The Blandford SchoolSturminster Newton High School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side.
Summary of the comparison
The Blandford School and Sturminster Newton High School are secondary schools.
The Blandford School scores 56 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Sturminster Newton High School scores 52 out of 100 (grade D, below average). The Blandford School is ahead on our composite score.
The Blandford School was judged Good and Sturminster Newton High School was judged the expected standard.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 43.2 for The Blandford School and 41.4 for Sturminster Newton High School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at The Blandford School (49.7 in 2021-22, 43.2 in 2025-26) and has held broadly level at Sturminster Newton High School (42.2 in 2023-24, 41.4 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | Blandford ForumThe Blandford School | Sturminster NewtonSturminster Newton High School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C56/100Stronger figure | D52/100 | |
| Local ranking | 11th of 28 in Dorset Stronger figure | 15th of 28 in Dorset | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Expected | |
| School type | Voluntary controlled school | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-18 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,103 | 605 | |
| Capacity | 1,557 | 900 | |
| Location | Blandford Forum, DT11 7SQ | Sturminster Newton, DT10 1DT | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 43.2 Stronger figure | 41.4 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 37.1% Stronger figure | 36.0% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 59.7% Stronger figure | 59.0% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 186 | 100 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 60 | 32 | |
| A-level average points | 37.2 Stronger figure | 28.5 | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | B- | C | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 37.5 Stronger figure | 30.2 | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 17.4% Stronger figure | 11.1% | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,135 | 617 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 20.8% | 29.6% | |
| English as an additional language | 5.9% | 6.8% | |
| SEN support | 6.7% | 22.0% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 2.9% | 3.7% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 8.7% Stronger figure | 10.9% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 21.9% Stronger figure | 29.2% | 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.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
A-level average points
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.
The Blandford School
Sturminster Newton High School
Full profiles: The Blandford School · Sturminster Newton High School