The Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester

Outstanding
Secondary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 1318

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~1.3km)Possible (~1.9km)Unlikely (~2.4km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr N St J F Rutherford
Pupils:2,014 / 2,138 capacity
LA:Dorset
Phone:01305266064
Address:Queen's Avenue, Dorchester, DT1 2ET
Trust:WESSEX MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open
Opened:1 August 2011

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago
-

Overall

Good

Quality of Education

Good

Behaviour & Attitudes

Good

Personal Development

Good

Leadership & Management

Good

Sixth Form

Inspected 4 February 2025View full report
URN:137163
UKPRN:10034818
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:West Dorset
Urban/Rural:Urban: Further from a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its March 2015 inspection — unchanged since its previous inspection.

Rated Outstanding for

Leadership & management.

A plain-English summary of the full inspection report is coming soon.

At a Glance

19.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty, VI - Visual Impairment, HI - Hearing Impairment, SLCN - Speech, language and Communication

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

448 responses
Would recommend82%
Child is happy85%
Well taught81%
Good progress81%
Feels safe87%
Well behaved78%
Bullying dealt with14%
Kept informed80%
Handles concerns52%
Wider development72%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Class Sizes

19.9

Avg class size

87

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Dorchester West Rail Station
837m · 14 min walk

Bus Stops

The Thomas Hardye School (W-bound)
77m · 1 min walk
Thomas Hardye School (E-bound)
88m · 1 min walk
Middle School (W-bound)
244m · 4 min walk
Cambridge Road (S-bound)
259m · 4 min walk
Damers Road (S-bound)
413m · 7 min walk
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Commute Calculator

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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

94%

Near capacity

2,014 pupils

2,138 capacity

124 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Dorchester

Low pressure
New homes approved:991
Projected new pupils:178

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Dorchester

Admissions Demand - Dorset

Low demand0.79x oversubscription

Places available

2,822

Applications

2,234

Got 1st preference

96.1%

Got preferred school

98.4%

Secondary admissions across Dorset (2025/26)

Inspection History(2)

4 February 2025
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood
Sixth FormGood
19 March 2015
OutstandingReport
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

11.2073%

Overall absence

33.01329%

Persistent absence

1,354

Enrolments

Authorised9.09316%
Unauthorised2.11414%
Persistent (10%+)33.01329%
Severe (50%+)5.90842%

Absence trend

5.15269%
18/19
5.62108%
20/21
10.10778%
21/22
7.85816%
22/23
11.55867%
23/24
11.2073%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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