Schools with other needs provision in Dorset
Provision the government lists without a more specific category. Dorset has 4 mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision for other needs and 1 special school that caters for it.
Mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision (4)
Pupils have a specialist base and staff inside an ordinary school. Places are separate from the school's main admissions and normally need an EHC plan.
| School | Provision | Ages | Town | Places | Ofsted | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Mary's Church of England Middle School, PuddletownMiddle school · also autism, speech, language and communication | Resourced provision | 9-13 | Dorchester | 10 | Good 2019 | 58 |
| West Moors Middle SchoolMiddle school · also autism, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment and more | Resourced provision | 9-13 | Ferndown | 10 | Report card 2026 | 49 |
| Damers First SchoolPrimary school | Resourced provision | 4-9 | Dorchester | 10 | Not inspected | – |
| Budmouth Academy WeymouthSecondary school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties and more | SEN unit and resourced provision | 11-18 | Weymouth | 266 | Requires improvement 2024 | 11 |
Special schools (1)
Special schools take pupils with an education, health and care plan; the council names the school in the plan. Many cater for several needs.
| School | Provision | Ages | Town | Places | Ofsted | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountjoy SchoolSpecial school · also autism, hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, physical disability and more | Special school | 4-19 | Beaminster | 112 pupils | Good 2022 | – |
Other needs
How to read this
The list comes from the Department for Education's register of schools (Get Information about Schools), which records the type of SEN provision each school has and how many pupils are in a resourced provision or SEN unit. Resourced provision means extra staff and funding for a group of pupils who spend most of their time in ordinary classes. A SEN unit is a separate class within the school. Both need a place agreed by the council through an education, health and care plan; ask the council's SEND team, not the school's admissions office. The register is only as good as what schools report, so check with the school before relying on it.