Ofsted: Good trending_up Popular

The Prince of Wales School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMr Gary Spracklen

location_onDorchester, DT1 2HH

language Visit Website phone 1305257120

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

159

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Demand Ratio

1.4x

summarize

The Prince of Wales School is a Community school primary school in Dorchester, serving ages 2-9. Rated Good by Ofsted. Demand is above capacity (1.4×) — apply through your local authority on time.

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School Summary

The Prince of Wales School is a community school in Dorchester, Dorset, admitting pupils aged 2-9. The school has approximately 156 pupils on roll, of whom 12% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Good.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.4× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 21.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

03 June 2025

Inspection Report

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20 March 2024

Inspection Report

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21 June 2018

Inspection Report

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07 January 2011

Inspection Report

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13 February 2008

Inspection Report

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05 November 2003

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2025-06-03

S5 Inspection EIF

Not Judged

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Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Good

2018-06-21

Exempt School Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2008-02-13

None Legacy

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 156 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	156	0	0.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	157	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	158	0	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	157	0	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	156	0	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	158	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	159	3	1.9%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	158	3	1.9%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	161	1	0.6%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	158	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	156	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	157	0	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	157	1	0.6%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	157	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	158	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	158	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	157	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	157	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	157	1	0.6%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	156	1	0.6%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	156	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	155	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	156	1	0.6%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	158	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	158	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	158	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 24 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 4 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 2 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 2 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

97.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

97.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

6.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree64%

agree28%

disagree4%

strongly disagree1%

don't know3%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree86%

agree14%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree53%

agree17%

disagree1%

strongly disagree4%

don't know1%

not applicable24%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes26%

no74%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree74%

agree16%

disagree5%

strongly disagree5%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree68%

agree26%

disagree3%

strongly disagree1%

don't know1%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree75%

agree21%

strongly disagree3%

don't know1%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree75%

agree22%

disagree3%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree76%

agree19%

strongly disagree1%

don't know3%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree75%

agree19%

disagree3%

don't know3%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree72%

agree21%

disagree3%

don't know4%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes94%

no6%

Top Primary Schools in Dorset

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage

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Outstanding

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Dorset

Bovington Academy

St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School

Conifers Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage

Trent Young's CofE Primary School

St Ives Primary & Nursery School