The Swanage School Catchment Area
The Swanage School is a free s secondary school in Swanage, Dorset , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 339 pupils, and a capacity of 360 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
339
Pupils
360
Capacity
94%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2023
The Swanage School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for The Swanage School?
The catchment area for The Swanage School is the geographic zone Dorset uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary 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 siblings. Dorset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Secondary school places at The Swanage School are allocated by Dorset using ranked oversubscription criteria. Catchment area residence is typically among the highest priorities after looked-after children and siblings, and the boundary is reviewed each year.
Get an alert if The Swanage School 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 Swanage School: 360 places, 94% filled: nearing capacity
The Swanage School has a published admission number of 360 places. 339 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 94%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 360, 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. 31.9% of pupils at The Swanage School are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across Dorset.
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 Swanage School: School Information
- Full address
- High Street, Swanage, BH19 2PH
- Local authority
- Dorset
- School type
- Free schools
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 31.9% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 139376
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to The Swanage 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions: The Swanage School
What is the catchment area for The Swanage School? ▾
The catchment area for The Swanage School is the geographic zone Dorset uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary 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 siblings. Dorset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is The Swanage School oversubscribed? ▾
The Swanage School is operating close to its capacity of 360 places (94% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for The Swanage School? ▾
Admission to The Swanage School is managed by Dorset. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does The Swanage School cover? ▾
The Swanage School is a secondary school in Swanage, Dorset, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for The Swanage School? ▾
The Swanage School was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.