St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne
St John's Hill, Wimborne, BH21 1BXOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne is a primary school in Wimborne for ages 5 to 9. It is one of the 179 schools in Dorset. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 24 January 2023, report published 6 March 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 24 January 2023
St John's is a school where 'love, friendship and forgiveness' are at the heart of daily life. Pupils know these values well. They are proud of the responsibility leaders give them to reward each other for showing these values. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities to play an active role in the local community. Pupil leaders act out stories in assemblies that help others to understand how these, and wider values such as courage, help them to be good learners and citizens. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils respect one another. They listen carefully to each other in lessons. During breaktimes, they play together harmoniously. Pupils particularly like 'sparkle time' where they can mix together across age groups. This gives them opportunities to learn from one another and model good behaviour. Pupils consistently meet the high expectations staff have of them. Pupils are positive about their learning. Lessons are not disrupted by low-level behaviour. Bullying is rare. The school council has been proactive in raising awareness of what bullying is and how to report this. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They regard the school as friendly and welcoming.
What the school should improve
- Assessment is not always used effectively within the curriculum. This means that sometimes pupils are given work that does not build well on what they already know and can do. Teaching needs to ensure that learning is more precisely matched to the needs of pupils, so they learn well.
- Subject leadership is at various stages of development. In a few subjects, subject leadership is not clear about how each subject is being implemented. Consequently, teaching is not always ensuring that pupils learn as well as they could. Leaders need to develop subject leadership so it can support teachers to develop their subject knowledge and expertise across the curriculum.
Pupil numbers and mix
148 pupils on roll, with places for 150
Schools near St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allenbourn Middle School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 68% met the expected standard |
| Wimborne First School and Nursery | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| St Michael's Church of England Middle School, Colehill | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 65% met the expected standard |
| Dumpton School | 0.9 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Merley First School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- INITIO LEARNING TRUST
- Age range
- 5 to 9
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Miss Michelle Prince
- Phone
- 01202883675
- Address
- St John's Hill, Wimborne, BH21 1BX
- Local authority
- Dorset
- URN
- 141821
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.