The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury Catchment Area
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is a voluntary aided primary school in Shaftesbury, Dorset , serving pupils aged 4-11, with 191 pupils, and a capacity of 210 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
4-11
Age range
191
Pupils
210
Capacity
91%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2012
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury?
The catchment area for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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.
Get an alert if The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
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 →The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury: 210 places, 91% filled: nearing capacity
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury has a published admission number of 210 places. 191 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 91%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 210, Dorset's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 14.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Shaftesbury.
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) →
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury: School Information
- Full address
- St James's Street, Shaftesbury, SP7 8HQ
- Local authority
- Dorset
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 4-11 years
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 14.1% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 113850
Other Primary Schools in Shaftesbury
If The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Shaftesbury are the next closest alternatives.
Semley Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · SP7 9AU
Motcombe CofE Primary School Catchment Area
Academy converter · SP7 9NT
Shaftesbury Church of England Primary School Catchment Area
Academy converter · SP7 8PZ
St Andrew's Church of England Primary School Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · SP7 0PF
Ludwell Primary School Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · SP7 9ND
Other Church of England Schools in Dorset
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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.
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Dorchester
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
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury
What is the catchment area for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury? ▾
The catchment area for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury oversubscribed? ▾
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is operating close to its capacity of 210 places (91% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury? ▾
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 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 The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury cover? ▾
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury is a primary school in Shaftesbury, Dorset, serving pupils aged 4-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury? ▾
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury was rated Good by Ofsted in 2012. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.