Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Wareham
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Wareham. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 9 schools in Wareham with published results, and 9,801st of 14,452 across England. It was 86% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in detail
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Welcome to our wonderful school! My name is Emma Roberts , and I am proud to be the Headteacher of Sandford Primary School . It is a real privilege to lead such a welcoming and caring school at the heart of its community, set in a beautiful rural location in the Isle of Purbeck."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football and gymnastics.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 53% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 31 families put Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice and 72 named it as one of their preferences, for 34 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 63% reading, 67% maths); Stoborough Church of England Primary School (2.4 miles, 67% reading, 67% maths); Lytchett Matravers Primary School (3 miles, Good, 77% reading, 80% maths); and Upton Junior School (3.2 miles, Good, 66% reading, 58% maths).
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary SchoolStoborough Church of England Primary SchoolLytchett Matravers Primary SchoolUpton Junior School
Who goes there
15.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 44 pupils (12.9%) received SEN support and 7 (2%) 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 Holton Heath Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Middle School Grounds (ne-bound), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 12 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School issued 11 suspensions, 3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2022 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
15.2%
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 65% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 53% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 42% to 57% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.6
Avg class size
20.0
Infant (KS1)
27.3
KS2
10
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Sports News
2 Oct 2026
Pre-Loved Book Fair
30 Sep 2026
Save The Date
24 Sep 2026
Special Visitor from Dorset Police
22 Sep 2026
Wareham Lions Swim for Charity Event
17 Sep 2026
Applying for a New School Place
15 Sep 2026
From Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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 Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary 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
86%
Available places
362 pupils
420 places
58 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wareham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wareham
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
44
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
14.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
342
Total Pupils
172
Boys
170
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,499
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,000
Per pupil
£1986k
Total funding
£89k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.7%
Overall absence
13.8%
Persistent absence
334
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% reached the expected standard in reading and 74% did so in maths.
What is Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2022. At its previous graded inspection in 2019 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 86% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Classes at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School average 26.6 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has around 342 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
5.7% of sessions were missed at Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 13.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at Sandford, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 7BN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)