Lytchett Minster School, Poole

From the headteacher's welcome: "It is a great privilege to introduce you to our wonderful school. Lytchett Minster is a very successful and popular comprehensive school with a large and thriving sixth form. In February 2023 we were judged to be 'good' by OFSTED."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include choir, orchestra, guitar and art.

In 2026, pupils at Lytchett Minster School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.9, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 43.4 in Dorset and 47 across England.

50% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 39% in Dorset and 47% in England.

That is up from 46.8 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.38: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 40.2, against 50.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 10.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 29 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Biology.

For September 2026 entry, 253 families put Lytchett Minster School as their first choice and 399 named it as one of their preferences, for 257 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 5 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Lytchett Minster School are The Cornerstone Academy (3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.7); Corfe Hills School (3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44); Parkstone Grammar School (3.2 miles, Outstanding, selective, Attainment 8 67.6); and Lockyer's Middle School (3.2 miles, Good).

Lytchett Minster School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

Of the 252 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 89% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 27% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 133 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 37% went on to university or other higher education, 12% to apprenticeships and 35% into work. 17% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

16.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 3.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Hamworthy Rail Station, about 2 miles away in a straight line.

1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lytchett Minster School (s-bound), 80 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 16 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, bicycle theft and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).

In 2024/25, Lytchett Minster School issued 218 suspensions, 13.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 3 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Lytchett Minster School are Upton Junior School (1 mile), Upton Infant School (1 mile), Lytchett Matravers Primary School (1.3 miles) and Bayside Academy (1.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.