected?
Leweston School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in November 2025.
How many pupils go to Leweston School?
Leweston School has around 577 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Leweston School?
Leweston 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 Leweston 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 Leweston School?
Leweston School is at Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6EN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)