After the long summer which this year began early with the heatwave stretching back to May, the summer holidays have come to an end at last and our thoughts turn to the start of a new academic year, no doubt to the relief of parent and child alike!

Salisbury and its Valleys, Shaftesbury, the Wiltshire Downs, Cranborne Chase and Blackmore Vale between them have an excellent reputation for the high quality of education they provide all the way from nursery through to primary and secondary school stages in both the state and public sectors. This is one of the principal factors that attracts families moving into the area.

As local village property Estate Agents we are often asked to suggest schools, so listed below are the state, independent and special needs schools in this part of the World including the neighbouring area subdivided between primary and secondary stages. We think it’s pretty comprehensive but if we have missed any, please let us know!

STATE SCHOOLS

PRIMARY LEVEL

SALISBURY CITY
Bemerton St John CoE Primary School
Greentrees Primary School
Harnham Infant School
Harnham CoE Junior School, Salisbury
Manor Fields Primary School
Old Sarum Primary School
Pembroke Park Primary School
St Andrew’s CoE Primary School
St Mark’s CoE Junior School
St Martin’s CoE Primary School
St Osmund’s RC Primary School
Sarum St Pauls CoE Primary School
Stratford-sub-Castle CoE Primary School
Woodlands Primary School
Wyndham Park Infants’ School, Salisbury
Salisbury District:
Alderbury & West Grimstead CoE Primary School
Pitton CoE Primary School
Whiteparish All Saints CoE Primary School
Wilton and Barford CoE Primary School
Winterslow CoE Primary School

CHALKE VALLEY
Broadchalke CoE Primary School
Coombe Bissett CoE Primary School

NADDER VALLEY:
Chilmark & Fonthill Bishop CoE Primary School
Dinton CoE Primary School
Hindon CoE Primary School
Ludwell Community Primary School
St John’s CoE Primary School, Tisbury
Semley CoE Primary School
Wardour RC Primary School

WYLYE & TILL VALLEYS
Crockerton CoE Primary School
Great Wishford CoE Primary School
Heytesbury CoE Primary School
St Thomas à Becket CoE Primary School, Tilshead
Shrewton CoE Primary School
Sutton Veny CoE Primary School
Wylye Valley CoE Primary School, Codford

NORTH AVON & WOODFORD VALLEYS
All Saints CoE Primary School, Netheravon
Amesbury Archer Primary School, Amesbury
Amesbury CoE Primary School
Bulford St Leonard’s CoE Primary School
Bulford Kiwi Primary School
Christ the King RC School, Amesbury
Durrington All Saints CoE Infants’ School
Durrington CoE Junior School
Figheldean St Michael’s CoE Primary School
Larkhill Primary School
Newton Tony CoE School
Woodford Valley CoE School

SOUTH AVON VALLEY & FORDINGBRIDGE DISTRICT
Breamore CoE Primary School
Downton CoE Primary School
Fordingbridge Infants & Junior School
Hale Primary School
Longford Church of England Primary School, Britford
Morgan’s Vale and Woodfalls CoE Primary School
Hyde CoE Primary School
St James CoE Primary School, Alderholt
Western Downland Infants School, Damerham
Western Downland Junior School, Rockbourne

BOURNE VALLEY
Gomeldon Primary School
Newton Tony CoE Primary School
St Nicholas CoE Primary School, Porton
Winterbourne Earls CoE Primary School

NORTH DORSET
Cranborne CoE Junior & Middle School
Gillingham Primary School
Milton-On-Stour CoE Primary School
Motcombe Primary School
Shaftesbury CoE Primary School
Sixpenny Handley First School
St Andrew’s CE VA Primary School, Fontmell Magna
St Georges CE VA School, Bourton
St Gregory’s CE Primary School, Marnhull
St Mary The Virgin CE VA School, Gillingham
St Mary’s RC Primary School, Marnhull
Stower Provost Community School, Stour Provost
The Abbey CoE Primary School, Shaftesbury
Wyke Primary School, Gillingham

WARMINSTER
New Close Community School
Princecroft Primary School
St George’s RC Primary School
St John’s CoE School
The Avenue Primary School and Early Years Centre
The Minster CoE Primary School
Warminster Sambourne CoE Primary School

WEST WILTSHIRE
Chapmanslade CoE Primary School
Dilton Marsh CoE Primary School
Horningsham Primary School
Mere School`
Westbury Infant School, Westbury
Westbury CoE Junior School
Westbury Leigh Church of England Primary School, Westbury
Whitesheet COE Infants School, Kilmington
Whitesheet COE Junior School, Zeals

SOUTHEAST SOMERSET
Abbas and Templecombe C of E VC Primary School, Templecombe
Beckington CoE First School,Beckington
Berkley CeO First School, Frome
Bruton Primary School
Christ Church CoE First School, Frome
Hayesdown First School, Frome
Milborne Port Primary School
Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary School, Wincanton
Rode Methodist First School, Rode
St John’s CoE First School, Frome
St Louis RC Primary School, Frome
St Nichola’s CoE Primary School, Henstridge
Trinity CoE First School, Frome
Vallis First School, Frome
Wincanton Primary School, Wincanton

SECONDARY LEVEL

SOUTH WILTSHIRE
Avon Valley College, Durrington
Bishop Wordsworth’s CoE Grammar School, Salisbury
Kingdown School, Warminster
Matravers School, Westbury
Sarum Academy, Salisbury
South Wilts Grammar School for Girls, Salisbury
St Edmund’s Girls’ School, Salisbury
St Joseph’s RC School, Salisbury
The Stonehenge School, Amesbury
The Trafalgar School, Downton
Wyvern College, Salisbury

NORTH DORSET
Gillingham School, Gillingham
Shaftesbury School, Shaftesbury

WEST HAMPSHIRE
The Burgate School & Sixth Form Centre, Fordingbridge
Southeast Somerset
Frome Community College, Frome
King Arthur’s Community School, Wincanton
Sexey’s School, Bruton

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

PREP SCHOOLS

SOUTH WILTSHIRE
Chafyn Grove School, Salisbury
Leaden Hall, Salisbury
Salisbury Cathedral School, Salisbury
Sandroyd, Tollard Royal

NORTH DORSET
Clayesmore Preparatory School, Iwerne Minster
Knighton House School, Durweston
Hanford School, Child Okeford
Port Regis Preparatory School, Motcombe
Sherborne Preparatory School

WEST HAMPSHIRE
Forres Sandle Manor, Fordingbridge

SOUTHEAST SOMERSET
All Hallows Preparatory School, East Cranmore
Hazlegrove Preparatory School, Sparkford
Springmead Preparatory School, Beckington

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SOUTH WILTSHIRE
Dauntsey’s School, West Lavington
The Godolphin School, Salisbury
Leehurst Swan School, Salisbury
St Mary’s School, Calne
Warminster School, Warminster)

NORTH DORSET
Bryanston School, Blandford
Clayesmore School, Iwerne Minster
Leweston School, Sherborne 3-19
Milton Abbey School, Milton Abbas
Sherborne School, Sherborne
Sherborne Girls, Sherborne
St Mary’s School, Shaftesbury

SOUTHEAST SOMERSET
Bruton School for Girls, Bruton
Downside, Stratton-on-the-Fosse
King’s School, Bruton

SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS

Appleford, Shrewton
Aurora, Boveridge, Cranborne
Exeter House School, Salisbury
Larkrise School, Trowbridge
Tumblewood Community School, Dilton Marsh

One of the most pressing reasons for moving house is to live within reach of the best school that we have selected for our children.

Gone are the days when a job for life meant a house for life with the local school as the only option. We are all much more mobile and selective these days and competition amongst schools is intense. League tables, Ofsted and Best Schools Guides amongst others have put huge pressure on performance and of course most of us want to do the best for our children by getting them into the best performing establishments.

State Schools in Wiltshire

The catchments for state secondary schools, some of which are excellent, are often illogical in terms of area and post codes can invariably play a crucial role. Top performing Grammar Schools such as South Wilts Grammar School for Girls and Bishops Wordsworth, both in Salisbury, select their intake on a geographical basis, so, if your child is marginal, the closer you are as the crow flies the better chance that he or she will make it; that is if the 11-Plus is passed in the first place. You really need to be as close as possible to the City as you can and obviously a bus route helps enormously, but many pupils take the train from Tisbury which is a very easy commute.

Village Primary Schools are obviously more numerous, but some are more in vogue than others and for parents to travel for more than twenty minutes to the school of their choice can mean a lengthy school run twice a day.

Private Schools in Wiltshire

And then there is the private sector, where day schooling is becoming much more prevalent and the school run is, again, a priority for parents to consider. Some schools such as Dauntseys and Clayesmore offer a pretty widespread weekday busing system, but with Saturday school and sports matches often compulsory, the journey time is still an important factor.

We often sell or let family houses in South Wilts based on the need to be close to schools or in catchment

and in general these houses not only attract a premium, but also sell faster than those that are farther flung. We have even seen the second home market stir for parents to be closer for weekends, half terms and exeats, although given the Stamp Duty impact this is still a rarity.

If you are in the market for a family home within easy reach of a top school please get in touch. If we are not currently listing the right property we may otherwise know of just the house for you. Alternatively, if you need information on the top state and private schools in South Wilts, North Dorset and South Somerset we can also point you in the right direction.