Primary · Academy converter · Dorchester, DT1 2DD
Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 13 Jul 2010
Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 140771.
Pupils at the January school census. School places come from the DfE capacity survey and do not include nursery, so unfilled places compare them with pupils outside nursery.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Pupils | 177 |
| Girls | 88 |
| Boys | 89 |
| Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals. | 5.1% |
| First language not English | 14.7% |
| Nursery pupils (not in school places) | 28 |
| School places2024/25 | 150 |
| Unfilled places | 0.7% |
| SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school. | 12 |
| EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs. | 4 |
| Average class size | 29.8 |
Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.
Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.
Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.
Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Pupils per teacher | 22.9 |
| Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants. | 10.4 |
| Teachers (FTE) | 7.2 |
| Teaching assistants (FTE) | 5.17 |
| Support staff (FTE) | 11.25 |
| Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/25 | 6.1 |
| Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/25 | 5.9 |
| Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/25 | 0 |
| Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/25 | 0.2 |
Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.
Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Offers made (Reception)Places offered on national offer day. | 29 |
| Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed. | 88 |
| First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice. | 33 |
| First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place. | 29 |
| Applications from another local authority (Reception) | 1 |
Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.
Share of possible sessions missed.
| Measure | This school | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall absence | 5.3%, similar to England | - | 5.1% |
| Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions. | 8.1%, better than England | - | 13.2% |
| Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions. | 1.6%, worse than England | - | 1% |
Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.
Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.
| Measure | This school |
|---|---|
| Suspension rate | 1.1% |
| Pupils with one or more suspensions | 0.6% |
| Permanent exclusion rate | 0% |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 |
Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.
Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.
| Distance | Phase | Name | Type | Rating | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2 mi | Middle deemed secondary | St Osmund's Church of England Middle School | Academy converter | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 5 Jul 2022. | |
| 0.3 mi | Primary | Manor Park Church of England First School | Academy sponsor led | Good Area360 rating. Inspected 13 Jan 2026. | |
| 0.3 mi | Not applicable | Sunninghill Preparatory School | Other independent school | Unrated Unrated. | |
| 0.8 mi | Middle deemed secondary | Dorchester Middle School | Academy converter | Requires improvement Area360 rating. Inspected 2 Jun 2026. | |
| 1.1 mi | Secondary | The Thomas Hardye School | Academy converter | Good Area360 rating. Inspected 4 Feb 2025. | |
| 1.1 mi | Primary | The Prince of Wales School | Community school | Good Area360 rating. Inspected 3 Jun 2025. | |
| 1.3 mi | Secondary | Dorset Studio School | Studio schools | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 5 Mar 2024. | |
| 1.5 mi | Primary | Damers First School | Academy converter | Good Ofsted rating. Inspected 3 Oct 2017. |
St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 13 Jul 2010.
For Reception entry in 2026/27, St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester made 29 offers from 88 applications (3 per offer), and 29 of 33 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.
St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester has 177 pupils aged 2 to 9.
St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester had 150 school places in 2024/25, not including nursery.
At St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester, the average class had 29.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 22.9 pupils per teacher.
In 2025/26, pupils at St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester missed 5.3% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 8.1% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).
Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.