Schools by area › Dorset › The Prince of Wales School
The Prince of Wales School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–9 · Community school
Maiden Castle Road, Dorchester DT1 2HH · princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk · 01305 257120
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2025
- Last distance offered
- 0.87 mi
- 1.40 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · Dorset Council
- Demand for places
- 1.3
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 156
- 6 over 150 places · 104%
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 10.3%
- First language not English
- 3.2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 0.87 mi (1.40 km) from the school. Source: Dorset Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 37 families put the school first and 29 places were offered; 78% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 29 | 37 | 1.3▲ | 78% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 30 | 61 | 2▲ | 49% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 29 | 41 | 1.4▲ | 71% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 30 | 35 | 1.2▲ | 80% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 50 | 1.7▲ | 60% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 0.87 mi1.40 km | |
The last place was offered to a child in this criterion, at this distance (the council's sheet for the school).
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected The Prince of Wales School on 3 June 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 3 Jun 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Improving, ungraded inspection, Mar 2024
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Mar 2024Ungraded inspectionImproving
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jun 2018Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Feb 2008Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding
What parents said
92% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (72 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 92%
- Replies
- 72
- 46% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 71% who raised concerns
based on the 33% who had a child bullied
based on 21 parents (29%) with SEND