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High needs

Understand the data we use for high needs

This data covers the period 2024-2025 for section 251 data (s251).

The outturn includes place funding for pupils with special educational needs taught in academies. You can read about how we calculate this in the glossary.

  • High needs DSG allocation 2024/2025

    £56 million

  • Total high needs outturn 2024/2025

    £92.4 million

    165% of high needs DSG allocation

  • DSG deficit as at March 2025

    £95.6 million

    In March 2024 this was a deficit of £59.6 million

Benchmarking tools

Maintained schools

Data view

All values are shown as percentage of income.
Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 33 114.2% 84.2% 1.6%
Dorchester Learning Centre 88 109.2% 87.3% 9%
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School 137 106.9% 77.4% -16.3%
William Barnes Primary School 162 106.9% 74.1% 1.7%
West Moors Middle School 240 105.9% 72.5% -1.8%
Cheselbourne Village School 49 105.1% 71.8% 3.3%
The Prince of Wales School 156 103.8% 62.1% -1.8%
Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 132 103.5% 73.8% -1.8%
The Woodroffe School 886 103.3% 77% 3%
Hazelbury Bryan Primary School 103 102.3% 62.7% 16.1%
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 201 101.9% 76.5% 5%
Sturminster Marshall First School 49 101.6% 67.5% -6.6%
Stower Provost Community School 92 101.6% 74.1% 6.9%
Beaucroft Foundation School 241 101.4% 78.7% 7.5%
Southill Primary School 212 101.4% 69.1% 2.5%
Lytchett Minster School 1624 101% 71.1% 1.6%
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 342 100.8% 74.1% 1.1%
Gillingham School 1684 100.8% 73% 3%
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School 73.5 100.7% 59.6% 0.5%
The Blandford School 1103 99.9% 72.9% 5.7%
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 107 99.2% 70.7% 7.3%
Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery 463.5 98.9% 67.6% 11.7%
St George's Foundation Primary School 405 98.9% 65.5% 12.9%
Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 93 98.7% 71.2% 2.7%
Conifers Primary School 324 98.6% 68.4% 14.1%
Rushcombe First School 313 98.4% 75.2% 20.3%
Ferndown Upper School 1134 98.3% 66.1% 0.6%
Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 70 98.2% 69.7% 15.4%
Beaminster School 673 97.9% 71.9% 3.7%
Cranborne Middle School 266 97.7% 64.9% 5.7%
Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School 340 97.2% 66.8% 10.6%
Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 109 97.1% 64.3% 14.7%
Mountjoy School 112 96.8% 74.2% 22.3%
Downlands Community School 195.5 96.6% 62.7% 4.8%
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney 116.5 96.4% 58.9% 4.7%
Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School 60 95.5% 59.8% -7.7%
Bincombe Valley Primary School 272.5 95.4% 69.8% 8.6%
Broadmayne First School 139 95.4% 66.1% 12.3%
Radipole Primary School 437 94.7% 65.6% 18.1%
Yewstock School 167 92% 73.8% 17.5%
Stalbridge Church of England Primary School 188 90.6% 62.9% 20.5%
Westfield Arts College 233 88.3% 73.1% 4.3%
Wyke Regis Infant School and Nursery 207.5 87.9% 62.4% 16.4%
The Compass 65 87.9% 71.9% 30.3%
The Forum Centre 80 83.4% 63% 36.6%

EHC plan and SEN support data are shown as percentages of total pupils.
Southill Primary School 212 29.44 0.9% 19.3%
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney 116.5 25.33 0.9% 8.6%
Radipole Primary School 437 24.28 2.3% 13.7%
St George's Foundation Primary School 405 23.14 4.7% 16.5%
Stalbridge Church of England Primary School 188 22.38 4.3% 6.9%
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 342 21.73 2% 12.9%
The Prince of Wales School 156 21.67 7.7% 21.8%
Rushcombe First School 313 21.59 1.9% 16.3%
Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School 340 21.48 5.9% 22.9%
Bincombe Valley Primary School 272.5 21.01 9.2% 27.2%
Downlands Community School 195.5 20.41 5.1% 29.7%
The Abbey CofE VA Primary School, Shaftesbury 201 20.2 4% 14.9%
Holy Trinity Church of England VC Primary School & Community Nursery 463.5 19.77 5.6% 23.1%
Hazelbury Bryan Primary School 103 19.69 2.9% 7.8%
Broadmayne First School 139 19.58 7.2% 9.4%
Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 93 19.54 14% 17.2%
Conifers Primary School 324 19.52 4.3% 23.8%
Parrett and Axe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 132 19.41 3.8% 20.5%
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School 137 19.41 3.6% 29.2%
Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 109 19.16 7.3% 11%
Cranborne Middle School 266 19 2.6% 9.4%
William Barnes Primary School 162 18.58 4.9% 17.9%
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School 73.5 18.56 1.4% 6.8%
Symondsbury Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 107 17.74 1.9% 19.6%
Gillingham School 1684 17.64 4.9% 5.3%
Lytchett Minster School 1624 17.31 3.5% 14%
Stower Provost Community School 92 17.26 7.6% 15.2%
Ferndown Upper School 1134 16.79 4.2% 12.4%
The Woodroffe School 886 16.74 3.6% 9.4%
Wyke Regis Infant School and Nursery 207.5 16.47 8.2% 19.8%
Beaminster School 673 15.91 5.3% 19.6%
The Blandford School 1103 15.37 3.4% 7.4%
Sturminster Marshall First School 49 15.31 6.1% 6.1%
West Moors Middle School 240 15 11.7% 21.3%
Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 70 14.29 1.4% 17.1%
Cheselbourne Village School 49 12.89 8.2% 14.3%
Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School 60 12.68 3.3% 25%
Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 33 8.68 18.2% 27.3%
Westfield Arts College 233 7.57 100% 0%
Yewstock School 167 6.92 100% 0%
Mountjoy School 112 6.87 100% 0%
Beaucroft Foundation School 241 5.95 100% 0%
The Compass 65 4.64 43.1% 21.5%
The Forum Centre 80 4.17 11.3% 12.5%
Dorchester Learning Centre 88 3.89 50% 9.1%

Maintained schools by RAG ratings

About RAG ratings

Red, amber and green (RAG) ratings are shown to give an indication of the spending compared to similar schools.

The rating is not an indication of performance. It is used to display if spending is significantly more or less than similar schools. This does not consider any individual spending strategies which might apply.

The ratings are intended for schools and trusts to identify potential areas to help them make informed spending decisions.

The size of the red bar corresponds to the proportion of red-rated cost categories for the school.

Primary schools

Status

Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School
4 high, 2 medium and 2 low for Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School
Wyke Regis Infant School and Nursery
4 high, 2 medium and 2 low for Wyke Regis Infant School and Nursery
Cheselbourne Village School
3 high, 4 medium and 1 low for Cheselbourne Village School
Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
3 high, 4 medium and 1 low for Salway Ash Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
St George's Foundation Primary School
3 high, 4 medium and 1 low for St George's Foundation Primary School

Secondary schools

Status

West Moors Middle School
2 high, 5 medium and 1 low for West Moors Middle School
Beaminster School
2 high, 3 medium and 3 low for Beaminster School
The Woodroffe School
2 high, 3 medium and 3 low for The Woodroffe School
Ferndown Upper School
1 high, 5 medium and 2 low for Ferndown Upper School
Lytchett Minster School
1 high, 5 medium and 2 low for Lytchett Minster School

Special

Status

Beaucroft Foundation School
3 high, 3 medium and 2 low for Beaucroft Foundation School
Mountjoy School
2 high, 5 medium and 1 low for Mountjoy School
Yewstock School
1 high, 4 medium and 3 low for Yewstock School
Westfield Arts College
0 high, 3 medium and 5 low for Westfield Arts College

Pupil Referral Unit

Status

The Forum Centre
2 high, 4 medium and 2 low for The Forum Centre
The Compass
1 high, 3 medium and 4 low for The Compass
Dorchester Learning Centre
0 high, 4 medium and 4 low for Dorchester Learning Centre

Resources