Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School
Birch Avenue, Blandford St Mary, Blandford Forum, DT11 9QDOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Blandford Forum for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 179 schools in Dorset. It ranks 21st of 88 primary schools in Dorset. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2019.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 8 May 2019, report published 6 June 2019
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 25 March 2025
Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming and inclusive school. Staff ensure that the needs and interests of pupils are considered in everything they do. This reflects the school's values, which include love, respect and responsibility. The warm and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils shine through. Pupils describe it as a school where 'every smile is contagious'. Pupils are happy and safe. They are extremely proud of their school and attend regularly. Staff have high expectations for pupils' learning. Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes and achieve well. The recent refinements to the curriculum to identify the most important knowledge pupils need to learn have been agreed and are mostly in place. Typically, pupils build on their previous learning and develop a broad body of knowledge across the subjects they study. Pupils behave well in lessons and social situations such as playtimes and lunchtimes. They demonstrate high levels of respect and kindness towards one another. Pupils are extremely polite and well-mannered. Parents and carers praise the school and what it provides for their children. 'A compassionate and nurturing atmosphere' and 'go above and beyond in supporting and protecting' are typical of the views shared by parents.
What the school should improve
- The recent refinements made by the school to the curriculum are not yet securely in place across all subjects. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their subject-specific knowledge. The trust needs to ensure that the important content that has been explicitly identified is securely in place so that all pupils build their knowledge well.
- Sometimes the information the school records about safeguarding incidents lacks sufficient detail. This means the school could miss vital information. The trust needs to make sure that records clearly and consistently demonstrate the action taken in response to any safeguarding concerns.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
30 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
208 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near Blandford St Mary Church of England Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop Wake Church of England Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 64% met the expected standard |
| Milldown CofE Academy | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 48% met the expected standard |
| Spetisbury CofE Primary School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 77% met the expected standard |
| Durweston Church of England Primary School | 3 miles | Report card: Strong standard | 80% met the expected standard |
| Downlands Community School | 3 miles | Report card: Needs attention to expected standard | 42% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- DIOCESE OF SALISBURY ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Rosaleen Beaver
- Phone
- 01258453331
- Address
- Birch Avenue, Blandford St Mary, Blandford Forum, DT11 9QD
- Local authority
- Dorset
- URN
- 141046
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.