Open the map

Schools by area › Dorset › The Purbeck School

The Purbeck School

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy

Worgret Road, Wareham BH20 4PF · purbeck.wessex.ac · 01929 550077

On the mapSearch near BH20 4PF

Overview

Ofsted
Improved significantly
Ungraded inspection · Apr 2025
GCSEs, 2024/25
41.9
average Attainment 8 score. Dorset 43.2, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,022
87% of 1,180 places
Local authority
Dorset
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
22.7%
First language not English
5.5%
School census 2025/26
Trust
Wessex Multi Academy Trust

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 156 families put the school first and 160 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 170 (Places 181)170September 2023: 161 (Places 172)161September 2024: 162 (Places 172)162September 2025: 145 (Places 150)145September 2026: 156 (Places 160)156Places 160
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20261601561100%
September 2025Sept 20251501451100%
September 2024Sept 20241721620.9100%
September 2023Sept 20231721610.9100%
September 2022Sept 20221811700.9100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 41.9, and 36.6% 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 (31 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 46.0 (England 46.3)46.02017/18: 45.5 (England 46.5)45.52018/19: 47.4 (England 46.7)47.42021/22: 49.5 (England 48.8)49.52022/23: 44.2 (England 46.3)44.22023/24: 49.9 (England 45.9)49.92024/25: 41.9 (England 46.0)41.9England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
▼41.946.0
▼36.6%45.4%
▼57.3%64.8%
▼19.5%40.5%
▼3.544.09

Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 113855)

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form48+5.9
Further education32.4−7.4
Apprenticeship3.5−1.8
Employment6.9+2.2
Not in a lasting destination6.4+1.1
Activity not captured2.9+0.6

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 28.0 (England 30.5)C-2016/17: 28.4 (England 31.1)C2017/18: 28.3 (England 32.1)C-2018/19: 31.2 (England 32.9)C2021/22: 40.2 (England 37.9)B2022/23: 34.1 (England 34.2)C+2023/24: 34.4 (England 34.4)C+2024/25: 31.0 (England 35.0)CEngland 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
67 studentsC (31)Below average -0.26
67 studentsC (31.2)Below average -0.24
32 studentsMerit+ (29.1)Average +0.15
6 studentsDist (35.3)Average -0.13
11.6%AAB or better
98.2%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2472C+ (34.4)+0.23
2022/2368C+ (34.1)—
2021/2280B (40.2)—
2018/1968C (31.2)-0.02
2017/1886C- (28.3)+0.18
2016/1785C (28.4)+0.21
2015/1696C- (28)+0.06

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University27.8−13.4
Further and other education4.4+1.3
Further education2.2—
Other education2.2—
Apprenticeship7.8+3.7
Employment43.3+6.2
Not in a lasting destination14.4+2
Activity not captured2.2+0.1

Ofsted

At an ungraded inspection on 30 April 2025, Ofsted’s outcome for The Purbeck School was: Improved significantly.

Outcome
Improved significantly
Inspected
29 Apr 2025
Ungraded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Dec 2014

Earlier inspections

Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 113855), which Ofsted links to this one.

Before September 2019

  • Mar 2018Monitoring visit
    SafeguardingEffective

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113855)

  • Dec 2014Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113855)

  • Sept 2011Requires improvement
    Outcomes for pupilsRequires improvement
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentRequires improvement
    Leadership and managementRequires improvement
    16 to 19 study programmesRequires improvement

    Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113855)

What parents said

85% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (109 replies, to 1 September 2025).

Recommend
85%
Replies
109
11% · 1 Sept 2025
Child is happy at school●88% agreeEngland 89%
Child feels safe●90% agreeEngland 90%
Pupils are well behaved▼77% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▲89% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well●88% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn●84% agreeEngland 84%
Told how child is doing●86% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▲95% agreeEngland 91%
Can join clubs and activities▲95% agreeEngland 91%
Supports personal development●80% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼74% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 80% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▲56% agreeEngland 50%

based on the 45% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼61% agreeEngland 67%

based on 23 parents (21%) with SEND

Also near this school

All schools in Dorset