Dorchester Primary School

What Ofsted found

Short inspection, February 2023.

• Overall effectiveness: Dorchester Primary School continues to be a good school.
• Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

• Inspectors found that most pupils learn to read fluently, but a small number of staff are not confident using the chosen phonics strategies consistently.
• Inspectors found that teachers provide the support that all pupils, including those with SEND, need to access the planned curriculum.

Our summary of Ofsted's report. Read the full reports on Ofsted's website. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The school

• The school describes itself as a happy, caring and inclusive school for children aged 3 to 11.
• The school is a three form entry school.

Source: Dorchester Primary School website; Dorchester Primary School website. Checked 11 November 2026.

How it teaches

• As part of its music development, pupils learnt to play the ukulele.
• Parents are invited to Reading Meetings as part of English curriculum development.
• The school encourages children to use and celebrate their home language and bilingualism.
• Mathematics teaching uses physical manipulatives as far as possible, moving to pictorial and abstract resources.

Source: Dorchester Primary School website; Dorchester Primary School website; Dorchester Primary School website; Dorchester Primary School website. Checked 10 November 2026.

Nursery

• The school has its own Nursery provision.

Source: Dorchester Primary School website. Checked 11 November 2026.

Visiting

• The school holds an open event on Thursday 26 November 2026, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

Source: Dorchester Primary School website. Checked 10 November 2026.

The school day and clubs

• Breakfast Club runs from 7:30am until the start of the school day and After School Club runs until 6:30pm.
• Breakfast Club starts at 7:30am, before the start of the school day.
• Holiday Club costs £30 per day or £15 per half day, with a 10% discount for siblings.
• All wraparound bookings are made through the School Gateway App.

Source: Dorchester Primary School website. Checked 11 November 2026.

Grammar schools within 15 miles

• Nonsuch High School for GirlsGirls, Sutton, 2 miles. Sutton Selective Eligibility Test
• Sutton Grammar SchoolBoys, Sutton, 2 miles. Sutton Selective Eligibility Test
• Tiffin SchoolBoys, Kingston upon Thames, 4 miles
• Wallington County Grammar SchoolBoys, Wallington, 4 miles. Sutton Selective Eligibility Test
• Wallington High School for GirlsGirls, Wallington, 4 miles. Sutton Selective Eligibility Test
• The Tiffin Girls' SchoolGirls, Kingston upon Thames, 4 miles
• Wilson's SchoolBoys, Wallington, 5 miles. Sutton Selective Eligibility Test
• Newstead Wood SchoolGirls, Orpington, 13 miles. Newstead Wood Selection Test
• St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar SchoolBoys, Orpington, 15 miles. St Olave's Selective Entrance Test