SchoolScoresHarbour Vale School
Academy · All-through, ages 5 to 16 · Mixed
Part of SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST
Simons Road, Sherborne, DT9 4DN
01935 814582 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 30 April 2024.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Dorset. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
Specialist SEND provision: this school has resourced provision with 36 places for autism; Social, emotional and mental health needs; Moderate learning difficulties. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.
| Pupils | This school | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 66.7% | 23.2%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 5.6% | 4.4%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 44.4% | 15.4%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language | 0.0% | 5.4%* | 19.2% |
| Pupils per teacher | 3.9 | 17.0 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 2.4 | 12.0 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 24.8% | 13.8%* | 14.2%* |
Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby secondary schools
- The Gryphon School 0.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2023 · 44% grade 5+ English and maths
- Sherborne School 0.5 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI · 31% A*/A at A level
- Sherborne Preparatory School 0.5 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI
- Sherborne School for Girls 0.7 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI · 38% A*/A at A level
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Harbour Vale School's Ofsted rating?
Harbour Vale School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 30 April 2024.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 146958.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.