Schools in Dorset
184 schools across 28 towns
Based on the most recent published single-word Ofsted grades. Ofsted stopped issuing overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) in September 2024, so schools inspected more recently — under Ofsted’s report cards — may not have one. Figures cover the 86 of 184 schools here that have a published grade.
Dorset has 184 schools across 28 towns — 119 primary, 18 secondary, educating around 52,195 pupils. 79% of schools with a published Ofsted grade are rated Good or Outstanding (68 of 86). There are currently 15 open teaching jobs in Dorset. Browse schools by town, compare Ofsted ratings and exam results, and find teaching jobs across Dorset.
Dorsetlocal authority guide — teacher pay, ratios & spending →School spending in Dorset
Gross expenditure per pupil — LA-maintained schools (2024-25).
Source: DfE “LA and school expenditure” (Consistent Financial Reporting), 2024-25, under the Open Government Licence. Covers council-maintained schools; academies report separately.
Latest teaching jobs in Dorset
View all 15 →Senior Teaching Assistant
Sherborne Primary School · Sherborne
£16,887.00 Annually (Actual) Grade 7, Point 8· Closes 14 SeptTeaching Assistant
Sherborne Primary School · Sherborne
£16,106.00 - £16,361.00 Annually (Actual) Grade 5, Point 5 - 6· Closes 14 SeptCleaner
Gillingham Primary School · Gillingham
£12.65 - £12.65 Hourly Dorset Grade 2, pay point 3, £24,796 per annum (DOE) FTE· Closes 6 SeptSchool Administrator
St Nicholas Church of England Primary School, Child Okeford · Blandford Forum
£22,355.00 - £23,443.00 Annually (Actual) Grade 6, Point 6; £22,355- £23,443 per annum (subject to experience)· Closes 29 Jul
Teaching supply agencies in Dorset
Recruitment and supply agencies that place teachers and support staff across Dorset and the surrounding region — for day-to-day supply, long-term and permanent roles.
Run a teaching agency in Dorset?Get featured here — it’s free to list.
Claim this spot →Top-performing schools in Dorset
Ranked on the latest DfE results. Higher is better.
By Attainment 8 — average GCSE score
- 1The Woodroffe School51.4Attainment 8
- 2The Thomas Hardye School49.8Attainment 8
- 3The Blandford School47.0Attainment 8
- 4Beaminster School47.0Attainment 8
- 5Lytchett Minster School46.8Attainment 8
Source: DfE performance tables, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Towns in Dorset
Select a town to browse its schools and Ofsted ratings
Beaminster
Blandford Forum
Bridport
Corfe Mullen
Dorchester
DORCHESTER
Ferndown
Fordingbridge
Gillingham
Holton Heath
Lyme Regis
Lytchett Matravers
Poole
Portland
Ringwood
Ringwood, Hants
Salisbury
Shaftesbury
Sherborne
Stalbridge
Sturminster Newton
Swanage
Thorncombe
Verwood
Wareham
Weymouth
Wimborne
Winterborne Whitechurch
Outstanding Schools in Dorset
Schools rated Outstanding by Ofsted