Canford School

Canford School This is the official page for Canford School, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 3AD. Any alternative p

Canford is among the top co-educational boarding schools in the country for pupils aged 13-18, as evidenced in numerous national awards including Independent School Parent Regional School of the Year: South 2025, Tatler Public School of the Year, ISP Boarding School of the Year and a finalist three years' running in the TES Independent Schools Awards. Academic achievement is excellent with over 95

% of pupils moving on to top universities at home and abroad each year, including over 90 places to Oxbridge and over 100 to Medical Schools in the past decade. The school sees excellence in external examinations as the result of its broad cross curricular enrichment programmes where pupils are encouraged to develop learning in all its forms as central to its vision for all to 'explore, express and excel'. Participation, hard work and a strong sense of community, teamwork and integrity are hallmarks of a Canford education. Beyond the classroom, there is a diverse range of intellectual, artistic, cultural and sporting activities on offer for all abilities. For those who wish, there are the opportunities to take chosen activities to the highest levels. In sport, for example, there has been recent national level success in rugby, hockey, netball, rowing, athletics and swimming. Community Action is a key feature of school life, with over 8,000 hours of service to the local area by pupils each year. Canford is one of only a handful of independent schools who fully sponsor an Academy and the partnership with The Bourne Academy in East Howe celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020/1. Facilities at Canford are excellent and include a state of the art sports complex, modern theatre, separate music school and art gallery. A new library and new boys' boarding houses are opening in 2021/2 in advance of the school's centenary in 2023. The campus environment gives Canford a collegiate feel, while the beauty of the Grade 1 listed buildings and 250 acres of parkland provide an inspirational educational setting - rated 'Among the top 10 most beautiful schools' by The Daily Telegraph.

As the start of a new school year approaches, we know it can bring a mix of excitement and nerves, whether you're joinin...
01/09/2026

As the start of a new school year approaches, we know it can bring a mix of excitement and nerves, whether you're joining Canford for the first time or returning after the summer holidays. We can't wait to welcome all our pupils back for an exciting Autumn Term. 🍂

A year ago, our previous Shell pupils were looking ahead to their first term at Canford. Before the summer holidays, we asked them to reflect on their first year with us, and their words beautifully capture the sense of community that makes Canford such a special place.

Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions a family can make. Our Autumn events offer the ideal op...
27/08/2026

Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions a family can make. Our Autumn events offer the ideal opportunity to explore Canford, meet our community, and discover what makes our educational experience truly exceptional.

🗓 Sixth Form Information Evening
Wednesday 23rd September, 5pm to 7pm
Hosted in The College - explore our brand new Upper Sixth residences.
Book now: 🔗www.canford.com/admissions/visit

🗓 Canford School Open Morning
Saturday 3rd October, 9am to 1pm
Meet our staff and pupils and experience the Canford Community.
Book now: 🔗www.canford.com/open-morning

🍂 Whether you're considering Sixth Form entry or looking ahead to your child's future, we would be delighted to welcome you to Canford this autumn.

Canford is a very special place to be!

🌟 Outstanding GCSE Success at Canford School 🌟Canford pupils have once again demonstrated that they belong among the hig...
20/08/2026

🌟 Outstanding GCSE Success at Canford School 🌟

Canford pupils have once again demonstrated that they belong among the highest-performing schools in the South West, with an incredible 27% of all GCSE grades awarded at Grade 9, more than five times the national average.
With 71% of grades at 9-7 and 100% of pupils qualifying for Sixth Form, these results reflect not only academic excellence but also the resilience, character and determination of our pupils.

But Canford is about much more than exam success. From pupils balancing elite rugby commitments with outstanding academic achievement to performers taking to the West End stage while securing top grades, these results reflect the breadth of talent, dedication and ambition across our community.

As Headmaster Chris Wheeler said: "Canfordians take on more challenge than many and have come out with flying colours."

Read the full story here 🔗https://bit.ly/3Si7fYq

🇬🇧 Huge congratulations to OC Imy Woodcock who has been selected to represent British Rowing at the FISU World Universit...
14/08/2026

🇬🇧 Huge congratulations to OC Imy Woodcock who has been selected to represent British Rowing at the FISU World University Championships. Imy is the cox for the Men’s VIII. During her time at Canford Imy was a fantastic cox (winning Bronze at National Schools Regatta 2022) before leaving for Newcastle University in 2023 where she has continued to thrive and has earned this selection. Racing is currently taking place in Canada, the crew won their preliminary race, with the final taking place tomorrow. Watch via the live stream ▶ https://www.worlduniversity.sport

Full details 🔗 https://www.britishrowing.org/2026/08/28-athletes-selected-for-fisu-world-university-rowing-championships-2026/

🌟 Congratulations to our Upper Sixth leavers who have achieved excellent A Level results across the board with 25% of al...
13/08/2026

🌟 Congratulations to our Upper Sixth leavers who have achieved excellent A Level results across the board with 25% of all grades at A* and 87% at A* to B.

Amongst many amazing results for the whole cohort there were some particular achievements of Canford school pupils this year to mention:

• 16 pupils (11%) achieving all A* grades
• Two sets of twins achieving 13 A* between them
• A pupil receiving a Conservatoire scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music & Drama
• Several pupils securing prestigious places at US universities including two pupils securing 100% sports scholarship awards to Drexel University and the University of Texas
• One pupil who has been offered an apprenticeship at Dyson and a place at the University of Cambridge to study engineering.

Headmaster Chris Wheeler said: “My congratulations and thanks go to every member of the year group, to our dedicated staff, and to parents for the support and encouragement they provide. Canford is a school driven by culture – a place where we believe that hard work results in success and this year's A level results are further evidence of – and testament to – that belief.”

To read the full news article please visit 🔗 www.canford.com/d/~board/latest-news/post/canford-celebrates-outstanding-a-level-results-and-outcomes

12/08/2026

Tomorrow is A-Level Results Day! 🌟

Best of luck to our latest Old Canfordians who are receiving their A-Level results tomorrow!
We are so proud of you and how hard you have
worked - we can’t wait to see where life takes you next! 🌟🎓💙




Military families bring so much to our Canford community. The values of service, resilience and adaptability that underp...
11/08/2026

Military families bring so much to our Canford community. The values of service, resilience and adaptability that underpin military life are deeply aligned with the spirit of our School.

We understand the importance of continuity, stability and a strong sense of belonging for young people. As a true full boarding school, our houses are busy at weekends, creating a genuine sense of home where pupils thrive and build strong friendships.

Our house staff and much-loved matrons really know and look out for the young people in their care. As one parent recently put it: "No one wants to come home."

We are proud to support military families through our CEA +10% model and FCDO families through an automatic 10% discount.

🔗 Find out more via www.canford.com/useful-links

Voting is now open for the Tatler Schools Guide 2026 Awards! 🏆If you feel that Canford has that special something, pleas...
04/08/2026

Voting is now open for the Tatler Schools Guide 2026 Awards! 🏆

If you feel that Canford has that special something, please do spare two minutes to cast your vote. There are categories such as Best Public School, Best Public School Head, Lifetime Achievement Award, Unsung Hero Award and Best Eco-Warrior School. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to vote; we think Canford is a very special place to be, but it’s always wonderful to hear that from you too! Head to the following link to cast your vote
🔗https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSedPVMp3I9cK6U_nlo5Wgiv9WTpKK-R8CQzGVNbZ9076xjz8Q/viewform

Voting will close on 29th August 2026.

As we look forward to being part of the Dorset Cricket Women’s Showcase Day tomorrow, the biggest celebration of women’s...
30/07/2026

As we look forward to being part of the Dorset Cricket Women’s Showcase Day tomorrow, the biggest celebration of women’s and girls’ cricket in Dorset, we're taking a moment to reflect on the incredible achievements of our U15 Girls’ Cricket Team. 🏏

The team competed at the National Indoor Finals at Lord’s in May, finishing an outstanding 4th out of 750 schools nationwide. A fantastic achievement and one we're immensely proud of!

📸 A huge thank you to Sarah Williams for capturing these wonderful photographs.

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The Bursary Canford School
Wimborne
BH213

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