Schools by area › Dorset › Shaftesbury School
Shaftesbury School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Salisbury Road, Shaftesbury SP7 8ER · shaftesburyschool.co.uk · 01747 854498
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 39.1
- average Attainment 8 score. Dorset 43.2, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 782
- 61% of 1,283 places
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 25.9%
- First language not English
- 7.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 95 families put the school first and 108 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 | 108 | 95 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 122 | 120 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 158 | 153 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 121 | 121 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 123 | 114 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 39.1, and 27.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Dorset it was 43.2, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C- (26 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼39.1 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼27.5% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼52.9% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼31.9% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.47 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 56.9 | −7.8 |
| Sixth form college | 0.7 | 0 |
| Further education | 27.7 | +7.8 |
| Apprenticeship | 2.2 | −0.7 |
| Employment | 6.6 | +3.7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 4.4 | +0.7 |
| Activity not captured | 1.5 | −1.4 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61 students | C- (26) | Below average -0.42 | |
| 61 students | C- (25.6) | Below average -0.43 | |
| 27 students | Merit (23.5) | Average -0.15 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 60 | C- (28) | -0.38 |
| 2022/23 | 77 | C- (26.3) | — |
| 2021/22 | 91 | B- (36.8) | — |
| 2018/19 | 64 | C (31.4) | -0.01 |
| 2017/18 | 133 | C (30.9) | -0.02 |
| 2016/17 | 154 | C (30.1) | -0.08 |
| 2015/16 | 150 | C (29.2) | -0.01 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 28.1 | −11.2 |
| Further and other education | 5.6 | — |
| Further education | 4.5 | — |
| Other education | 1.1 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 7.9 | +6.1 |
| Employment | 37.1 | +4.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 15.7 | −5.7 |
| Activity not captured | 5.6 | +1.1 |
Ofsted
Shaftesbury School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 7 March 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 7 Mar 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, May 2013
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
May 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Jun 2011Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
65% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (86 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 65%
- Replies
- 86
- 10% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 80% who raised concerns
based on the 49% who had a child bullied
based on 17 parents (20%) with SEND