Verwood Church of England First School, Verwood
Verwood Church of England First School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 9 in Verwood, part of Initio Learning Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2023. It was 96% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- 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
Verwood Church of England First School in detail
Verwood Church of England First School in its own words
In its own words: "We are a two-form entry Church of England First School and Nursery, set in beautiful woodland grounds, for children aged 3 to 9 years of age. We share a campus with Emmanuel Middle School, where our children transfer to in Year 5. We are proud to be part of Initio Learning Trust, alongside Emmanuel Middle School."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Opening Times: Monday to Friday 8.30am - 3pm, 38 weeks a year. We are now a term-time nursery. At Verwood First Nursery we strongly believe children are born with an amazing potential and a wide range of abilities."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, multi-sports, dance and forest school.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Verwood Church of England First School
For September 2026 entry, 34 families put Verwood Church of England First School as their first choice and 90 named it as one of their preferences, for 35 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 Verwood Church of England First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Verwood Church of England First School are Hillside Community First School (0.9 miles, Good); Trinity Church of England First School (1 mile); Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School (1.2 miles, Good); and St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery (3 miles, Good).
Hillside Community First SchoolTrinity Church of England First SchoolThree Legged Cross First and Nursery SchoolSt Mary's CofE First School & Nursery
The trust
Verwood Church of England First School is one of 19 schools run by Initio Learning Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
11.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (8%) received SEN support and 9 (3.1%) 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.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Verwood Church of England First School.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Verwood Church of England First School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Verwood Church of England First School issued 12 suspensions, 4.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its September 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
11.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
29.7
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.3
KS2
9
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Verwood Church of England First School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Verwood Church of England First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Verwood Church of England First 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)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
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 Verwood Church of England First School
Will you get a place at Verwood Church of England First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Verwood Church of England First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Verwood Church of England First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Verwood Church of England First School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Dorset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Verwood Church of England First School for 2019 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
96%
Near capacity
272 pupils
282 places
10 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Verwood
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Verwood
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(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
11.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
289
Total Pupils
145
Boys
144
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
20.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£43,970
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,966
Per pupil
£1440k
Total funding
£20k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.3%
Overall absence
6.7%
Persistent absence
239
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
Verwood Church of England First School
Questions parents ask about Verwood Church of England First School
What is Verwood Church of England First School's Ofsted rating?
Verwood Church of England First School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in September 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2009 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Verwood Church of England First School?
No fixed boundary. When Verwood Church of England First 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 Verwood Church of England First School?
Verwood Church of England First School was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Verwood Church of England First School?
Classes at Verwood Church of England First School average 29.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Verwood Church of England First School?
Verwood Church of England First School has around 289 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Verwood Church of England First School?
4.3% of sessions were missed at Verwood Church of England First School in 2024/25. 6.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Verwood Church of England First School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Verwood Church of England First 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 Verwood Church of England First School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Verwood Church of England First School?
Verwood Church of England First School is at Howe Lane, Verwood, Dorset, BH31 6JF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)