Radley College
Same Dorset area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Sherborne School is a private secondary-stage school in Sherborne, Dorset, with a published age range of 13-19.
Private school Boys Ages 13-19 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 13-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Sherborne School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 13-19
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Sherborne School's story reaches back to 1550, and its current chapter includes joining the Sherborne Schools Group in August 2024. It is the boys' day and boarding school on Abbey Road, distinct from Sherborne School for Girls on Bradford Road. The registered age range is 13 to 19, with boarding and a sixth form; the January 2026 inspection also identified a school for male pupils.
Most pupils boarded at the time of that inspection, across eight houses near the main site or within its grounds. Boarding is integrated into the community, with pastoral care and safeguarding at the centre of its leadership structure. Day pupils remain part of the house system, so residential and non-residential life are connected rather than separate.
Academic, creative and technical subjects sit alongside qualifications including GCSE, BTEC, A level, Higher Project and Extended Project work. Extra-curricular and physical activity includes water polo, drama productions and music ensembles. The breadth of the programme gives pupils routes to develop interests beyond their examination subjects.
Careers education and PSHE include relationships work, while boarders follow routines that combine study, activity and personal time. Evening and weekend opportunities support community life. The January 2026 inspection recorded all relevant standards as met, with one qualification: a small number of lessons did not engage pupils' interests as fully as the strongest teaching.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 28.5 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 21.2% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Dorset and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 28.5
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 1.05
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Dorset and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Age range
- 13-19
- Headteacher
- Mr Simon Heard
- Pupil roll
- 538 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Abbey Road, Sherborne, Dorset
- Postcode
- DT9 3AP
- Area
- Dorset
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr Simon Heard
School contact
- School phone
- 01935812249
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01935812249
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 13-19
- Gender
- Boys only
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Boarding fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 28.5 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 1.05 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 21.2% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 38.15 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 27 January 2026
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2026 records an inspection beginning 27 January 2026. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
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Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Sherborne School handle admissions?
Sherborne School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Sherborne School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Sherborne School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Sherborne School?
Sherborne School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 27 January 2026.