St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Shaftesbury
St Andrew's Church of England 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 Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2024 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 6 schools in Shaftesbury with published results, and 1,320th of 13,912 across England. It was 39% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2022)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2024, 93% of Year 6 pupils at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 69% in Dorset and 76% and 74% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 13 families put St Andrew's Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 30 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Andrew's Church of England Primary School are St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child Okeford (3.5 miles, 71% reading, 57% maths); The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury (3.6 miles, Good, 90% reading, 86% maths); Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School (4.2 miles, Good, 54% reading, 52% maths); and Ludwell Primary School (4.3 miles, Good, 47% reading, 59% maths).
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child OkefordThe Abbey CofE VA Primary School, ShaftesburyShaftesbury Church of England Primary SchoolLudwell Primary School
The trust
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School is one of 18 schools run by Sherborne Area Schools' Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
40 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Andrew's Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 95% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (88%).
Who goes there
2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Staffing
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 10 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of St Andrew's Church of England Primary School.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Andrews School (w-bound), 50 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, St Andrew's Church of England Primary School issued 19 suspensions, 23.5 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; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
The school has high expectations for all, putting pupils' best interests at the heart of everything they do. The school has high aspirations for what pupils can achieve. The school is warm and welcoming. There is a strong sense of community. Staff know pupils well. They build strong professional relationships with pupils and parents. Parents appreciate this and are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.
Pupils enjoy school. They attend regularly and on time. Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe in school, in the community and online. If they have any worries, they know that there are adults to talk to who will help them. As a result, pupils feel safe.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school is ambitious for all pupils. There is an inclusive culture in the school. Staff swiftly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all subjects. This sets out the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember from Reception to Year 6.
From Ofsted's September 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its April 2022 inspection - up from Inadequate.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement), Behaviour & attitudes (Requires Improvement), Personal development (Requires Improvement), Leadership & management (Requires Improvement), Early years (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
17.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
40 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
Class Sizes
25.3
Avg class size
23.0
Infant (KS1)
27.5
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Andrew's Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Andrew's Church of England 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 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 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Andrew's Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Andrew's Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Andrew's Church of England 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 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School for 2018 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
39%
Available places
82 pupils
210 places
128 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
15
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
18.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
101
Total Pupils
59
Boys
42
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
12.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,005
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,282
Per pupil
£625k
Total funding
£26k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
21.5%
Persistent absence
65
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about St Andrew's Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 93% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is St Andrew's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2022, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Andrew's Church of England 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 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 39% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
Classes at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School average 25.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School has around 101 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
6.1% of sessions were missed at St Andrew's Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 21.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming St Andrew's Church of England 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 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 0 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 St Andrew's Church of England Primary School?
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School is at West Street, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 0PF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)