Rushcombe First School, Wimborne
Rushcombe First School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 9 in Wimborne. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. For 2026 entry it had 1.4 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 104% of capacity.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2022)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
Rushcombe First School in detail
Getting a place at Rushcombe First School
For September 2026 entry, 85 families put Rushcombe First School as their first choice and 169 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.4 first choices for every place. 34 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Rushcombe First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Rushcombe First School are Henbury View First School (0.3 miles, Good); Springdale First School (0.6 miles, Outstanding); Broadstone First School (1 mile, Good); and Hillbourne Primary School (1.6 miles, 90% reading, 73% maths).
Henbury View First SchoolSpringdale First SchoolBroadstone First SchoolHillbourne Primary School
Who goes there
7.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 51 pupils (16.3%) received SEN support and 6 (1.9%) 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 Hamworthy Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dorset Soldier (sw-bound), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Rushcombe First School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 47 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Rushcombe First School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Rushcombe First School are Corfe Hills School (0.5 miles), Lockyer's Middle School (0.8 miles), Broadstone Middle School (1.4 miles) and Poole Grammar School (1.8 miles).
Corfe Hills SchoolLockyer's Middle SchoolBroadstone Middle SchoolPoole Grammar School
Sources: 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its November 2022 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
7.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
31.0
Avg class size
30.5
Infant (KS1)
31.5
KS2
4
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Rushcombe First School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Rushcombe First School.
- 360 Sports Henbury610m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Rushcombe First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Rushcombe First 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 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 Rushcombe First School
Will you get a place at Rushcombe First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Rushcombe First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Rushcombe First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Rushcombe First School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Dorset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Rushcombe First School for 2014 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
104%
Over capacity
313 pupils
300 places
13 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wimborne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wimborne
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
51
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
18.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
313
Total Pupils
167
Boys
146
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
16
Teachers
19.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,435
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,046
Per pupil
£1682k
Total funding
£30k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
6.3%
Persistent absence
255
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Rushcombe First School
Questions parents ask about Rushcombe First School
What is Rushcombe First School's Ofsted rating?
Rushcombe First School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022.
What is the catchment area for Rushcombe First School?
No fixed boundary. When Rushcombe First 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 Rushcombe First School?
Rushcombe First School was full in 2025, at 104% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at Rushcombe First School?
Classes at Rushcombe First School average 31 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Rushcombe First School?
Rushcombe First School has around 313 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Rushcombe First School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at Rushcombe First School in 2024/25. 6.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Rushcombe First School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Rushcombe First 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.
Does Rushcombe First School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Rushcombe First School: 360 Sports Henbury (610m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Rushcombe First School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 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 Rushcombe First School?
Rushcombe First School is at Hanham Road, Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 3PX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)