SchoolFacts

Ferndown Upper School

Secondary · Ferndown · BH22 9EY

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Strong standard

Report-card inspection (current system, from November 2025)

The headline grade shown is the Achievement area of the school's report card.

Safeguarding: MetCurriculum & teaching: Expected standardAchievement: Strong standardAttendance & behaviour: Strong standardPersonal development: Strong standardInclusion: Strong standardLeadership & governance: Strong standardEarly years: Not applicablePost-16: Expected standard

Inspected 3 March 2026 · report published 5 May 2026

Read the Ofsted report ↗

At a glance

1,134 pupils · 99% of 1,146 capacity

School type
Community school
Age range
13–19
Gender
Mixed
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
20.9% of pupils
English as additional language
5.8% of pupils
SEN support
12.7% of pupils
EHC plan
3.5% of pupils
Sixth form
Yes
Website
http://www.fernup.dorset.sch.uk
URN
113854

GCSE results (2024/2025)

249 pupils at the end of key stage 4 in 2024/2025

Attainment 8 score
45.7
England 46.1
Grade 4 or above in English & maths GCSEs
70.3%
England 64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English & maths GCSEs
45.4%
England 45.4%
EBacc average point score
3.5
England 4.1

Progress 8 is suspended nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26. These cohorts sat no key stage 2 tests (COVID), so there is no baseline to measure progress from.

A-level results (2024/2025)

A-level points per entry (England: 35 ≈ B-) C+
33.8
England 35

Source: DfE performance tables 2024/2025. “Suppressed” means the DfE withholds figures for very small cohorts.

Attendance (2025/26 autumn term)

Sessions missed (overall absence)
7.1%
England 6.5%
Pupils missing 10%+ of sessions (persistent absence)
19.4%
England 18.1%

Autumn-term absence, DfE pupil absence data. Lower is better.

Staffing

Pupils per qualified teacher
17.7
England 18.5

Full-time-equivalent, 2025/26.

Teacher retention (2024/25)

92% of teachers stayed at the school the following year · 3% moved to another state school · 5% left the state-funded sector

School Workforce Census, DfE. The ratio counts full-time-equivalent qualified teachers; retention follows teachers in post one November to the next. Open Government Licence v3.0.

Spending per pupil

This school£7,798
Typical secondary school£7,799

Total expenditure ÷ pupils, council-maintained school finance return (DfE Schools Financial Benchmarking, latest year). Higher spending is not a measure of quality. It often reflects greater pupil need or a smaller school. Open Government Licence v3.0.

Where pupils go after GCSEs

In sustained education, work or training
92%
Continuing in education
88%
Apprenticeship
1%
Employment
4%

Where students go after sixth form

To university / higher education
30%
Apprenticeship
5%
Employment
36%
Any sustained destination
82%

Destinations measured the year after leaving, latest DfE destination measures release.

Inspection history since 2015

Ofsted management information. Ungraded and monitoring visits do not award a new grade. How the two inspection systems work.

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