Schools in Shaftesbury

About schools in Shaftesbury

Shaftesbury lists nine schools, most of them primary schools. Its one secondary school is where pupils go on to after primary. One school here provides for children with additional needs.

Ofsted inspects every school listed here. Its newer reports judge a school across several areas rather than giving one overall grade, while older reports still carry the previous single grade, so read the framework and the date on each page before you set two schools side by side. Where results have been published you will also find key stage 2 scores for the primary schools and Attainment 8 for the secondary schools. An inspection or a results table captures a school at one past moment, so use this page to draw up a shortlist and then visit.

Key stage 2, 2024/25

51%

of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, across the 5 schools with published results

Primary schools6

The figure beside a school is the share of its pupils who reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

• Ludwell Primary School

  Academy sponsor led · Ages 4 to 11

  35%

  expected standard
• Motcombe CofE Primary School

  Academy converter · Ages 4 to 11

  68%

  expected standard
• Semley Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

  Voluntary aided school · Ages 4 to 11

  45%

  expected standard
• Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School

  Academy converter · Ages 4 to 11

  44%

  expected standard
• St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

  Academy sponsor led · Ages 4 to 11

• The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury

  Voluntary aided school · Ages 4 to 11

  62%

  expected standard

Secondary schools1

The figure beside a school is its average Attainment 8 score (out of 90) in 2024/25.

• Shaftesbury School

  Academy converter · Ages 11 to 18

  39.1

  Attainment 8

Special schools and alternative provision1

• Coombe House School

  Other independent special school · Ages 5 to 19

Independent schools1

• Port Regis Preparatory School

  Other independent school · Ages 2 to 13

Common questions about schools in Shaftesbury

How many schools does Shaftesbury have?

OfferDay lists nine schools in Shaftesbury, including six primary schools and one secondary school.

Who inspects schools in Shaftesbury?

Every school in Shaftesbury is inspected by Ofsted. Newer reports grade several areas of a school separately on a report card, while older reports carry a single overall grade, so check the framework and the date on each page before you compare two schools.

How are schools in Shaftesbury ranked?

OfferDay ranks schools in Shaftesbury where the Department for Education has published results, by key stage 2 scores for primary schools and Attainment 8 for secondary schools. The ranking links are near the top of this page. A results table only captures one part of a school, so use it to draw up a shortlist and then visit.

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. Information on this page was last updated on 24 July 2026.