Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School Catchment Area
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is a voluntary controlled primary school in Dorchester, Dorset , serving pupils aged 3-9, with 81 pupils, and a capacity of 75 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
3-9
Age range
81
Pupils
75
Capacity
108%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2023
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School?
The catchment area for Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is the geographic zone Dorset uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Dorset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Admission to Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is managed by Dorset and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Dorset publishes the 2027 Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Dorset before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Dorset catchment area documents →Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School: at or above its 75 place limit
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School has a published admission number of 75 places. 81 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 108%. The school is at or above its published limit of 75 places. Dorset allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. The last-distance figure is likely to remain tight if demand holds at this level.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 7.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Dorchester.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Dorset publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Dorset Council school admissions (official) →
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School: School Information
- Full address
- Duck Street, Cerne Abbas, Dorchester, DT2 7LA
- Local authority
- Dorset
- School type
- Voluntary controlled school
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 3-9 years
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 7.4% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 113759
Other Primary Schools in Dorchester
If Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Dorchester are the next closest alternatives.
Broadmayne First School Catchment Area
Community school · DT2 8PH
The Prince of Wales School Catchment Area
Community school · DT1 2HH
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · DT2 0AX
Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · DT2 0JP
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · DT2 9AU
Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · DT2 9LW
Other Church of England Schools in Dorset
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School shares its religious character with these Church of England schools across Dorset. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Dorchester
Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Beaminster
Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Weymouth
Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Dorchester
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Piddle Valley Church of England First School Catchment Area
Academy converter · Dorchester · 2.9 miles away
Buckland Newton Church of England Primary School Catchment Area
Academy converter · Dorchester · 3.1 miles away
St Mary's Church of England First School, Charminster Catchment Area
Academy converter · Dorchester · 5.4 miles away
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School
What is the catchment area for Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School? ▾
The catchment area for Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is the geographic zone Dorset uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Dorset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School currently has 81 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 75 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School? ▾
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Dorset before each admissions cycle.
What age range does Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School cover? ▾
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School is a primary school in Dorchester, Dorset, serving pupils aged 3-9. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School? ▾
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.