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The Thomas Hardye School

Mixed · ages 13–18 · with sixth formDorset, South West · Dorchester DT1 2ETTrust: Wessex Multi Academy TrustSchool website
Pupils on roll
2,014of 2,138 places
Free school meals
19.1%
Year 11 cohort 2025
439
Ofsted
Inspected, 4 February 2025Read the Ofsted report

Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registration: The Thomas Hardye School (URN 113895, until 1 August 2011).

What the data says

Of the 451 pupils who finished Year 11 at The Thomas Hardye School in 2023, 55% stayed on in The Thomas Hardye School’s own sixth form (Dorset average 43%), 32% went to a further education college and 4% started an apprenticeship.

Among the 346 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 43% went to university (Dorset 27%, England 37%), and 27% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.

Food Preparation and Nutrition is unusually popular at GCSE: 30% of the year group took it, against 8% of pupils across England.

GCSE results in 2025 were above the national picture: Attainment 8 of 49.8 against 46.1 across England and 43.2 in Dorset, with 50% of pupils getting grade 5 or above in both English and maths (England 45%).

Where pupils went after Year 11

Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Dorset and England.

The Thomas Hardye School
Dorset
England
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThe Thomas Hardye SchoolDorsetEngland
Pupils in the cohort4513,781607,348
Any sustained destination96%94%92%
Stayed in education89%85%86%
— school sixth form55%43%34%
— sixth form college0%13%
— further education college32%39%37%
— other education2%3%2%
Apprenticeship4%5%3%
Employment3%4%3%
No sustained destination3%5%6%
Destination unknown1%2%3%

Where students went after sixth form

Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.

The Thomas Hardye School
Dorset
England
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
MeasureThe Thomas Hardye SchoolDorsetEngland
Students in the cohort3462,810541,441
Any sustained destination89%80%79%
University (higher education)43%27%37%
— most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students27%19%19%
Further education4%5%5%
Apprenticeship4%7%7%
Employment35%40%28%
No sustained destination8%15%16%

GCSE results 2025

MeasureThe Thomas Hardye SchoolDorsetEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)49.843.246.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths50%41%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths71%62%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects58%38%41%
EBacc average point score4.483.794.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort18%24%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils36.131.134.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils52.846.950.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)
English as an additional language6%4%19%

Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.

Subjects taken at GCSE

Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
English Language43499%89%21%20%74%
Mathematics43298%88%23%22%80%
English Literature42396%86%20%21%76%
Religious Studies38588%31%12%32%60%
Combined Science31371%65%4%9%63%
History21549%41%23%26%63%
Geography17740%41%31%25%70%
Spanish17740%19%12%27%61%
Design and Technology17540%11%25%23%80%
Physical Education16036%11%16%24%59%
French14533%18%19%29%70%
Food Preparation and Nutrition13130%8%43%21%89%
Biology11727%23%53%45%98%
Chemistry11626%23%52%47%99%
Physics11626%23%46%46%99%
Fine Art10624%9%26%28%87%
Business Studies9923%18%20%20%71%
Computer Science4911%13%35%30%78%
Drama327%7%16%27%59%
Music297%5%55%33%93%
Electronics276%0%44%70%81%
Dance51%1%27%
Polish20%1%84%
Russian10%0%87%
Art and Design10%7%24%

Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Health Studies4012%
Computer Appreciation / Introduction278%

A levels and other level 3 courses

MeasureThe Thomas Hardye SchoolDorsetEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study718
— of whom A level students3361,518261,341
Average A level gradeC+C+B-
Average points per A level entry34.8132.2035.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsC+C+B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects15%11%18%
Average grade, applied general courses
Average grade, T levels

A level subjects

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Mathematics11534%31%
Psychology8124%23%
Biology5717%20%
Geography5215%10%
History4714%13%
Physics4313%12%
English Literature3711%11%
Sociology3611%13%
Chemistry3310%17%
Product Design319%2%
English Language309%4%
Fine Art278%3%
Economics278%13%
Business Studies268%13%
Further Mathematics257%5%
Physical Education216%3%
Classical Civilisation206%1%
Politics206%6%
Law206%4%
French144%1%
Photography134%3%
Computer Science113%5%
Spanish113%2%
Electronics103%0%
Music Technology103%0%
Film Studies103%2%
Religious Studies103%4%
D and T Textiles Technology82%0%
Media Studies82%4%
Drama72%2%
History of Art62%0%
Russian0%
Music0%
Dance0%
Portuguese0%
Polish0%

Applied, technical and other level 3 courses

SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)4112%
Mathematical StudiesCore Maths Qualifications at Level 3278%
Applied SciencesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*278%
Business StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*196%
Sports StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*175%
Health StudiesOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3144%
Nutrition / DietVRQ Level 3144%
Law / Legal StudiesBTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D*124%
Speech and DramaOCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 393%
Business StudiesGCE AS level (All)
ChemistryGCE AS level (All)
Classical CivilisationGCE AS level (All)
MathematicsGCE AS level (All)
PhysicsGCE AS level (All)
Business StudiesGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
ChemistryGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
Classical CivilisationGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
MathematicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
PhysicsGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
PsychologyGCE AS level (Not continued to A2)
Law / Legal StudiesBTEC Level 3 National Certificate (Band D)
PsychologyGCE AS level (All)

Other secondary schools in Dorset

Beaminster School

Voluntary controlled school · sixth form · 673 pupils

81% stayed in education · Attainment 8 47.0

Ferndown Upper School

Community school · sixth form · 1,134 pupils

88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.7

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.