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 16 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 16 →Teaching Assistant
Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School · Wimborne
£26,427.00 - £26,847.00 Annually (FTE) Dorset Grade 5, SP5 (£26,427 to £26,847 pro rata)· Closes 4 OctDeputy Headteacher
Allenbourn Middle School · Wimborne
£66,368 - £73,105· Closes 4 Oct1:1 Teaching Assistant
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School · Sherborne
£13,084.00 - £13,292.00 Annually (Actual) Grade 5, Scale Point 5-6, subject to experience· Closes 28 SeptMidday Supervisory Assistant
Wyvern Academy · Weymouth
£25,614 per annum (full time equivalent); actual salary for part-time, term-time only working: £7,405 per annum· Closes 27 Sept
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
Rushcombe First School
Wimborne, Dorset· BH21 3PX
314 pupils
St Ives Primary & Nursery School
Ringwood, Dorset· BH24 2LE
256 pupils
KS2: 90% met expected standard
Trust: THE HEATH ACADEMY TRUST