Dorchester Middle SchoolDorset Studio School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Dorchester.
Summary of the comparison
This page compares Dorchester Middle School and Dorset Studio School in Dorchester.
Dorchester Middle School scores 37 out of 100 (grade F, weak) and Dorset Studio School scores 45 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Dorset Studio School is ahead on our composite score.
Dorchester Middle School was judged the expected standard and Dorset Studio School was judged Good.
The share of pupils meeting the expected standard at Key Stage 2 has risen at Dorchester Middle School (32.0% in 2022-23, 49.0% in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | DorchesterDorchester Middle School | DorchesterDorset Studio School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | F37/100 | D45/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 29th of 29 in Dorset | 23rd of 29 in Dorset Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Expected | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy converter | Studio schools | |
| Phase | Middle deemed secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 9-13 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 543 | 325 | |
| Capacity | 600 | 375 | |
| Location | Dorchester, DT1 2HS | Dorchester, DT2 8PX | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | Not reported | 34.1 | 46.0 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | Not reported | 14.5% | 45.4% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | Not reported | 40.6% | 64.8% |
| Entering EBacc | Not reported | 0.0% | 40.5% |
| EBacc average point score | Not reported | 2.75 | 4.09 |
| Cohort | Not reported | 69 | |
| Key Stage 2 (SATs) | |||
| Reading, writing & maths at expected standard | 49.0% | Not reported | 62.0% |
| At higher standard | 5.0% | Not reported | 8.0% |
| Reading average scaled score | 104.0 | Not reported | 106.0 |
| Maths average scaled score | 101.0 | Not reported | 105.0 |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 543 | 325 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 24.1% | 32.3% | |
| English as an additional language | 17.7% | 0.0% | |
| SEN support | 16.9% | 40.9% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 4.8% | 11.1% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 7.1% Stronger figure | 12.7% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 20.1% Stronger figure | 42.4% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Dorchester Middle School
Dorset Studio School
Full profiles: Dorchester Middle School · Dorset Studio School