The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
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The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is a Church of England school (voluntary aided) in Shaftesbury for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 201 pupils and room for 210. About 17 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 56 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.
St James's Street, St James St, Shaftesbury, SP7 8HQ01747 852620abbeyschool.org.ukMr Michael Salisbury headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 7 December 2022 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
21 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 | 21 | 31 | 25 | 29 | 25 | 29 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 62% | 58% | 72% | 76% | 80% | 76% | 57% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 5% | 10% | 4% | 14% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 108.0 | 103.0 | 106.0 | 108.0 | 108.0 | 108.0 | 104.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 106.0 | 103.0 | 107.0 | 107.0 | 108.0 | 108.0 | 103.3 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 107.0 | 104.0 | 107.0 | 109.0 | 108.0 | 108.0 | 104.0 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 90% | 68% | 76% | 93% | 88% | 86% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 86% | 71% | 96% | 93% | 92% | 93% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 67% | 71% | 76% | 83% | 80% | 83% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +1.3 | +4.6 | +2.1 | +1.4 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +3.3 | +2.9 | +2.9 | +2.0 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | – | – | – | – | – | 67% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | – | – | – | – | – | 78% | – | – |
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. Every gap at this school 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. As a Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
About 14 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.
The last child to get a place lived 1.2 miles away in 2025, 1.3 miles away in 2024, 1.2 miles away in 2022. 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 2025. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 1.2 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.
| Entry | Places | Put it first | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Primary | 30 | 36 | 87 | 30 | 1.2 miles | LA |
| 2024 Primary | 30 | 31 | 66 | 30 | 1.3 miles | LA |
| 2022 Primary | 30 | 36 | 73 | 30 | 1.2 miles | LA |
| 2021 Primary | 30 | 29 | 70 | 30 | 1.2 miles | LA |
| 2020 Primary | 30 | 33 | 86 | 30 | 1.1 miles | LA |
| 2019 Primary | 30 | 31 | 69 | 30 | 2.2 miles | LA |
The distances are the council's own, usually measured in a straight line from home to the school gate. If the distance is getting shorter each year, the school is getting harder to get into. See which councils we have this data for.
What a home within 1.2 miles of the school costs
Every home sold within that distance of the school (the typical cut-off over the last three years), of any type, from HM Land Registry records. If homes here cost more than the district average, that is the price people pay to live close enough to get in.
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.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 28.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 28.7 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (18), Specific learning difficulty (9), emotional and mental health (8), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Physical disability (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 201 | 191 | 199 | 192 | 195 | 200 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 17% | 14% | 10% | 10% | 12% | 13% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 5% | 5% | 7% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 20% | 16% | 13% | 11% | 9% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 5.4% | 5.6% | 5.3% | 7.7% | 3.0% | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 6.9% | 2.7% | 2.6% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 0.8% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.5% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 15.7% | 17.5% | 13.2% | 26.0% | 8.6% | 3.4% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 5.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 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.
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 primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School | Academy | 1.0 miles | 333 | Report card 2026 | 4 | Compare |
| Motcombe CofE Primary School | Academy | 1.8 miles | 146 | Good 2023 | 47 | Compare |
| Ludwell Primary School | Academy | 2.9 miles | 89 | Good 2024 | 15 | Compare |
| St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School | Academy | 3.2 miles | 242 | Good 2023 | 69 | Compare |
| Semley Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Church of England | 3.3 miles | 126 | Good 2023 | 28 | Compare |
| Stower Provost Community School | Council | 3.4 miles | 92 | No overall grade 2025 | 11 | Compare |
| St Andrew's Church of England Primary School | Academy | 3.6 miles | 101 | No overall grade 2024 | 59 | Compare |
| Gillingham Primary School | Academy | 4.0 miles | 233 | Report card 2026 | 4 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury with the 46 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 46 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 56 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 56% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 30 to 78. 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 | 25% | in line | +0.02 | 2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 21 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 3.8 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | above | +0.09 | DfE progress measure; 21 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | below | -0.04 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | in line | -0.02 | 2024/25; 172 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | in line | 0.00 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 21 pupils |
| 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury a good school?
It is about average. The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury scores 56 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 52% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 30 to 78, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.
What is The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury good at its last full inspection on 7 December 2022.
How good are The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 62% 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury have?
201 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 96% full.
Is The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?
Yes. For September 2025 the last place went to a child living 1.2 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
Pupils were in school 94.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 16% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
The average class had 28.4 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
- St James's Street, St James St, Shaftesbury, SP7 8HQ
- Telephone
- 01747 852620
- Website
- www.abbeyschool.org.uk
- Headteacher
- Mr Michael Salisbury
- Type of school
- Church of England school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided 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
- Shaftesbury Town
- Constituency
- North Dorset
- Setting
- Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
- URN
- 113850 · LAESTAB 8383693 · UKPRN 10073793
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, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Dorset council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025.
- House prices: HM Land Registry price paid data, December 2023 to December 2025, placed by postcode.
- 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.