Primary school

The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury

  • Voluntary Aided School
  • ages 4–11
  • Mixed
  • Church of England
  • Dorset
  • SP7 8HQ
Ofsted Good · inspected Jul 2012

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 8,540 of 15,057 primaries in England · top 57%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 14%14%2016/17: top 22%2017/18: top 19%2018/19: top 27%2022/23: top 24%2023/24: top 61%2024/25: top 57%No exams

Against South West

Expected standard, RWM62% · South West 62%Small cohort: 21 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Higher standard, RWM5% · South West 6%Small cohort: 21 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Reading score108 · South West 105Small cohort: 21 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Maths score106 · South West 104Small cohort: 21 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Show KS2 results by year

No exams 2019/20–21Not published 2021/22

Expected standard, RWM
2015/16: 74% · 23 pupils · South West 53%2016/17: 76% · 29 pupils · South West 62%2017/18: 80% · 25 pupils · South West 65%2018/19: 76% · 29 pupils · South West 66%2022/23: 72% · 25 pupils · South West 59%2023/24: 58% · 31 pupils · South West 61%2024/25: 62% · 21 pupils · South West 62%80%58%No exams
Higher standard, RWM
2015/16: 9% · 23 pupils · South West 4%2016/17: 7% · 29 pupils · South West 8%2017/18: 8% · 25 pupils · South West 8%2018/19: 14% · 29 pupils · South West 9%2022/23: 4% · 25 pupils · South West 6%2023/24: 10% · 31 pupils · South West 6%2024/25: 5% · 21 pupils · South West 6%14%4%No exams
Reading score
2015/16: 108 · 23 pupils · South West 1032016/17: 108 · 29 pupils · South West 1042017/18: 108 · 25 pupils · South West 1052018/19: 108 · 29 pupils · South West 1052022/23: 106 · 25 pupils · South West 1052023/24: 103 · 31 pupils · South West 1052024/25: 108 · 21 pupils · South West 105108103No exams
Maths score
2015/16: 106 · 23 pupils · South West 1032016/17: 108 · 29 pupils · South West 1042017/18: 108 · 25 pupils · South West 1042018/19: 107 · 29 pupils · South West 1052022/23: 107 · 25 pupils · South West 1042023/24: 103 · 31 pupils · South West 1042024/25: 106 · 21 pupils · South West 104108103No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
28 of 28 who put it first2014 · 100.0%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st2828
2nd301
3rd90

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2006–2022

  1. 2006Satisfactory
  2. 2009Good
  3. 2012Good
  4. 2017Ungraded visit
  5. 2022Remains Good

4 strong areas

  • Quality of teaching
  • Achievement of pupils
  • Leadership and management
  • Behaviour and safety of pupils

0 weak areas

4 areas graded

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026201
Free school meals (past 6 years)14.1%
First language not English5.2%
SEN support19.9%
EHC plan3.7%
Absence (sessions missed)5.4%
Persistently absent pupils15.7%

Girls 47.6%Boys 52.4%

95.7% full · 210 places

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher20.2
Pupils per adult11.4
  • Classroom teachers 8.4
  • Leadership 1.5
  • Teaching assistants 7.7
  • Other support 3.3

Teachers 9.9 FTE · Whole workforce 20.9 · 44 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£6,231
Spend per pupil£6,348
Staff spend per pupil£5,284
Reserve per pupil£310
  • +£62,336revenue reserve
  • −£23,550in-year balance

Grants £6,119 · self-generated £113 · premises £271 per pupil