Yewstock School, Sturminster Newton
Yewstock School is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Sturminster Newton. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Yewstock School in detail
Where pupils go next
Of the 19 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 42% to a further education college.
Who goes there
46.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Yewstock School has an education, health and care plan (167 of 167 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Yewstock School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Yewstock School.
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sturminster High School (s-bound), 250 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Yewstock School issued 3 suspensions, 1.8 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from June 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2013 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
46.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Speech and language, Autism, Multi-sensory +4
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Keep up with Yewstock School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Yewstock School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Yewstock 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)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 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
112%
Over capacity
167 pupils
149 places
18 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Sturminster Newton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sturminster Newton
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.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
167
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Yewstock School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
167
Total Pupils
112
Boys
55
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
26
Teachers
6.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,595
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.9%
Overall absence
18.5%
Persistent absence
146
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Yewstock School
Questions parents ask about Yewstock School
What are SATs results like at Yewstock School?
Of the pupils at Yewstock School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Yewstock School's Ofsted rating?
Yewstock School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Yewstock School?
No fixed boundary. When Yewstock School is oversubscribed, Dorset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Yewstock School?
Yewstock School has around 167 pupils on roll. 47% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Yewstock School have specialist SEN provision?
Yewstock School provides for pupils with speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Yewstock School?
7.9% of sessions were missed at Yewstock School in 2024/25. 18.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Yewstock School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Yewstock School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Yewstock School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 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 Yewstock School?
Yewstock School is at Honeymead Lane, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1EW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)