Sherborne School for Girls, Sherborne
Sherborne School for Girls is an independent school for girls aged 11 to 19 in Sherborne. It has a Church of England religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2024.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sherborne School for Girls in detail
Sherborne School for Girls in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our unique approach provides girls with the sense of purpose and depth of character to lead change, inspire others, and find their place in the world. We call this the Sherborne difference, and it shapes our ethos. Blending academic challenge with character formation, we help every girl find her place in our nurturing community and become more fully herself."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include gardening and debating.
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 7 November 2026, an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026, an open day on Saturday 5 December 2026 and an open day on Saturday 9 January 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Dorset
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Sherborne School for Girls can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Sherborne School for Girls are Sherborne Preparatory School (0.4 miles); Sherborne School (0.4 miles, selective); and Leweston School (2.7 miles).
Where pupils go next
Of the 96 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 38% went on to university or other higher education and 22% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 220 pupils (48.2%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Sherborne Rail Station, about 1130 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sherborne Hotel (se-bound), 180 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 performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; 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
30 January 2024
Regulatory Compliance
4 December 2019
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
14 March 2017
Focused Compliance Inspection
14 March 2017
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Sherborne School for Girls
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
89%
Available places
456 pupils
510 places
54 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
220
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
48.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
456
Total Pupils
0
Boys
456
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Sherborne School for Girls
Questions parents ask about Sherborne School for Girls
What are GCSE results like at Sherborne School for Girls?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Sherborne School for Girls can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Sherborne School for Girls last inspected?
Sherborne School for Girls is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2024.
How many pupils go to Sherborne School for Girls?
Sherborne School for Girls has around 456 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Sherborne School for Girls?
Sherborne School for Girls 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 School for Girls?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were 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 Sherborne School for Girls?
Sherborne School for Girls is at Bradford Road, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3QN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)