Dorchester Middle School
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Dorchester Middle School is a converter academy in Dorchester for boys and girls aged 9 to 13. It has 527 pupils and room for 600. About 22 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 20 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 13% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in June 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.
Queen's Avenue, Dorchester, DT1 2HS01305 265651dorchestermid.dorset.sch.ukHeadteacher Clare King headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted visited on 2 June 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.
Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 13 June 2023 | Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 | Requires improvement |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
124 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 124 | 131 | 151 | 154 | 153 | 157 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 49% | 52% | 32% | 48% | 51% | 45% | 57% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 5% | 2% | 3% | 10% | 8% | 5% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 104.0 | 104.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 104.0 | 104.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 101.0 | 101.0 | 99.0 | 102.0 | 100.0 | 101.0 | 103.3 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 104.0 | 103.0 | 102.0 | 103.0 | 103.0 | 104.0 | 104.0 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 65% | 71% | 65% | 61% | 63% | 72% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 58% | 60% | 44% | 65% | 59% | 58% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 71% | 62% | 51% | 70% | 62% | 51% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | -1.6 | -3.5 | -2.3 | -1.8 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | -5.2 | -3.5 | -4.3 | -4.4 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | 14% | 26% | 12% | 11% | 33% | 25% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | 59% | 60% | 41% | 56% | 55% | 50% | – | – |
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
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.
About 58 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 7% 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.
Specialist SEND provision. Resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) with 3 pupils, for physical disability.
To get a place in the unit or resourced provision, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school. Other schools in Dorset with physical disability provision.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (30), emotional and mental health (29), language and communications needs (28), Moderate learning difficulty (21), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), Physical disability (4).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 527 | 543 | 554 | 590 | 582 | 588 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 22% | 24% | 25% | 25% | 22% | 20% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 14% | 18% | 9% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 17% | 17% | 16% | 14% | 17% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 92.9% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 91.4%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 7.1% | 9.0% | 6.9% | 6.5% | 5.1% | 4.5% | 8.6% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 5.3% | 6.6% | 4.6% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 3.4% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.8% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.1% | 0.7% | 1.0% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 20.1% | 25.3% | 18.9% | 17.1% | 13.0% | 7.5% | 23.9% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 20.4 | 40.3 | 11.0 | 7.7 | 2.4 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
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.
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
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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Thomas Hardye School | Academy | 370 m | 2,014 | No overall grade 2025 | 60 | Compare |
| The Prince of Wales School | Council | 580 m | 156 | No overall grade 2025 | 55 | Compare |
| Sunninghill Preparatory School | Independent | 0.8 miles | 167 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| St Osmund's Church of England Middle School | Academy | 0.8 miles | 714 | Good 2022 | 55 | Compare |
| Damers First School | Academy | 0.8 miles | 475 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester | Academy | 0.8 miles | 177 | Good 2023 | 42 | Compare |
| Manor Park Church of England First School | Academy | 0.9 miles | 396 | Report card 2026 | 69 | Compare |
| Dorchester Learning Centre | Pupil referral unit | 1.1 miles | 54 | Good 2022 | – | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Dorchester Middle School with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 48 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than Dorchester 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.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Osmund's Church of England Middle School | Academy | 0.8 miles | 714 | Good 2022 | 55 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 20 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 20% of secondary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 10 to 35. 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 at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% | below | -0.31 | Ofsted report card, 0.3 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 0% | no data | – | |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | well below | -0.36 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.11 | 2024/25; 563 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 0% | no data | – | |
| What pupils do next | 0% | no data | – | |
| What parents say | 0% | 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 Dorchester Middle School a good school?
The figures are weak. Dorchester Middle School scores 20 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 13% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 10 to 35, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is Dorchester Middle School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 2 June 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as needs attention, behaviour and attendance as strong, leadership as as expected.
How good are Dorchester Middle School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 49% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 5% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does Dorchester Middle School have?
527 pupils aged 9 to 13 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 600 places, so it is 88% full.
Is Dorchester Middle School oversubscribed?
Probably not. 58 places were empty in 2024/25 (10% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.
What is attendance like at Dorchester Middle School?
Pupils were in school 92.9% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 91.4%. 20% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Dorchester Middle School?
The average class had 24.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 22.8. No class had more than 30 pupils.
Does Dorchester Middle School have specialist SEND provision?
Yes. It has resourced provision (extra staff and funding within a mainstream school) for physical disability. To get a place there, a child normally needs an education, health and care plan (EHCP) that names the school.
Does Dorchester Middle School have a breakfast club?
Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.
Does Dorchester 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
- Queen's Avenue, Dorchester, DT1 2HS
- Telephone
- 01305 265651
- Website
- www.dorchestermid.dorset.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Clare King
- Free breakfast club
- Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Middle school, ages 9-13
- Gender
- Mixed
- Multi-academy trust
- Wessex Multi Academy Trust (12 schools)
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Ward
- Dorchester West
- Constituency
- West Dorset
- Setting
- Urban: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 June 2012 (academy converter)
- URN
- 138186 · LAESTAB 8384031 · UKPRN 10037405
- Formerly
- Dorchester Middle School
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Breakfast club: DfE list of schools on the free breakfast club programme.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.