What year groups does St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster teach?

St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster teaches children aged 4 to 9. It is a primary school in Dorchester.

Who is the headteacher of St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster?

The headteacher of St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster is Mr Mick Homer, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.

Has St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster been inspected?

Ofsted has not inspected St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster 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 big is St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster?

St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster has 148 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 4 to 9.

Is St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster a faith school?

Yes. St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Salisbury.

Who runs St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster?

St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster is part of INITIO LEARNING TRUST. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.

What is St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster's absence rate?

St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster's overall absence rate is 4.1% in the latest published census.

Does St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster publish exam results?

OfferDay shows exam results for a school only where the Department for Education has published them, and none are shown for St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster. That is usual for infant, nursery, special and independent schools, and for schools without recent published results.

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St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster

St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster

West Hill, Charminster, Dorchester, DT2 9RD

Phase: Primary
School type: Academy converter
Ages: 4 to 9
Gender: Mixed
Religious character: Church of England
Trust: INITIO LEARNING TRUST
Headteacher: Mr Mick Homer
Diocese: Diocese of Salisbury
Sponsor: Wimborne Academy Trust
Constituency: West Dorset
Setting: Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
Capacity: 150
Pupils on roll: 148
URN: 151330
Local authority: Dorset
Website: School website
Telephone: 01305263880

About this school

St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster is a Church of England primary academy in Dorchester. It teaches children aged 4 to 9 and has 148 pupils on roll.

Ofsted has not yet inspected St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster 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

St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster has not been inspected by Ofsted yet. It opened in its current form in January 2025, and new or converted schools usually wait a few years for their first inspection.

How St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster compares

Its absence rate was lower than 83% of England schools in 2024/25.

School	KS2 RWM (2024/25)	Absence	FSM (6 years)	Pupils	Distance
This school	—	4.1%	6.7%	148	—
Damers First School	—	4.3%	18.9%	475	1.2 miles
The Prince of Wales School	—	5.4%	12.2%	156	2.0 miles
St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester	—	5.4%	9.3%	177	2.1 miles
Manor Park Church of England First School	—	5.5%	17.3%	396	2.3 miles
Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School	—	4.3%	4.6%	60	3.9 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): 6.71%
English as an additional language: 1.3%
Overall absence: 4.07%
Persistent absence: 4.8%

Location

Nearby schools

Damers First School
Primary · Dorchester

1.2 miles
The Prince of Wales School
Primary · Dorchester

2.0 miles
St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester
Primary · Dorchester

2.1 miles
Manor Park Church of England First School
Primary · Dorchester

2.3 miles
Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School
Primary · Dorchester

3.9 miles

Other schools in Dorchester

Broadmayne First School Primary
Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School Primary
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School Primary
Cheselbourne Village School Primary
Damers First School Primary
Frome Valley CofE First School Primary
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School Primary
Manor Park Church of England First School Primary
Piddle Valley Church of England First School Primary
Puddletown Church of England First School Primary
St Mary's Catholic First School, Dorchester Primary
Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Primary

Common questions

What year groups does St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster teach?: St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster teaches children aged 4 to 9. It is a primary school in Dorchester.
Who is the headteacher of St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster?: The headteacher of St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster is Mr Mick Homer, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
Has St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster been inspected?: Ofsted has not inspected St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster 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 big is St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster?: St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster has 148 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 4 to 9.
Is St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster full?: St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster has capacity for 150 pupils and 148 on roll (99%), 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 St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster a faith school?: Yes. St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Salisbury.
Does St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster have a nursery?: No. The schools register records St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster as having no nursery classes.
Who runs St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster?: St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster is part of INITIO LEARNING TRUST. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
What is St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster's absence rate?: St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster's overall absence rate is 4.1% in the latest published census.
Does St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster publish exam results?: OfferDay shows exam results for a school only where the Department for Education has published them, and none are shown for St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster. 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.