Sunninghill Preparatory School, Dorchester
Sunninghill Preparatory School is an independent school for pupils aged 0 to 13 in Dorchester. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Sunninghill Preparatory School in detail
Sunninghill Preparatory School in its own words
In its own words: "Our school welcomes pupils from 6 months to 13 years old and we are organised into three areas; Nursery and Reception (EYFS), Junior Prep and Senior Prep. Join us at our next Open Morning and see what Sunninghill Prep can offer your child."
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am confident that the pages within, and my welcome video below, will demonstrate the value of choosing Sunninghill to give your child the best possible journey through the all-important formative years of learning. Our beautiful house and grounds are located in the heart of Dorset’s county town, Dorchester."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, swimming, drama and art.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
In 2026, 26 pupils (15.6%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Dorchester South Rail Station, about 460 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Acland Road, 210 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 120 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. 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
24 February 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
28 February 2023
Short Visit
23 January 2019
Regulatory Compliance
16 May 2018
Integrated
20 May 2014
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Sunninghill Preparatory School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 19 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
6 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
84%
Available places
167 pupils
200 places
33 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
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.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
26
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
15.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
167
Total Pupils
94
Boys
73
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Sunninghill Preparatory School
Questions parents ask about Sunninghill Preparatory School
When was Sunninghill Preparatory School last inspected?
Sunninghill Preparatory School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2026.
How many pupils go to Sunninghill Preparatory School?
Sunninghill Preparatory School has around 167 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Sunninghill Preparatory School?
Sunninghill 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 Sunninghill Preparatory School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 19 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 6 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 Sunninghill Preparatory School?
Sunninghill Preparatory School is at South Court, South Walks Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1EB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)