School Chooser

Allenbourn Middle School

Middle · ages 9-13MixedAcademy499 pupilsWimborneDorset
School Chooser Score · secondary phase
72
Above
similar schools
Likely range 54 to 84
Out of 100. Better than 67% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
Primary phase: 41, in line with similar schools
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, January 2025
Reached the expected level at 1168%England 63%
Attendance93.7%England 91.4%
Pupils from low-income families14%Far fewer than most schools
Places130 spare499 pupils, 629 places
Pupils per teacher21.7School workforce census

Allenbourn Middle School is a converter academy in Wimborne for boys and girls aged 9 to 13. It has 499 pupils and room for 629. About 14 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 73 out of 100. That puts it above schools like it, ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2025, no overall grade.

East Borough, Wimborne, BH21 1PL01202 886738allenbournmiddle.orgMr Mark Legge headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 14 January 2025, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

146 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1168%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level8%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score107.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score105.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 74%74%20172018: 66%66%20182019: 70%70%20192023: 37%37%20232024: 58%58%20242025: 68%68%2025
Since 2017: -6%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017DorsetEngland
Pupils tested146120152159153152
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths68%58%37%70%66%74%57%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths8%7%2%13%14%11%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score107.0105.0105.0105.0105.0106.0104.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score105.0104.0103.0105.0104.0107.0103.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score106.0105.0102.0106.0105.0106.0104.0105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard86%74%72%78%75%82%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard80%73%68%79%76%86%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)75%70%44%88%90%88%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.8-0.6-1.8-0.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.8-0.9-1.8+0.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged26%42%11%41%46%71%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged75%63%43%73%70%74%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
26%75%
Gap 49 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
58%78%
Gap 20 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
75%68%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%8%
Gap 8 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places503 pupils for 618 places, 2024/25
81% full

115 places were empty (19% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have fallen by 15% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Dorset council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll499Census January 2026
Places62979% full
Pupils from low-income families14%14% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English4%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support13%67 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%20 pupils with a plan
Average class size27.718 classes, January 2026; England 22.8
Classes with more than 30 pupils39%share of one-teacher classes; England 12%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)14%£89,850 extra funding in 2026/27; England 30%
Boys and girls260 / 239
White British pupils87%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Moderate learning difficulty (24), emotional and mental health (19), Specific learning difficulty (14), language and communications needs (13), Other difficulty or disability (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (4).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll499512541555582595
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals14%17%15%16%14%11%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language4%4%4%3%2%3%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support10%12%11%6%10%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%3%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.

Attendance93.7%
England 91.4%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school18.3%
England 23.9%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.32024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission2.4%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.3%6.8%6.3%7.4%4.0%4.8%8.6%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.9%4.6%4.5%6.1%3.2%3.7%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.4%2.1%1.8%1.3%0.8%1.1%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.3%16.0%15.2%18.4%9.1%9.2%23.9%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.35.06.92.64.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions11101

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers23.0full-time equivalent, 25 people
Pupils per teacher21.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants6.0full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£53,842
Teachers who left in the year12%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher2.72024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other secondary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£5,475England £7,965. Total £2.8m
Income per pupil£6,707England £8,423. Total £3.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,574England £4,444
Money in reserve3%Not much put by: £105k, £205 per pupil. England 10%
Money in against money out+£631kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£5,475spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m31712 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate87 per 1,000 peopleabout the England average
Typical house price£345,000Dorset
Nearest bus stop50 mAllenbourn School, 7 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest secondary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Wimborne First School and NurseryAcademy340 m400Good 202479Compare
St John's Church of England First School, WimborneAcademy600 m148Good 202316Compare
Beaucroft Foundation SchoolFoundation special school0.7 miles241Good 2023Compare
Queen Elizabeth's SchoolAcademy0.8 miles1,375Requires improvement 202313Compare
Dumpton SchoolIndependent0.8 miles338Not inspectedCompare
St Michael's Church of England Middle School, ColehillAcademy0.9 miles563Good 202476Compare
Pamphill Church of England First SchoolAcademy1.1 miles67Good 202355Compare
South West Regional Assessment CentreSpecial post 16 institution1.3 milesNot inspectedCompare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Allenbourn Middle School with the 50 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats67%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 73 is 14 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 6 · middle 59 · highest 95100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Allenbourn Middle School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Lockyer's Middle SchoolAcademy2.1 miles436Good 202284Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 73 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 73% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 54 to 84. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years0%no data
Ofsted inspection20%above
+0.35
Ofsted grade, 1.7 years old
Progress pupils make0%no data
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.17
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.19
2024/25; 525 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils0%no data
What pupils do next0%no data
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Allenbourn Middle School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. Allenbourn Middle School scores 73 out of 100. That is above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 67% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 54 to 84, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Allenbourn Middle School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Allenbourn Middle School not judged at its last full inspection on 14 January 2025.

How good are Allenbourn Middle School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 68% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 8% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Allenbourn Middle School have?

499 pupils aged 9 to 13 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 629 places, so it is 79% full.

Is Allenbourn Middle School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 115 places were empty in 2024/25 (19% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at Allenbourn Middle School?

Pupils were in school 93.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Allenbourn Middle School?

The average class had 27.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. 39% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does Allenbourn Middle School have a sixth form?

No. Pupils leave after Year 11 for a sixth form elsewhere, a college or an apprenticeship.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
East Borough, Wimborne, BH21 1PL
Telephone
01202 886738
Website
www.allenbournmiddle.org
Headteacher
Mr Mark Legge
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Middle school, ages 9-13
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Initio Learning Trust (19 schools)
Local authority
Dorset
Ward
Wimborne Minster
Constituency
Mid Dorset and North Poole
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 March 2015 (academy converter)
URN
141757 · LAESTAB 8384029 · UKPRN 10048913
Formerly
Allenbourn Middle School

Where these figures come from