Ferndown Upper SchoolCherry Grove , Ferndown

Ferndown Upper School, based in Ferndown, provides secondary education, serving pupils aged 13 to 19. The school is a community school and operates as a mixed school. It follows a non-selective admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school. The school also offers a sixth form, allowing students to continue into post-16 education on site.

Ferndown Upper School currently has around 1169 pupils on roll, which is about 89% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 49.7% boys and 50.3% girls. Around 21.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The school has a diverse intake across different backgrounds and needs.

Overall absence at the school is 7.8%. Persistent absence is recorded at 22.1%. The school also includes resourced provision, supporting 10 pupils.

The majority of pupils are from a white british background (88.6%).

At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Good. This suggests the school is performing well overall. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.

Around 97% of pupils move on to sustained destinations after Year 11. Most continue into education (87%) , including 57% who stay in school sixth forms and 29% progressing to further education , while 8% enter apprenticeships .