The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury, Shaftesbury
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Shaftesbury. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 5 schools in Shaftesbury with published results, and 2,234th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury in detail
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury in its own words
The school runs after-school care.
Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 90% of Year 6 pupils at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury reached the expected standard in reading and 86% 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 71% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury as their first choice and 67 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury are Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School (1 mile, Good, 54% reading, 52% maths); Motcombe CofE Primary School (1.8 miles, Good, 86% reading, 75% maths); Ludwell Primary School (2.9 miles, Good, 47% reading, 59% maths); and St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School (3.1 miles, Good, 69% reading, 79% maths).
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Shaftesbury Church of England Primary SchoolMotcombe CofE Primary SchoolLudwell Primary SchoolSt Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School
Who goes there
5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Staffing
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury had 15 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gillingham (Dorset) Rail Station, about 3.8 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 42 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and violence and sexual offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury issued 10 suspensions, 5.2 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 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from July 2012, 14 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2012 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
16.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 68% to 90% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 71% to 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 71% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.4
Avg class size
28.0
Infant (KS1)
28.7
KS2
5
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
PARENT'S EVENING INFORMATION
28 Sep 2026
Shaftesbury Carnival - Saturday 3rd October
22 Sep 2026
Golden Work 18th September
18 Sep 2026
Bluebirds
14 Sep 2026
NO PHONES OR SMART WATCHES
14 Sep 2026
newsletter 2. 14th September
From The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury.
- BluebirdsAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people 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
Your chances of a place at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
Will you get a place at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Dorset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury for 2014 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
93%
Near capacity
196 pupils
210 places
14 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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
18.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
201
Total Pupils
101
Boys
100
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
13.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,253
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,299
Per pupil
£1116k
Total funding
£38k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.4%
Overall absence
15.7%
Persistent absence
172
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
Questions parents ask about The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
What are SATs results like at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
Of the pupils at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 90% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury's Ofsted rating?
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in July 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
No fixed boundary. When The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is oversubscribed, Dorset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
Classes at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury average 28.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury has around 201 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
5.4% of sessions were missed at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury in 2024/25. 15.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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.
Does The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Bluebirds (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is at St James's Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8HQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)