Best secondary schools in Dorset (2026)
Dorset has 40 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Bournemouth School, in the top 3% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 47.2, against 46.1 for England. 5 are in England's top 10%, and 3 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. There are 4 grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 3% in England |
Bournemouth School Bournemouth · Grammar · Boys |
72.8 | 74.2 | 96% | Outstanding | |
2 Top 4% in England |
Bournemouth School for Girls Bournemouth · Grammar · Girls |
71.5 | 72.2 | 96% | Outstanding | |
3 Top 4% in England |
Poole Grammar School Poole · Grammar · Boys |
70.5 | 70.2 | 96% | Not judged | |
4 Top 4% in England |
Parkstone Grammar School Poole · Grammar · Girls |
68.6 | 68.5 | 90% | Not judged | |
5 Top 7% in England |
Glenmoor Academy Bournemouth · Girls |
60.5 | 60.7 | 79% | No rating | |
6 Top 11% in England |
Winton Academy Bournemouth · Boys |
55.7 | 55.4 | 73% | No rating | |
7 Top 23% in England |
Avonbourne Girls Academy Bournemouth |
51.3 | 53.0 | 62% | Not judged | |
8 Top 24% in England |
Twynham School Christchurch (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) |
50.9 | 53.5 | 62% | Good | |
9 Top 26% in England |
The Woodroffe School Lyme Regis |
51.1 | 51.4 | 55% | Good | |
10 Top 26% in England |
Poole High School Poole |
51.0 | 51.0 | 56% | No rating | |
11 Top 34% in England |
Avonbourne Boys' Academy Bournemouth · Boys |
47.5 | 47.3 | 59% | Outstanding | |
12 Top 35% in England |
The Thomas Hardye School Dorchester (Dorset) |
49.2 | 49.8 | 50% | Not judged | |
13 Top 37% in England |
Highcliffe School Christchurch (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) |
48.5 | 47.0 | 46% | No rating | |
14 Top 39% in England |
The Blandford School Blandford Forum |
47.6 | 47.0 | 46% | Good | |
15 Top 41% in England |
Ferndown Upper School Ferndown |
47.8 | 45.7 | 45% | Report card | |
16 Top 41% in England |
The Gryphon School Sherborne · Church of England |
48.3 | 46.7 | 44% | No rating | |
17 Top 41% in England |
St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School Bournemouth · Roman Catholic |
47.5 | 47.0 | 47% | Good | |
18 Top 41% in England |
Lytchett Minster School Post Green |
47.2 | 46.8 | 47% | No rating | |
19 Top 43% in England |
The Bishop of Winchester Academy Bournemouth · Church of England |
47.3 | 49.6 | 53% | Good | |
20 Top 48% in England |
St Edward's Roman Catholic/Church of England School, Poole Poole · Church of England/Roman Catholic |
45.9 | 46.4 | 51% | No rating | |
21 Bottom 49% in England |
Corfe Hills School Poole |
45.6 | 46.7 | 46% | Good | |
22 Bottom 47% in England |
Sturminster Newton High School Sturminster Newton |
44.2 | 46.1 | 49% | Report card | |
23 Bottom 46% in England |
The Purbeck School Wareham |
45.3 | 41.9 | 37% | No rating | |
24 Bottom 43% in England |
Queen Elizabeth's School Stone (Dorset) · Church of England |
44.5 | 43.3 | 38% | Requires improvement | |
25 Bottom 38% in England |
The Bourne Academy Bournemouth |
43.1 | 44.2 | 44% | Good | |
26 Bottom 38% in England |
Beaminster School Beaminster · Christian |
43.9 | 47.0 | 44% | Good | |
27 Bottom 36% in England |
Magna Academy Poole |
43.3 | 44.3 | 41% | Good | |
28 Bottom 28% in England |
The Cornerstone Academy Poole |
41.3 | 41.0 | 37% | No rating | |
29 Bottom 28% in England |
The Sir John Colfox Academy Bradpole |
42.6 | 43.0 | 34% | No rating | |
30 Bottom 26% in England |
Wey Valley Academy Weymouth |
39.7 | 41.0 | 48% | Good | |
31 Bottom 26% in England |
Budmouth Academy Weymouth Weymouth |
41.0 | 42.0 | 40% | Requires improvement | |
32 Bottom 24% in England |
The Grange School Christchurch (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) |
39.3 | 36.3 | 33% | Report card | |
33 Bottom 22% in England |
LeAF Studio Bournemouth |
41.3 | 42.4 | 31% | Not judged | |
34 Bottom 21% in England |
Shaftesbury School Shaftesbury · Church of England |
40.9 | 39.1 | 28% | Good | |
35 Bottom 20% in England |
The Swanage School Swanage |
40.6 | 36.9 | 20% | Good | |
36 Bottom 17% in England |
All Saints' Church of England Academy Weymouth · Church of England |
38.7 | 35.6 | 33% | Requires improvement | |
37 Bottom 12% in England |
Atlantic Academy Portland Southwell (Dorset) |
38.9 | 34.0 | 19% | Report card | |
38 Bottom 4% in England |
St Aldhelm's Academy Poole |
34.5 | 33.6 | 22% | Report card | |
39 Bottom 3% in England |
Oak Academy Bournemouth |
33.0 | 32.5 | 14% | Not judged | |
40 Bottom 2% in England |
Dorset Studio School Stinsford, Lower Bockhampton and Kingston Maurward |
32.6 | 34.1 | 14% | Good |
Best secondary school in each town
- Bournemouth · best: Bournemouth School
- Poole · best: Poole Grammar School
- Christchurch (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) · best: Twynham School
- Weymouth · best: Wey Valley Academy
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Dorset?
On exam results over the last three years, Bournemouth School is the top-ranked secondary school in Dorset, in the top 3% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.