The Blandford School
Milldown Road, Blandford Forum, DT11 7SQOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The Blandford School is a secondary school in Blandford Forum for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the 179 schools in Dorset. It ranks 6th of 18 secondary schools in Dorset. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 23 April 2024, report published 21 May 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 23 April 2024
The school's core values of REAP: respect, effort, attitude and perseverance underpin all aspects of school life. The school strives to provide the same high- quality education to all pupils. Leaders work to overcome any challenges that pupils face. For example, the school's work alongside 'MYTIME' has enabled young carers to thrive. The school provides strong pastoral support. Staff take time to get to know their pupils well, and relationships are positive. There are high expectations for pupils' behaviour. The vast majority respond well to these. Classrooms are almost always calm and orderly. Pupils are safe here and know who to talk to if they need help or guidance. They understand what bullying is and think staff take bullying seriously. The school offers pupils many clubs and activities including coding, debate, and climate club. Pupils from all years speak excitedly about the upcoming performance of 'School of Rock'. They are also proud of the success of the netball teams. However, many pupils do not take part in these activities. Sixth-form students lead the student forum. This group meets once a fortnight. Together, they have overseen changes to the school. For example, they introduced a new one-way system and altered the school uniform.
What the school should improve
- Some teaching does not use assessment strategies effectively to check how well pupils have learned the curriculum. As a result, some pupils' misconceptions and gaps in knowledge persist. The school should further develop systematic checks to ensure pupils have learned the intended content so that any gaps in pupils' learning can be addressed.
- Many pupils do not participate in the wide range of enrichment activities available to them. As a result, the interests and talents of some pupils are not developed. The school should further encourage pupils to take part in these rich experiences so that more pupils benefit.
- Low-level disruption is not always managed quickly enough. This means that pupils' learning is sometimes disrupted. The school must ensure that all staff address low-level disruption consistently so that pupils can focus on their learning.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
182 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
60 students
Average A level grade B-, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
1,103 pupils on roll, with places for 1,557
Schools near The Blandford School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryanston School | 0.7 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 9.3 |
| Clayesmore School | 5 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 28.5 |
| Milton Abbey School | 6 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 21.9 |
| Sturminster Newton High School | 8 miles | Report card: Expected standard | Attainment 8: 46.1 |
| Queen Elizabeth's School | 8 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | Attainment 8: 43.3 |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 11 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mr Alan Jones
- Phone
- 01258451121
- Address
- Milldown Road, Blandford Forum, DT11 7SQ
- Local authority
- Dorset
- URN
- 113888
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.