School Chooser

Stalbridge Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedFoundationChurch of England188 pupilsDorset
School Chooser Score
53
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 28 to 76
Out of 100. Better than 76% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, March 2023
Reached the expected level at 1165%England 63%
Attendance95.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families22%A bit fewer than most schools
Places22 spare188 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher22.4School workforce census

Stalbridge Church of England Primary School is a foundation school in Stalbridge for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 188 pupils and room for 210. About 22 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 53 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 76% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Duck Lane, Stalbridge, DT10 2LP01963 362487stalbridge.dorset.sch.ukMr Simon Elledge headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 14 March 2023 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1165%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level10%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score105.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 58%58%20172018: 73%73%20182019: 69%69%20192023: 69%69%20232024: 68%68%20242025: 65%65%2025
Since 2017: +7%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017DorsetEngland
Pupils tested313129293031
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths65%68%69%69%73%58%57%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths10%6%14%14%10%3%7%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score105.0106.0106.0105.0105.0104.0104.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0104.0105.0105.0104.0104.0103.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0106.0105.0107.0106.0106.0104.0105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard77%77%86%76%80%71%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard74%81%79%83%77%68%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)84%87%90%83%87%81%
Reading progressReading progress score-0.7+0.3+1.9+1.0
Maths progressMaths progress score-0.4+0.8+1.7+0.4
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged45%43%67%43%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged75%75%70%63%

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
45%75%
Gap 30 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
76%50%
Gap 26 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%10%
Gap 10 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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

A few spare places188 pupils for 209 places, 2024/25
90% full

About 21 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 2.6 miles away in 2023. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2023. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 2.6 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesPut it firstApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2023 Primary303139302.6 milesLA

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 roll188Census January 2026
Places21090% full
Pupils from low-income families22%22% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English2%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support7%13 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%8 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.05 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)21%£62,000 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls93 / 95
White British pupils96%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 24.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (5), language and communications needs (4), Moderate learning difficulty (2), Physical disability (1), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll188190193187193176
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals22%24%21%18%15%11%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language2%3%3%2%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support7%8%9%13%14%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%3%3%3%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school8.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.62024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.4%4.8%4.5%6.4%2.6%3.4%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.1%3.5%3.7%4.9%2.3%2.5%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.2%1.3%0.8%1.4%0.3%0.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence8.6%8.3%6.6%15.0%3.1%4.1%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.65.70.06.70.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers8.4full-time equivalent, 10 people
Pupils per teacher22.4Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants5.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,562
Teachers who left in the year46%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.42024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,118England £7,738. Total £1.2m
Income per pupil£6,301England £7,697. Total £1.2m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,113England £3,480
Money in reserve12%A healthy amount put by: £142k, £750 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out+£35kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,118spent 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 m3412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate43 per 1,000 people53% lower than the England average
Typical house price£345,000Dorset
Nearest bus stop100 mDuck Lane, 11 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 primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Nicholas CofE Primary School, HenstridgeAcademy1.4 miles92No overall grade 20253Compare
St Gregory's Church of England Primary School, MarnhullAcademy2.8 miles51Requires improvement 20221Compare
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, MarnhullAcademy3.2 miles82Good 202341Compare
Abbas and Templecombe Church SchoolAcademy3.3 miles109Not inspected72Compare
Milborne Port Primary SchoolAcademy3.6 miles169Good 2024Compare
William Barnes Primary SchoolCouncil4.0 miles162Good 202335Compare
All Saints Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolAcademy4.1 miles130Good 2023Compare
Horsington Church SchoolAcademy4.5 miles93Not inspected14Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Stalbridge Church of England Primary School with the 49 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 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats76%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the top quarter of its group. Its score of 53 is 13 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 4 · middle 41 · highest 95100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 53 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 53% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 28 to 76. 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 years25%in line
-0.01
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 31 pupils
Ofsted inspection19% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.01
DfE progress measure; 31 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.06
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.06
2024/25; 175 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.03
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 31 pupils
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 Stalbridge Church of England Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Stalbridge Church of England Primary School scores 53 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 76% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 28 to 76, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

What is Stalbridge Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated Stalbridge Church of England Primary School good at its last full inspection on 14 March 2023.

How good are Stalbridge Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 65% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 10% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does Stalbridge Church of England Primary School have?

188 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 90% full.

Is Stalbridge Church of England Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2023 the last place went to a child living 2.6 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at Stalbridge Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 95.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 9% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at Stalbridge Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 26.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

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

Contact and details

Address
Duck Lane, Stalbridge, DT10 2LP
Telephone
01963 362487
Website
www.stalbridge.dorset.sch.uk
Headteacher
Mr Simon Elledge
Type of school
Foundation school (Foundation school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Salisbury
Local authority
Dorset
Ward
Stalbridge & Marnhull
Constituency
North Dorset
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
URN
113899 · LAESTAB 8385201 · UKPRN 10073683

Where these figures come from