SchoolScoresBest secondary schools in Dorset
How this list works. Ranked by the percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE, averaged over up to the last three years and weighted by the number of pupils each year. Only years with at least 10 pupils count, and a school needs at least one such year to be ranked. Independent schools, special schools and alternative provision are not ranked because their results aren't comparable. Ofsted outcomes are shown alongside but are not part of the ranking. Full methodology.
| # | School | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Woodroffe School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 55% |
| 2 | The Blandford School Ofsted: Good (2024) | 51% |
| 3 | Lytchett Minster School Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 | 49% |
| 4 | The Thomas Hardye School Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) | 49% |
| 5 | Ferndown Upper School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 5 strong, 2 expected | 48% |
| 6 | The Gryphon School Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 | 45% |
| 7 | Gillingham School Ofsted: Not yet inspected | 45% |
| 8 | Sturminster Newton High School Ofsted: Report card 2026: 7 expected | 44% |
| 9 | The Purbeck School Ofsted: Good (2014, before conversion), improved significantly 2025 | 42% |
| 10 | Queen Elizabeth's School Ofsted: Requires improvement (2023) | 41% |
| 11 | Wey Valley Academy Ofsted: Good (2023) | 41% |
| 12 | Beaminster School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 37% |
| 13 | Budmouth Academy Weymouth Ofsted: Requires improvement (2024) | 35% |
| 14 | All Saints' CofE Academy Ofsted: Requires improvement (2023) | 33% |
| 15 | The Sir John Colfox Academy Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 | 32% |
| 16 | Shaftesbury School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 31% |
| 17 | The Swanage School Ofsted: Good (2023) | 29% |
| 18 | Atlantic Academy Portland Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 expected, 5 needs attention | 23% |
| 19 | Dorset Studio School Ofsted: Good (2024) | 10% |
Result: grade 5 or above in English and maths. Source: DfE school performance tables to 2025; Ofsted inspection data.
Page updated 26 September 2026.