Ofsted: Good trending_up Places Available

Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School

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

personMrs Catherine Cresswell

location_onDorchester, DT2 7LA

language Visit Website phone 1300341319

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

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Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is a Voluntary controlled school primary school in Dorchester, serving ages 3-9. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is a voluntary controlled school in Dorchester, Dorset, admitting pupils aged 3-9. The school has approximately 81 pupils on roll, of whom 10% are eligible for free school meals.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Good. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.6:1. 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

12 July 2023

Inspection Report

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14 February 2011

Inspection Report

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27 September 2007

Inspection Report

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16 June 2003

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2023-07-12

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

Good

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

2011-02-14

S5 Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2007-09-27

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

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 81 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	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	81	0.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	78	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	77	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	77	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	75	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	79	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	73	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	71	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	77	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	75	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	73	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	72	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	68	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	64	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	61	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	61	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	56	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	57	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	57	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	56	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	58	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	58	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	55	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	60	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	59	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	57	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 9 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 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.

98.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

98.0%Positive

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

20.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree63%

agree33%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

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

strongly agree83%

agree15%

disagree2%

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

strongly agree58%

agree13%

disagree2%

not applicable27%

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.

strongly agree52%

agree42%

disagree2%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree81%

agree17%

don't know2%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree81%

agree17%

disagree2%

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

strongly agree65%

agree31%

disagree2%

strongly disagree2%

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

strongly agree79%

agree13%

don't know8%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree79%

agree19%

disagree2%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes98%

no2%

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

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