Sherborne Preparatory School, Sherborne
Sherborne Preparatory School is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 14 in Sherborne. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2026.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Sherborne Preparatory School in detail
Sherborne Preparatory School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "We understand that our pupils' future success and happiness relies heavily on the foundations we lay during their time with us. By giving them a thorough grounding in values that shape them for life, we help them grow into caring, responsible, thoughtful young people who are ready to write the next chapter in their story."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include gardening and debating.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Sherborne Preparatory School are Sherborne School (under 0.1 miles, selective); Sherborne School for Girls (0.4 miles, selective); and Leweston School (2.6 miles).
Who goes there
In 2026, 50 pupils (24.5%) received SEN support and 2 (1%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sherborne Rail Station, about 590 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Acreman Place (e-bound), 220 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 54 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.
Sources: 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
27 January 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
17 January 2023
Regulatory Compliance
5 December 2018
Integrated
1 December 2015
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Sherborne Preparatory School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 14 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle.
4 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
73%
Available places
204 pupils
280 places
76 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
50
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
25.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
204
Total Pupils
109
Boys
95
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Sherborne Preparatory School
When was Sherborne Preparatory School last inspected?
Sherborne Preparatory School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2026.
How many pupils go to Sherborne Preparatory School?
Sherborne Preparatory School has around 204 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Sherborne Preparatory School?
Sherborne Preparatory 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 Sherborne Preparatory School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 14 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 on a bicycle. 4 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 Sherborne Preparatory School?
Sherborne Preparatory School is at 39 Acreman Street, Sherborne, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3NY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)