School profile

Dorset Studio School

Secondary · Studio schools · Dorchester, DT2 8PX

Good

Map showing Dorset Studio School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#3,229 of 3,312

Worse than 97% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Dorset Studio School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 5 Mar 2024

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeStudio schools
Ages11 to 16
Pupils332
GenderMixed
Head teacherMr Jason Malone
TrustKINGSTON MAURWARD STUDIO SCHOOL LIMITED
Local authorityDorset
Opened01 Sept 2014
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 140977.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolDorsetEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.32, worse than England-46.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.28.3%, worse than England-64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.13.3%, worse than England-46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.0%, worse than England-14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths23.3%, worse than England-60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 460--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils332
Girls173
Boys159
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.31.6%
First language not English0%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.325
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
Sixth form places2018/19Not available
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.136
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.33
Average class size21.6

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
87.3%
Irish
2.4%
Gypsy/Roma
1.8%
Other mixed
1.5%
Other White
1.2%
White and Black Caribbean
0.9%
Traveller of Irish heritage
0.3%
White and Black African
0.3%
White and Asian
0.3%
Indian
0%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher10.8
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.7.8
Teachers (FTE)30.83
Teaching assistants (FTE)5.32
Support staff (FTE)19.99
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2527.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2520.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/254.3

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

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.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.51
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.99
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.51
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.51
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)7

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolDorsetEngland
Overall absence14.4%, worse than England-8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.44.3%, worse than England-21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.7%, worse than England-3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

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.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate42.2%
Pupils with one or more suspensions18.8%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.79.7%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.65.6%
Further education60.9%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.14.1%
Employment7.8%
Apprenticeship6.3%
School sixth form3.1%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Dorset Studio School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
1.3 miPrimarySt Mary's Catholic First School, DorchesterAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miNot applicableSunninghill Preparatory SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
1.4 miPrimaryManor Park Church of England First SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.5 miMiddle deemed secondarySt Osmund's Church of England Middle SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Dorset Studio School

What is Dorset Studio School's Ofsted rating?

Dorset Studio School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 5 Mar 2024.

How does Dorset Studio School rank in England?

Dorset Studio School ranks 3,229 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 97% of schools).

What are Dorset Studio School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 13.3% of pupils at Dorset Studio School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 32 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Dorset Studio School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Dorset Studio School made 51 offers from 99 applications (1.9 per offer), and 51 of 51 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Dorset Studio School?

Dorset Studio School has 332 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Dorset Studio School?

Dorset Studio School had 325 school places in 2024/25.

Does Dorset Studio School have a sixth form?

No, Dorset Studio School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at Dorset Studio School?

At Dorset Studio School, the average class had 21.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 10.8 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Dorset Studio School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Dorset Studio School missed 14.4% of sessions (England 8%), and 44.3% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

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.