Ofsted: Good

Ferndown Middle School

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

personMrs Gillian Allen

corporate_fareCASTLEMAN ACADEMY TRUST

location_onFerndown, BH22 9UP

language Visit Website phone 1202876556

verified

Ofsted

Good

Inspected 2018

groups

Students

595

school

Expected Standard

45%

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Age Range

9-13

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Ferndown Middle School is a Academy converter secondary school in Ferndown, serving ages 9-13. Rated Good by Ofsted.

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School Summary

Ferndown Middle School is an academy converter in Ferndown, Dorset, admitting pupils aged 9-13. It is part of CASTLEMAN ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 613 pupils on roll, of whom 21% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 45% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 1% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #60 of 85 primaries in Dorset and #12,459 of 15,231 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2018. The school's current overall rating is Good.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.0:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there was 1 permanent exclusion. The average suspension rate was 6.8 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

45%

LA 54%

Reading72% LA 71%

Writing55% LA 67%

Maths66% LA 68%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

56%

LA 53%England 61%

Reading74% LA 72% · Eng 74%

Writing77% LA 66% · Eng 72%

Maths61% LA 65% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

53%

LA 53%England 60%

Reading75% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing72% LA 67% · Eng 71%

Maths64% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

-0.4

Read

LA 0.0

-1.5 to 0.6

0.0

Write

LA -0.8

-1.0 to 1.0

-1.9

Maths

LA -1.3

-2.9 to -1.0

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

20 June 2023

Inspection Report

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07 January 2021

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2018-01-10

S5 Inspection EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2014-06-19

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

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

6.7%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

3.6%(22 pupils)

Spring term 2025

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

Permanent Exclusions

1pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 613 pupils. During this period, there were 41 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 6.7%, which is below the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	613	41	6.7%	7.3%	1
2024/25 (Autumn term)	608	42	6.9%	7.8%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	597	24	4.0%	7.4%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	601	21	3.5%	7.1%	0
2023/24 (Autumn term)	607	14	2.3%	8.2%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	589	14	2.4%	6.6%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	595	15	2.5%	6.4%	0
2022/23 (Autumn term)	587	4	0.7%	5.9%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	577	22	3.8%	4.7%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	577	11	1.9%	4.9%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	581	5	0.9%	4.4%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	583	15	2.6%	3.6%	0
2020/21 (Spring term)	585	1	0.2%	1.0%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	585	8	1.4%	3.9%	2

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.

Specific Learning Difficulty 35 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 32 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 30 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Hearing Impairment 3 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

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.

61.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

75.0%Positive

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

22.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree10%

agree35%

disagree28%

strongly disagree18%

don't know10%

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

strongly agree10%

agree32%

disagree33%

strongly disagree23%

don't know3%

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

strongly agree15%

agree25%

disagree29%

strongly disagree15%

don't know3%

not applicable13%

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

yes19%

no81%

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

strongly agree8%

agree31%

disagree35%

strongly disagree19%

dont know8%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree11%

agree38%

disagree24%

strongly disagree13%

don't know15%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree9%

agree56%

disagree24%

strongly disagree10%

don't know1%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree13%

agree51%

disagree29%

strongly disagree6%

don't know2%

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

strongly agree24%

agree57%

disagree13%

strongly disagree2%

don't know4%

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

strongly agree34%

agree58%

disagree5%

strongly disagree2%

don't know1%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree12%

agree34%

disagree33%

strongly disagree12%

don't know10%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes49%

no51%

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School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

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 Secondary Schools in Dorset

The Woodroffe School

The Thomas Hardye School

Beaminster School

The Blandford School

Sturminster Newton High School

The Gryphon School