The Purbeck School

State-Funded School

the-purbeck-school-dorset-south-west-148737

South WestRegion

DorsetLocal Authority

Mid Dorset and North PooleConstituency

BH20 4PFPostcode

2.9

Academic Performance

Ofsted

About the School

The Purbeck School is a state-funded secondary for pupils aged 11–18, located in Dorset, South West.

The school is rated Good by Ofsted. It currently serves 1,022 pupils. The Purbeck School is part of WESSEX MULTI ACADEMY TRUST.

Ofsted Rating

Safeguarding effective

Rating last maintained

2025

Subject Areas

Leadership &management

Good

Sixth formprovision

Good

Academic Performance

Below average

Ranked against secondary schools in England · 2024-25

Attainment 8: 41.9
Grade 5+ in English & maths: 36.6%
EBacc average point score: 3.54

Ethnicity

White

91%

Asian

<1%

Black

<1%

Mixed

Chinese

<1%

Any other group

<1%

Unclassified

Pupils

1,022

Total Pupils

52%Boys

48%Girls

Pupil Characteristics

Free school meals

21%

England average

27%

First language not English

England average

22%

Young carers

England average

0%25%50%75%100%

DfE school census, January 2026.

Key Information

Phase: Secondary
Age range: 11 – 18
Deprivation band: Less deprived
Total pupils: 1,022
IDACI quintile: 2 (More deprived)
MAT name: WESSEX MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

Inspection history

Ofsted has published one graded inspection for this school. The most recent ungraded inspection is shown below.

Improved significantly

Ungraded inspection on 30 April 2025. An ungraded inspection checks whether the existing grade still holds; it does not award a new one.

Read the inspection letter on Ofsted

Report published					Overall
26 Feb 2015	Good	Not reported in this inspection	Not reported in this inspection	Not reported in this inspection	Good

A grey dot means Ofsted did not report that judgement in the inspection of the day — the sub-judgements shown here were introduced with the 2019 framework.

Ofsted data as at 31 December 2024. A school may have been inspected since, or had an ungraded visit that does not change its grade — check Ofsted’s own record.