St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown, Dorchester
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown is a secondary school for pupils aged 9 to 13 in Dorchester, part of Wessex Multi Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 7 schools in Dorchester with published results, and 9,982nd of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Capacity
- 93% full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown in detail
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Middle School. We are a 9-13 middle school situated on the outskirts of Puddletown, five miles east of the county town of Dorchester, in the beautiful Dorset countryside. St. Mary's is a church school with an ethos built on the core Christian values of kindness, fairness and aspiration."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, tennis, athletics, dance, chess, gardening, art and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Thursday 5 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 12 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 3 December 2026 and an open day on Friday 11 December 2026. 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)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 68% in reading and 64% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown
Across Dorset, 98% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Dorset lodged 85 appeals against secondary school offers; 58 reached a hearing and 22 succeeded (37.9% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown are Dorset Studio School (3.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 32); St Osmund's Church of England Middle School (4.6 miles, Good); Dorchester Middle School (5.1 miles, Requires improvement); and The Thomas Hardye School (5.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 47.8).
Dorset Studio SchoolSt Osmund's Church of England Middle SchoolDorchester Middle SchoolThe Thomas Hardye School
The trust
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown is one of 12 schools run by Wessex Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
159 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).
Who goes there
2.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 97 pupils (22%) received SEN support and 30 (6.8%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown has a resourced provision for other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs and autism: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Moreton (Dorset) Rail Station, about 3.4 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Middle School (opposite), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 8 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown issued 47 suspensions, 10.6 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; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's creates a happy, caring environment where pupils develop strong social skills and show genuine commitment to their school and community. The school prioritises reading development and provides rich opportunities for spiritual, social and emotional growth. Pupils benefit from trusted relationships with staff and feel well supported.
Key Strengths
- Positive relationships and calm, purposeful school environment with exceptional rarity of bullying
- Strong community ethos with pupils actively contributing to their school and wider communities
- Reading is prioritised with improved support for early readers
- Curriculum supports spiritual, social and emotional development very well
- Improved access to impartial careers advice
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent implementation of the curriculum with expectations of pupils often too low
- Provision for pupils with SEND is not secure - staff lack knowledge on how to teach pupils with differing needs effectively
- Variable quality of teaching means pupils do not learn as well as they should
- School has not secured confidence of some community members who are unclear about needed changes
- Pupils' attitudes to learning could be better as interest is not captured consistently
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with clear systems and a designated safeguarding lead in place.
Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, school events, charity fundraising activities led by older pupils
St Mary's Church of England Middle School is a community-focused school where pupils benefit from positive relationships, but the overall quality of education has weakened since the previous inspection. Standards have dropped significantly, though recent leadership changes are beginning to bring improvements.
At a Glance
20.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Other, Speech and language, Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
159 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
47
Suspensions
10.56%
Suspension rate
24 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 445 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown 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
- 0
- 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, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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
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- 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
93%
Near capacity
444 pupils
480 places
36 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dorchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dorchester
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.
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
97
SEN Support
30
EHC Plans
28.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown has a resourced provision for other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs and autism: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
441
Total Pupils
244
Boys
197
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
29
Teachers
15.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,804
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,657
Per pupil
£2704k
Total funding
£95k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.5%
Overall absence
18.8%
Persistent absence
462
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown
Questions parents ask about St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown
What are SATs results like at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
Of the pupils at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 72% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown 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 Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 480 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
Classes at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown average 24.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown has around 441 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown have specialist SEN provision?
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown has a resourced provision for other difficulties or disabilities, speech, language and communication needs and autism: 10 places, 10 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
6.5% of sessions were missed at St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown in 2024/25. 18.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
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, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown?
St Mary's Church of England Middle School, Puddletown is at Coombe Road, Puddletown, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8SA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)