Bournemouth School

Bournemouth School is celebrating some outstanding GCSE outcomes. Two students achieved the remarkable feat of achieving grade 9s in all 11 of their GCSE subjects. A further 36 students achieved a “clean sweep” of grades 9-7 in all of the 11 subjects that they studied.

The year group followed a broad and balanced curriculum and sat on average 10.85 GCSEs, with more than three quarters of all students achieving a strong pass in the EBacc. A third of the cohort achieved 10 or more GCSEs at grades 7-9 with 69% achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades 7-9. The total average points score was 71.6, with the average grade achieved being a grade 7. Remarkably, 20% of all outcomes were grade 9 and 61% were graded 7 or above.

The school’s deputy headteacher, and soon to be headteacher, Mrs Katie Ateaque, commented, “We are very proud of our students. With these exceptional results, our students are well placed to take their next steps, whatever they may be; we are delighted that the vast majority will be continuing their studies with us.”

Students and staff at Bournemouth School are celebrating some outstanding A level results. Sixty-one students achieved at least 3 A*/A grades (from a cohort of 199). Whilst the proportion of entries resulting in the award of an A*-C grade at 89% was only slightly increased from last year, the proportion of the top A*/A grades increased from 39% to 43%. The average points score per entry increased to 41.6 (the equivalent of a B grade). The percentage of students achieving at least AAB in two or more facilitating subjects increased from 29% to 35%.

There were some outstanding results in a range of subject areas. The percentage of entries graded A* or A in French, Spanish, and further mathematics was 80% or more, whilst in computing, mathematics, and physics more than half of entries were graded similarly.

An increasing number of students are securing places at the most prestigious universities, and to study courses for which there is the most competition for places. This year, 9 students will be leaving the school to study at Oxford or Cambridge and 13 students will be reading medicine or dentistry. A comparable number of students have secured degree apprenticeships, with companies such as JPMorgan, BDO, PWC, and BAE Systems.

Director of Sixth Form, Clare Brown commented, “We’re so pleased that hard work, dedication and our students’ commitment to our provision have been so well rewarded.”

Headmaster Dr Dorian Lewis commented, “We are delighted with this year’s results. Whatever their intended career pathway, I hope that our students will look back at their time with us with affection – we wish them every success!”

Well done, everyone!

Today we have enjoyed a thoroughly fantastic sports day. Not only was the weather perfect, but the students' contribution to the day was outstanding. It was particularly touching to see how determined so many students and staff were to either complete laps of the track or row in memory of our former colleague and friend, Richard Cook. The target of collectively rowing 23 miles and running 23 miles (corresponding to Richard's years of service to Bournemouth School) was easily exceeded.

There is still an opportunity to make a donation to Forest Holme Hospice in his memory through Wisepay. Forest Holme Hospice provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care for people across our local community, as well as support for their families.

Today we awarded, for the first time, the Richard Cook Trophy for courage and compassion to the House Captains of Moore and Scott houses jointly. They both made every possible effort to bring their communities together in the most positive way.

Further to correspondence earlier in the month, we are pleased to confirm that the donations page for Mr Richard Cook is now open on Wisepay. During House Events and Sports Day, students and staff will be completing both a rowing and running relay in memory of Mr Cook.

We are aiming to row and run 23 miles in recognition of the 23 years that Mr Cook worked at Bournemouth School. All money raised will be going to the Forest Holme Hospice Charity, who looked after Mr Cook in his final weeks.

You will be able to find the donations page on Wisepay, marked ‘Sports Day – Donations for Forest Holme Hospice’. Any donation you can give would be greatly received.

⚠ School Closure - Thursday, 25 June 2026

Following the issuance of a Red Weather Warning for Extreme Heat by the Met Office, the school will be closed to all students on Thursday, 25 June.

The safety and well-being of our pupils, staff and wider school community is always our highest priority. After carefully reviewing the guidance associated with this warning and considering the conditions expected throughout the day, we have taken the decision to close the school site to minimise the risks posed by the extreme temperatures. We are also cancelling the scheduled Sixth Form Experience Day and the Parents’ Evening for parents of students joining us in Year 7 in September. Assessments for Years 7-9 that were due to take place tomorrow will be re-scheduled for next week.

We appreciate that this closure may cause inconvenience for some families. However, the forecast conditions present significant health and safety concerns, particularly for children and vulnerable individuals, both when at school and when travelling to and from school; we believe this is the most responsible course of action. If students are able to complete any school work tomorrow, they are able to use their knowledge organisers and access appropriate resources through MS Teams. Students in Years 7-9 should prepare for the assessments scheduled for Friday.

As students will not be in school tomorrow, we ask parents and carers to support their children in staying safe during the period of extreme heat. Please ensure that children drink plenty of water throughout the day, remain in cool or shaded areas where possible, and avoid strenuous physical activity during the hottest part of the day. We would also like to remind families of the dangers associated with open water. While warm weather can make rivers, lakes, reservoirs, canals and coastal areas seem appealing, these environments can present significant risks. We ask that children are closely supervised and that families follow all safety guidance and local restrictions when visiting areas near water.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely but intend to reopen fully on Friday. Please check your email and the school website for the latest information.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

As you will be aware, the Met Office has issued an Amber Weather Warning for extreme heat over the next two days. In response, and in line with national guidance, we are introducing a number of temporary measures for the remainder of this week to support the comfort, well-being and safety of all students and staff.

Uniform and Dress Arrangements

Years 7-10

For Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, students in Years 7–10 may attend school wearing their PE kit instead of their usual uniform. Students may also choose to wear a lightweight, loose-fitting plain white shirt or T-shirt in place of their standard PE top. Earlier this week, we relaxed our expectations regarding ties and shirts being tucked in. We hope that this further adjustment will help students remain comfortable throughout the school day.

Year 12

For students in Year 12, we are temporarily adapting our dress expectations to reflect the exceptionally hot conditions. Students should continue to dress in a manner appropriate to a professional workplace, while selecting clothing that is practical and suitable for the weather.

Appropriate choices include:

- Smart, tailored, trousers or knee-length shorts or skirts in lightweight, breathable fabrics such as cotton blends or linen-look materials;
- Short-sleeved shirts, polo-shirts, plain t-shirts, or tops that provide appropriate coverage;
- Lightweight business-style dresses that are knee length or longer;
- Lightweight footwear suitable for moving safely around the school site (open-toed footwear is not permitted).

Students should continue to avoid:

- Clothing made from denim, leather, canvas, lace or transparent fabrics;
- Crop tops or tops that expose the midriff;
- Clothing with slogans, or that are heavily branded;
- Beachwear, sportswear (than for PE), very short skirts or shorts, or clothing that exposes the back, shoulders or cleavage, including spaghetti-strap tops.

Parents’ Evening Student Volunteers

We would be grateful if any Year 7–11 students volunteering at Thursday evening’s Parents’ Evening for families of students joining the school in September could wear a school shirt (without a tie), school trousers and their usual school footwear. Sixth Form volunteers should dress to a comparable standard.

Combined Cadet Force

Due to the forecast temperatures, all Combined Cadet Force (CCF) activities scheduled for Thursday have been cancelled. Students must not attend school on Thursday in their CCF uniform.

Staying Safe in the Heat

We ask that all students bring a clearly labelled water bottle to school each day. Water refill stations will remain available across the site, and students will be encouraged to drink regularly.

In addition, we will be implementing a range of measures consistent with current heatwave guidance, including:

- Maximising ventilation in classrooms and communal areas where appropriate. We are fortunate to have a number of air-conditioned rooms available across the site;
- Relocating classes to cooler areas of the school where possible;
- Adapting PE lessons and reducing strenuous physical activity;
- Providing access to shaded areas during break and lunchtime, and encouraging students to make use of them;
- Monitoring indoor temperatures and adjusting routines where necessary.

The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We will continue to monitor conditions closely and will communicate any further changes should the weather warning be extended or updated.

Visitors to Bournemouth School will have noticed a significant improvement to the front of the school, following the completion of a new planting project designed to make the entrance area more attractive and welcoming.

The new flowerbed has transformed a previously plain area into a colourful and inviting feature, helping to create a better first impression for pupils, staff, parents and visitors. The planting has been carefully chosen to provide structure, colour and seasonal interest, and will continue to develop and mature over the coming months.

This project has been made possible thanks to the generous support of parents and carers, whose donations helped fund the purchase of plants and materials. The school is extremely grateful for this kindness, which has enabled a visible improvement to be made to the school environment for the benefit of the whole community.

We look forward to the possibility of continuing further garden improvements around the site in the future.

Earlier this month, two Bournemouth School pupils took part in the Ten Tors challenge on Dartmoor, representing the Dorset Army Cadet Force. Bernie and Dylan were part of the 35-mile team who smashed the Dorset record, finishing 8th out of 236 starting teams.

The Ten Tors Challenge is attempted by 2,400 teenagers in 400 teams of six. The teams navigate routes of 35, 45 or 55 miles (depending on age) over the northern half of Dartmoor, visiting ten nominated tors/check points in under two days. Teams must be self-sufficient, carrying all that they need to complete their route and stay out overnight safely.

Bournemouth School recently hosted a “Question Time” style event discussing the pros and cons of degree apprenticeships, comparing them with traditional degree courses. The panel consisted of Professor Stuart Cotterill (Director of Education and Student Experience, Health Sciences University, Bournemouth), Tom Hayes (Member of Parliament for Bournemouth East), Luke Dyson (Tech Centre Manager, JP Morgan) and Dr Dorian Lewis (Headteacher, Bournemouth School). Presented by Chris Hall and filmed by Hallmark Broadcast.

The video is available to watch below.

Bournemouth School Discussing Degree Apprenticeships

It is with sadness that we share the news that former student, Paul Elliott, passed away in January this year.

Read about Paul’s outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry in our tribute on our website.

Obituary of alumnus Paul Elliott - Bournemouth School Former Bournemouth School student and West End Producer, Paul Elliott has died, aged 84. Paul Elliott was born on 9th December 1941 in Bournemouth. He was the only child of Mr Lewis Elliott, a greengrocer and taxi driver, while his mother, Mrs Sybil Elliott (nee Wyatt) was a florist. Paul was a stud...