Schools by area › Dorset › The Swanage School
The Swanage School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Free school
High Street, Swanage BH19 2PH · theswanageschool.co.uk · 01929 500599
On the mapSearch near BH19 2PH
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 36.9
- average Attainment 8 score. Dorset 43.2, England 46
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 349
- 97% of 360 places
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 31.9%
- First language not English
- 7.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 61 families put the school first and 62 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 62 | 61 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 84 | 83 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 50 | 49 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 61 | 59 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 60 | 58 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 36.9, and 20.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Dorset it was 43.2, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼36.9 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼20.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼37.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼7.2% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.07 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 29.3 | +0.3 |
| Further education | 50.7 | −7.4 |
| Other education | 4 | +2.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 5.3 | — |
| Employment | 4 | +0.8 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 5.3 | −2.8 |
| Activity not captured | 1.3 | — |
Ofsted
The Swanage School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 7 November 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 7 Nov 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, May 2015
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Mar 2018Monitoring visit
Safeguarding Effective May 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (96 replies, to 2 September 2024).
- Recommend
- 86%
- Replies
- 96
- 2 Sept 2024
based on the 77% who raised concerns
based on the 42% who had a child bullied
based on 34 parents (35%) with SEND