Cranborne Church of England First School
Water Street, Cranborne, Wimborne, BH21 5QB
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 2 to 9
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Trust
- DIOCESE OF SALISBURY ACADEMY TRUST
- Headteacher
- Mrs Annette Faithfull
- Diocese
- Diocese of Salisbury
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Sponsor
- Diocese of Salisbury
- Constituency
- North Dorset
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Capacity
- 140
- Pupils on roll
- 73
- URN
- 148301
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01725517439
About this school
Cranborne Church of England First School is a Church of England primary academy in Wimborne. It teaches children aged 2 to 9 and has 73 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has inspected Cranborne Church of England First School, and its latest judgement is set out below. 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
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Trends over time
How Cranborne Church of England First 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 | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 5.5% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 4.5% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 4.2% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 80 |
| 2023/24 | 73 |
| 2024/25 | 71 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Cranborne Church of England First School compares
Its absence rate was lower than 79% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 4.2% | 15.4% | 73 | — |
| Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery | — | 4.1% | 17% | 70 | 1.8 miles |
| Trinity Church of England First School | — | 4.9% | 12.8% | 128 | 2.9 miles |
| Hillside Community First School | — | 4.5% | 17.5% | 221 | 3.3 miles |
| Verwood Church of England First School | — | 4.3% | 6.3% | 289 | 3.6 miles |
| St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt | — | 4.6% | 16.9% | 125 | 4.0 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 15.38%
- English as an additional language
- 0%
- Overall absence
- 4.2%
- Persistent absence
- 6%
Location
Nearby schools
-
Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery1.8 miles
Primary · Wimborne
-
Trinity Church of England First School2.9 miles
Primary · Verwood
-
Hillside Community First School3.3 miles
Primary · Verwood
-
Verwood Church of England First School3.6 miles
Primary · Verwood
-
St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt4.0 miles
Primary · Fordingbridge
Other schools in Wimborne
- Colehill 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
- Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School Primary
- Wimborne First School and Nursery Primary
Common questions
- What ages does Cranborne Church of England First School teach?
- Cranborne Church of England First School teaches children aged 2 to 9. It is a primary school in Wimborne.
- Who is the headteacher of Cranborne Church of England First School?
- The headteacher of Cranborne Church of England First School is Mrs Annette Faithfull, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has Cranborne Church of England First School been inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Cranborne Church of England First School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How many pupils are at Cranborne Church of England First School?
- Cranborne Church of England First School has 73 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 2 to 9.
- Is Cranborne Church of England First School full?
- Cranborne Church of England First School has capacity for 140 pupils and 73 on roll (52%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Cranborne Church of England First School a faith school?
- Yes. Cranborne Church of England First School is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Salisbury.
- Does Cranborne Church of England First School have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Cranborne Church of England First School as having nursery classes.
- Is Cranborne Church of England First School part of an academy trust?
- Cranborne Church of England First School is part of DIOCESE OF SALISBURY ACADEMY TRUST. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
- What is Cranborne Church of England First School's absence rate?
- Cranborne Church of England First School's overall absence rate is 4.2% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- Does Cranborne Church of England First School publish exam results?
- OfferDay shows exam results for a school only where the Department for Education has published them, and none are shown for Cranborne Church of England First School. That is usual for infant, nursery, special and independent schools, and for schools without recent published results.
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 10 July 2026.