Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School
Primary · Academy converter · Ages 4–11 · Shaftesbury, Dorset
Last distance offered · Reception 2023
Every applicant was offered a place
From Dorset Council · offers on 17 April 2023
2015–2016 trend 🔒
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Shaftesbury, Dorset for ages 4–11 (academy converter). Dorset has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2015 to 2023 entry.
Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Reception 2023 | Every applicant was offered a place |
| Reception 2016 | 🔒 With a pass |
| Reception 2015 | 🔒 With a pass |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- In 2024/25, 44% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), and 8% reached the higher standard (England 8%).
- Every applicant was offered a Reception place in 2023, the latest published year, though places ran out in 1 of the 2 earlier published years.
- Reception 2026 had 40 first-choice applications for 40 offers, and every first-choice family was offered a place.
- Of pupils here, 24.3% are eligible for free school meals, against a middle figure of 16.9% across the 8 nearest primary schools in Dorset.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Dorset schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Wincombe Lane, Shaftesbury, SP7 8PZ
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4–11
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Council
- Dorset
- Pupils on roll
- 333 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 24.3% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 20.8
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
No Ofsted grade Inspected 2 June 2026
Strengths
- “Pupils recognise that the school is improving.”
- “For example, the implementation of what the school calls its 'behaviour curriculum' means that staff's expectations of behaviour are higher.”
- “Pupils enjoy and value the structured lunchtime activities on offer.”
To improve
- “However, pupils' experiences in their academic learning are mixed.”
- “Over time, pupils have not been well prepared for secondary school.”
- “In the past, pupils did not learn the essential subject content they needed to.”
Safeguarding: met
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 8 July 2026 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25) | 44% | 62% |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Reception entry: 40 first-preference applications, 40 offers in total, 40 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby primary schools
Straight-line distance, in Dorset.
- The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 1.0 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Motcombe CofE Primary School 1.8 mi Good Last distance published
- St Mary the Virgin Church of England Primary School 3.5 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- St Andrew's Church of England Primary School 4.2 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Stower Provost Community School 4.2 mi Not judged
- Gillingham Primary School 4.2 mi No Ofsted grade
- Wyke Primary School 4.8 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Milton-on-Stour Church of England Primary School 5.4 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published