Motcombe CofE Primary School, Shaftesbury
Motcombe CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Shaftesbury, part of Sherborne Area Schools' Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 5 schools in Shaftesbury with published results, and 5,545th of 14,452 across England. It was 80% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Motcombe CofE Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 86% of Year 6 pupils at Motcombe CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 61% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Motcombe CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 8 families put Motcombe CofE Primary School as their first choice and 38 named it as one of their preferences, for 8 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Motcombe CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Motcombe CofE Primary School are Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 54% reading, 52% maths); St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 69% reading, 79% maths); The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury (1.8 miles, Good, 90% reading, 86% maths); and Gillingham Primary School (2.5 miles, 66% reading, 53% maths).
Motcombe CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Shaftesbury Church of England Primary SchoolSt Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary SchoolThe Abbey CofE VA Primary School, ShaftesburyGillingham Primary School
The trust
Motcombe CofE Primary School is one of 18 schools run by Sherborne Area Schools' Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
16.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 26 pupils (17.8%) received SEN support and 4 (2.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gillingham (Dorset) Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Marys Church (near), 230 metres away.
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).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Motcombe CofE Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
16.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 61% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 65% to 75% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 42% to 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
22.0
Infant (KS1)
25.8
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Motcombe CofE Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Motcombe CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Motcombe CofE Primary School is in Dorset; for families living there:
Apply to Dorset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
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
Your chances of a place at Motcombe CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at Motcombe CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Motcombe CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Motcombe CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Motcombe CofE Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Dorset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Motcombe CofE Primary School for 2016 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Dorset got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
80%
Available places
165 pupils
206 places
41 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Shaftesbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Shaftesbury
Across Dorset council
Places available
3,692
Applications
2,795
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Dorset council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
20.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
146
Total Pupils
91
Boys
55
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
16.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,970
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,478
Per pupil
£956k
Total funding
£29k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
8.3%
Persistent absence
157
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Motcombe CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at Motcombe CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at Motcombe CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% did so in maths.
What is Motcombe CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Motcombe CofE Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2023.
What is the catchment area for Motcombe CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Motcombe CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, Dorset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Motcombe CofE Primary School?
Motcombe CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 80% of its 206 places.
How big are the classes at Motcombe CofE Primary School?
Classes at Motcombe CofE Primary School average 24.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Motcombe CofE Primary School?
Motcombe CofE Primary School has around 146 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Motcombe CofE Primary School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at Motcombe CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 8.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Motcombe CofE Primary School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Motcombe CofE Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Motcombe CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Motcombe CofE Primary School?
Motcombe CofE Primary School is at Church Road, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 9NT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)