Canford School
Canford Magna, Wimborne, BH21 3AD
- Phase
- Independent schools
- School type
- Other independent school
- Ages
- 13 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Anglican/Church of England
- Headmaster
- Mr Christopher Wheeler
- Admissions policy
- Selective
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Constituency
- Mid Dorset and North Poole
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Capacity
- 680
- Pupils on roll
- 650
- URN
- 113922
- Local authority
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01202841254
About this school
Canford School is an independent school in Wimborne. It teaches children aged 13 to 18 and has 650 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has not yet inspected Canford School under its current framework. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Seeing a school for yourself shows what no page can, so arrange a visit before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Canford School has not been inspected by Ofsted yet. It opened in its current form in January 1930, and new or converted schools usually wait a few years for their first inspection.
Exam results
Key stage 4 (GCSEs)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 4 | 116 | 125 | 126 |
| Attainment 8 score | 26.2 | 26.9 | 26.8 |
| Progress 8 score | - | - | - |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| English Baccalaureate average point score | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 |
Progress 8 is paused nationally for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 school years. Those pupils sat no key stage 2 tests during the Covid pandemic, so there is no starting point to measure progress from. A blank figure here is not missing school data.
Trends over time
How Canford School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole average | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 26.2 | 39.1 | 39.8 |
| 2023/24 | 26.9 | 38.8 | 39.5 |
| 2024/25 | 26.8 | 40 | 39 |
Department for Education KS4 performance data, published school results.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 646 |
| 2023/24 | 662 |
| 2024/25 | 646 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 0%
- Pupils with an EHC plan
- 0
- Pupils on SEN support
- 248
Location
Nearby schools
-
The White House School1.1 miles
Special schools · Poole
-
Beaucroft Foundation School1.4 miles
Special schools · Wimborne
-
South West Regional Assessment Centre1.6 miles
Other types · Wimborne
-
Dumpton School1.9 miles
Independent schools · Wimborne
-
The Lion Works School2.8 miles
Special schools · Poole
Other schools in Wimborne
- Dumpton School Independent schools
- Colehill First School Primary
- Cranborne Church of England First School Primary
- Hampreston Church of England Voluntary Aided First School Primary
- Hayeswood First School Primary
- Henbury View First School Primary
- Merley First School Primary
- Pamphill Church of England First School Primary
- Rushcombe First School Primary
- St James Church of England First School Primary
- St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne Primary
- Sturminster Marshall First School Primary
Common questions
- What ages does Canford School teach?
- Canford School teaches children aged 13 to 18. It is an independent school in Wimborne.
- Who is the headmaster of Canford School?
- The headmaster of Canford School is Mr Christopher Wheeler, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has Canford School been inspected?
- Ofsted has not inspected Canford School under its current framework, so no current judgement is shown. That is common for newer schools and is not a mark against a school.
- How many pupils are at Canford School?
- Canford School has 650 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 13 to 18.
- Is Canford School full?
- Canford School has capacity for 680 pupils and 650 on roll (96%), so it is close to full. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Canford School a faith school?
- Yes. Canford School is designated Anglican/Church of England.
- Is Canford School a selective school?
- Yes. Canford School is recorded as Selective in the schools register, so entry involves selection.
- How have Canford School's results changed over recent years?
- Its Attainment 8 score was 26.2 in 2022/23 and 26.8 in 2024/25. The year-by-year figures, alongside local and national averages, are charted in the trends section on this page.
- What are Canford School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Canford School's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 24 July 2026.