Witchampton Church of England First School, Wimborne
Witchampton Church of England First School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 9 in Wimborne, part of Initio Learning Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. It was 69% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Witchampton Church of England First School in detail
Witchampton Church of England First School in its own words
In its own words: "Witchampton Church of England First School is a small, friendly village school situated in beautiful rural Dorset, just an eight-minute drive from Wimborne . With a maximum of 75 children on roll , we are proud to offer a nurturing environment where every child is known, valued and encouraged to flourish. Our small size is one of our greatest strengths."
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Witchampton Church of England First School
For September 2026 entry, 11 families put Witchampton Church of England First School as their first choice and 25 named it as one of their preferences, for 12 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 Witchampton Church of England First School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Witchampton Church of England First School are St James Church of England First School (2.3 miles); Pamphill Church of England First School (3.8 miles, Good); Wimborne First School and Nursery (4 miles, Good); and Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery (4.3 miles).
St James Church of England First SchoolPamphill Church of England First SchoolWimborne First School and NurseryWimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery
The trust
Witchampton 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
4.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 6 pupils (13.3%) received SEN support and 3 (6.7%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Witchampton Church of England First School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 7 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Witchampton Church of England First School.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Primary School (n-bound), 10 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Witchampton Church of England First School issued 12 suspensions, 23.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
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; 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 agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
4.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
15.0
Avg class size
15.0
Infant (KS1)
15.0
KS2
3
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Witchampton Church of England First School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Witchampton Church of England First School.
- 360 WitchamptonAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Witchampton Church of England First School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Witchampton 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 Witchampton Church of England First School
Will you get a place at Witchampton Church of England First School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Witchampton Church of England First School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Witchampton Church of England First School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Witchampton 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 Witchampton Church of England First School for 2016 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
69%
Available places
48 pupils
70 places
22 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Wimborne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Wimborne
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
6
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
20.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
45
Total Pupils
23
Boys
22
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
6.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,788
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,689
Per pupil
£490k
Total funding
£2k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.9%
Overall absence
4.1%
Persistent absence
49
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Witchampton Church of England First School
What is Witchampton Church of England First School's Ofsted rating?
Witchampton Church of England First School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2009 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Witchampton Church of England First School?
No fixed boundary. When Witchampton 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 Witchampton Church of England First School?
Witchampton Church of England First School was not full in 2025: it ran at 69% of its 70 places.
How big are the classes at Witchampton Church of England First School?
Classes at Witchampton Church of England First School average 15 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Witchampton Church of England First School?
Witchampton Church of England First School has around 45 pupils on roll. 4% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Witchampton Church of England First School?
2.9% of sessions were missed at Witchampton Church of England First School in 2024/25. 4.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Witchampton Church of England First School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Witchampton 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.
Does Witchampton Church of England First School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: 360 Witchampton (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 Witchampton 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 Witchampton Church of England First School?
Witchampton Church of England First School is at Witchampton, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 5AP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)