Cranborne Middle School
Cranborne, Wimborne, BH21 5RPOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Cranborne Middle School is a middle school in Wimborne for ages 9 to 13. It is one of the 179 schools in Dorset. It ranks 4th of 4 primary schools in Wimborne. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in June 2019.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 11 June 2019, report published 1 July 2019
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 January 2025
Pupils value the school's welcoming and nurturing ethos. The 'ARROWS' values, such as 'respect' and 'willingness', motivate pupils to try new things and treat others equally. Pupils benefit from positive relationships with staff. This leads to a strong sense of safety. Following a dip in Year 6 writing outcomes in 2024, the school has revised its curriculum to raise ambition and improve standards. However, the impact of this work has yet to be fully realised, especially in some pupils' written work and mathematics. Typically, pupils understand and follow the school's high expectations for behaviour. They arrive on time for lessons and learn without disruption. The school's 'behaviour ladder' outlines fair consequences for pupils who do not follow the routines. Pupils like to earn praise points for making the right choices. They feel confident talking to staff or using the 'talk tins' if they have any worries. The school plans purposeful experiences to broaden pupils' understanding of different faiths and cultures. These include trips to London and Paris and visits to a synagogue. Pupils take full advantage of the clubs offered such as trampolining, roller skating and arts. They say that there is 'something for everyone' to take part in.
What the school should improve
- The school does not consistently check that pupils present their work with care. Some of it is incomplete or unfinished. This affects how well some pupils achieve. The school should ensure that high expectations for presentation and work completion are consistent across the school.
- In some subjects, the school does not use its knowledge of pupils' gaps and misconceptions to inform future learning. When this happens, some errors go unnoticed and persist in pupils' work. The school should ensure that staff use the agreed systems to check pupils' understanding and help pupils build their knowledge securely in all subjects.
- The school's oversight of how pupils learn the curriculum is not fully effective. As a result, some leaders do not understand the impact of their actions and inconsistencies remain. The school should sharpen its oversight of how well pupils learn in all subjects so that it can act quickly when improvements are needed.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
74 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
265 pupils on roll, with places for 256
Schools near Cranborne Middle School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranborne Church of England First School | 0.2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Wimborne St Giles Church of England First School and Nursery | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Trinity Church of England First School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | Not published |
| Hillside Community First School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Emmanuel Church of England Middle School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 65% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 9 to 13
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr Richard Stevens
- Phone
- 01725517348
- Address
- Cranborne, Wimborne, BH21 5RP
- Local authority
- Dorset
- URN
- 113853
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.