The county has an area of 2,653 km2 (1,024 sq mi) and a population of 772,268. Around half of the population lives in theSouth East Dorset conurbation, which contains three of the county's largest settlements: Bournemouth (183,491),Poole (151,500), andChristchurch (31,372). The remainder of the county is largely rural, and its principal towns areWeymouth (53,427) andDorchester (21,366). Dorset contains twounitary districts:Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) andDorset. The county did not historically include Bournemouth and Christchurch, which were part of Hampshire.
Dorset derives its name from thecounty town ofDorchester.[3] TheRomans established the settlement in the 1st century and named itDurnovaria which was a Latinised version of aCommon Brittonic word possibly meaning "place with fist-sized pebbles".[3] TheSaxons named the townDornwaraceaster (the suffix-ceaster being theOld English name for a "Roman town"; cf.Exeter andGloucester) andDornsæte came into use as the name for the inhabitants of the area fromDorn (a reduced form ofDornwaraceaster) and the Old English wordsæte (meaning "people").[3][4] The same ending can also be seen in the neighbouringSomerset. It is first mentioned in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle in AD 845 and in the 10th century the county's archaic name,Dorseteschyre (Dorsetshire), was first recorded.[5]
The first human visitors to Dorset wereMesolithic hunters, from around 8000 BC.[6][7] The first permanentNeolithic settlers appeared around 3000 BC and were responsible for the creation of theDorset Cursus, a 10.5-kilometre (6.5 mi) monument for ritual or ceremonial purposes.[8][9] From 2800 BC onwardsBronze Age farmers cleared Dorset's woodlands for agricultural use and Dorset's high chalk hills provided a location for numerousround barrows.[10][11] During theIron Age, theBritish tribe known as theDurotriges established a series ofhill forts across the county—most notablyMaiden Castle which is one of the largest in Europe.[12][13]
The Romans arrived in Dorset during theirconquest of Britain in AD 43. Maiden Castle was captured by theLegio II Augusta under the command ofVespasian, and the Roman settlement of Durnovaria was established nearby.[14][15]Bokerley Dyke, a large defensive ditch built by the county's post-Roman inhabitants near the border with modern-dayHampshire, delayed the advance of the Saxons into Dorset for almost 150 years.[16] It appears to have been re-fortified during this period, with the former Roman Road atAckling Dyke also being blocked by the Britons, apparently to prevent the West Saxon advance into Dorset.[17]
However, by the end of the 7th century Dorset had fallen under Saxon control and been incorporated into theKingdom of Wessex.[18] The precise details of this West Saxon conquest and how it took place are not clear, but it appears to have substantially taken place by the start of the reign ofCaedwalla in 685.[19] The Saxons established a diocese atSherborne (later to develop into theDiocese of Salisbury) and Dorset was made ashire—an administrative district of Wessex and predecessor to theEnglish county system—with borders that have changed little since.[20] In 789 the first recordedViking attack on the British Isles took place in Dorset on the Portland coast, and they continued to raid into the county for the next two centuries.[21][22]
After theNorman Conquest in 1066,feudal rule was established in Dorset and the bulk of the land was divided between the Crown and ecclesiastical institutions.[23] The Normans consolidated their control over the area by constructing castles atCorfe,Wareham andDorchester in the early part of the 12th century.[24] Over the next 200 years Dorset's population grew substantially and additional land was enclosed for farming to provide the extra food required.[25] The wool trade, the quarrying ofPurbeck Marble and the busy ports ofWeymouth,Melcombe Regis,Lyme Regis andBridport brought prosperity to the county.[26] However, Dorset was devastated by the bubonic plague in 1348 which arrived in Melcombe Regis on a ship fromGascony.[27] The disease, more commonly known as theBlack Death, created an epidemic that spread rapidly and wiped out a third of the population of the country.[28][29] Dorset came under the political influence of a number of different nobles during the Middle Ages. During the Wars of the Roses, for instance, Dorset came into the area influenced byHumphrey Stafford, earl of Devon (originally ofHooke, Dorset) whose wider influence stretched from Cornwall to Wiltshire. After 1485, one of the most influential Dorset figures was Henry VII's chamberlainGiles Daubeney.[30]
Thedissolution of the monasteries (1536–1541) met little resistance in Dorset and many of the county's abbeys, includingShaftesbury,Cerne andMilton, were sold to private owners.[31] In 1642, at the commencement of theEnglish Civil War, theRoyalists took control of the entire county apart from Poole and Lyme Regis. However, within three years their gains had been almost entirely reversed by theParliamentarians.[32] An uprising ofClubmen—vigilantes weary of the depredations of the war—took place in Dorset in 1645. Some 2,000 of these rebels offered battle toLord Fairfax's Parliamentary army atHambledon Hill but they were easily routed.[33][34]Sherborne Castle was taken by Fairfax that same year and in 1646 Corfe Castle, the last remaining Royalist stronghold in Dorset, was captured after an act of betrayal: both were subsequentlyslighted.[33][35] TheDuke of Monmouth's unsuccessfulattempt to overthrow James II began when he landed at Lyme Regis in 1685.[36] A series of trials known as theBloody Assizes took place to punish the rebels. Over a five-day period in Dorchester,Judge Jeffreys presided over 312 cases: 74 of the accused were executed, 175 were sentenced topenal transportation, and nine were publicly whipped.[37] In 1686, atCharborough Park, a meeting took place to plot the downfall ofJames II of England. This meeting was effectively the start of theGlorious Revolution.[38]
During the 18th century, muchsmuggling took place along the Dorset coast; its coves, caves and sandy beaches provided opportunities for gangs such as theHawkhursts to stealthily bring smuggled goods ashore.[39] Poole became Dorset's busiest port and established prosperous trade links with the fisheries ofNewfoundland which supported cloth, rope and net manufacturing industries in the surrounding towns and villages.[40] However, theIndustrial Revolution largely bypassed Dorset which lacked coal resources and as a consequence the county remained predominantly agricultural.[41][42][43] Farming has always been central to the economy of Dorset and the county became the birthplace of the moderntrade union movement when, in 1834, six farm labourers formed a union to protest against falling wages. The labourers, who are now known as theTolpuddle Martyrs, were subsequently arrested for administering "unlawful oaths" and sentenced to transportation but they were pardoned following massive protests by the working classes.[44][45]
Dorset experienced an increase in holiday-makers after the war.[51] First popularised as a tourist destination byGeorge III's frequent visits to Weymouth, the county's coastline, seaside resorts and its sparsely populated rural areas attract millions of visitors each year.[41][52] With farming declining across the country, tourism has edged ahead as the primary revenue-earning sector.[42][53]
Dorset is largely rural with many small villages, few large towns and no cities.[54][55] The only major urban area is theSouth East Dorset conurbation, which is situated at the south-eastern end of the county and is atypical of the county as a whole. It consists of theseaside resort of Bournemouth, the historic port andborough of Poole, the towns of Christchurch andFerndown plus many surrounding villages.[56][57] Bournemouth, the most populous town in the conurbation, was established in theGeorgian era whensea bathing became popular.[58] Poole, the second largest settlement (once the largest town in the county), adjoins Bournemouth to the west and contains the suburb ofSandbanks which has some of the highest land values by area in the world.[59]
The other two major settlements in the county are Dorchester, which has been the county town since at least 1305,[60] and Weymouth, a major seaside resort since the 18th century.[61][62]Blandford Forum, Sherborne,Gillingham,Shaftesbury andSturminster Newton are historicmarket towns which serve the farms and villages of theBlackmore Vale in north Dorset.[63]Beaminster and Bridport are situated in the west of the county;Verwood and the historic Saxon market towns ofWareham andWimborne Minster are located to the east.[63] Lyme Regis andSwanage are small coastal towns popular with tourists.[64] Under construction on the western edge of Dorchester is the experimentalnew town ofPoundbury commissioned and co-designed byCharles III when he was Prince of Wales.[65] The suburb, which is expected to be fully completed by 2025, was designed to integrate residential and retail buildings and counter the growth ofdormitory towns and car-oriented development.[66]
Dorset covers an area of 2,653 square kilometres (1,024 sq mi) and contains considerable variety in its underlying geology, which is partly responsible for the diversity of landscape.[67][68][69] A large percentage (66%) of the county comprises eitherchalk,clay or mixedsand andgravels. The remainder is less straightforward and includesPortland andPurbeck stone, otherlimestones,calcareous clays andshales.[70] Portland and Purbeck stone are of national importance as a building material and for restoring some of Britain's most famous landmarks.[71][72] Almost every type of rock known from theEarly Jurassic to theEocene epochs can be found in the county.[73][74]
Geological map of Dorset
Dorset has a number of limestone ridges which are mostly covered in either arable fields orcalcareous grassland supporting sheep.[75] These limestone areas include a wide band ofCretaceous chalk which crosses the county as a range of hills from north-east to south-west, incorporatingCranborne Chase and theDorset Downs, and a narrow band running from south-west to south-east, incorporating thePurbeck Hills.[76][77] Between the chalk hills are large, widevales and wideflood plains.[74] These vales are dotted with small villages, farms andcoppices, and include the Blackmore Vale (Stour valley) and theFrome valley.[77][78] The Blackmore Vale is composed of older Jurassic deposits, largely clays interspersed with limestones,[74] and has traditionally been a centre for dairy agriculture.[79] South-east Dorset, including the lower Frome valley and around Poole and Bournemouth, comprises younger Eocene deposits,[74] mainly sands and clays of poor agricultural quality.[80] The soils created from these deposits support aheathland habitat which sustains all six nativeBritish reptile species.[81] Most of the Dorset heathland hasSite of Special Scientific Interest status, with three areas designated as internationally importantRamsar sites.[82] In the far west of the county and along the coast there are frequent changes in rock strata, which appear in a less obviously sequential way compared to the landscapes of the chalk and the heath.[83] In the west this results in a hilly landscape of diverse character that resembles that of neighbouring countyDevon.[84]Marshwood Vale, a valley ofLower Lias clay at the western tip of the county,[85] lies to the south of the two highest points in Dorset:Lewesdon Hill at 279 metres (915 ft)[86] andPilsdon Pen at 277 metres (909 ft).[87]
A former river valley flooded by rising sea levels 6,000 years ago,Poole Harbour is one of the largest natural harbours in the world.[88][89]The harbour is very shallow in places and contains a number of islands, notablyBrownsea Island, the birthplace of theScouting movement and one of the few remaining sanctuaries for indigenousred squirrels in England.[90] The harbour, and the chalk and limestone hills of theIsle of Purbeck to the south, lie atop Western Europe's largest onshoreoil field.[91] The field, operated byPerenco fromWytch Farm, has the world's oldest continuously pumping well atKimmeridge which has been producing oil since the early 1960s.[91][92]
Dorset's diverse geography ensures it has an assortment of rivers, although a moderate annual rainfall coupled with rolling hills, means most are typicallylowland in nature.[93] Much of the county drains into three rivers, the Frome,Piddle and Stour which all flow to the sea in a south-easterly direction.[94] The Frome and Piddle arechalk streams but the Stour, which rises in Wiltshire to the north, has its origins in clay soil.[95] TheRiver Avon, which flows mainly through Wiltshire and Hampshire, enters Dorset towards the end of its journey atChristchurch Harbour.[96] The riversAxe andYeo, which principally drain the counties of Devon andSomerset respectively, have their sources in the north-west of the county. In the south-west, a number of small rivers run into the sea along the Dorset coastline; most notable of these are theChar,Brit,Bride andWey.[97]
Dorset's climate of warm summers and mild winters is partly due to its position on Britain's south coast. The third most southerly county in the UK, Dorset is less affected by the more intense Atlantic winds thanCornwall and Devon. Dorset, along with the entireSouth West England, has higher winter temperatures, average 4.5 to 8.7 °C (40.1 to 47.7 °F), than the rest of the United Kingdom.[110] However, Dorset maintains higher summer temperatures than Devon and Cornwall, with average highs of 19.1 to 22.2 °C (66.4 to 72.0 °F).[111] Excluding hills such as the Dorset Downs, the average annual temperature of the county is 9.8 to 12 °C (49.6 to 53.6 °F).[112]
The south coast counties of Dorset, Hampshire,West Sussex,East Sussex andKent enjoy more sunshine than anywhere else in the United Kingdom, receiving 1,541–1,885 hours a year.[113] Average annual rainfall varies across the county—southern and eastern coastal areas receive 700–800 mm (28–31 in) per year; the Dorset Downs receive between 1,000 and 1,250 mm (39–49 in) per year; less than much of Devon and Cornwall to the west but more than counties to the east.[114]
The2021 United Kingdom census records Dorset's population as 779,775, of which 51.3% live in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole district.
Dorset's population has a high proportion of older people and a lower than average proportion of young people: According to 2013 mid-year estimates,[Note 1] 23.6% are over 65 years of age, higher than theEngland and Wales average of 17.4%, and 18.6% are less than 17 years old, lower than the England and Wales average of 21.3%.[61] The working age population (females and males between 16 and 64) is lower than England and Wales average, 60% compared to 64%.[120] Data collected between 2010 and 2012 shows that average life expectancy at birth in the county is 85.3 years for females and 81.2 years for males. This compares favourably with the averages for England and Wales of 82.9 and 79.1 years respectively.[121]
More than 33% of the county's population possess a level 4 qualification or above, such as a Higher National Diploma, Degree or a Higher Degree; while nearly 6.3% have no qualifications at all.[122] Almost 43.7% are employed in a professional or technical capacity (Standard Occupational Classification 2010, groups 1–3), just over 10.3% are administrators or secretaries (group 4), around 12.8% have a skilled trade (group 5), over 18% are employed at a low-level in the care, leisure, sales or customer relations sector (groups 6 and 7) and 14.8% are operatives or in elementary occupations (groups 8 and 9).[122]
Historical population of Dorset non-metropolitan county
Statistics for the area that comprised the 1997–2009 non-metropolitan county (i.e. Dorset ceremonial county minus the boroughs of Bournemouth and Poole) Source:Great Britain Historical GIS.[123]
Local government in Dorset consists of two unitary authorities (UA):Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, which governs the major conurbation comprising the three towns; andDorset Council which serves the more rural remainder of the county.[124] For the BCP council, voters choose 76 councillors from 33 wards, with ten wards returning three candidates apiece and 23 wards, two.[125] Dorset elects 82 councillors representing six three-councillor wards, 18 two-councillor wards and 28 single-councillor wards - 52 wards in total.[126] In both authorities, elections for the entire council occur every four years.[127]
A.^ Excludesself-employed, government-supported trainees andarmed forces B.^ Includes industries that are also part of the services industry C.^ Excluding Poole and Bournemouth
In 2003 thegross value added (GVA) for the non-metropolitan county was £4,673 million, with an additional £4,705 million for Poole and Bournemouth.[146] Theprimary sector produced 2.03% of GVA, thesecondary sector produced 22.44% and 75.53% came from thetertiary sector.[146] The average GVA for the 16 regions of South West England was £4,693 million.[146]
The principalindustry in Dorset was once agriculture. It has not, however, been the largest employer since the mid 19th century asmechanisation substantially reduced the number of workers required.[147][148] Agriculture has become less profitable and the industry has declined further. Within the administrative county between 1995 and 2003, GVA for primary industry (largely agriculture, fishing and quarrying) declined from £229 million to £188 million—7.1% to 4.0%.[146] In 2007, 2,039 km2 (787 sq mi) of the county was in agricultural use, up from 1,986 km2 (767 sq mi) in 1989, although this was due to an increase in permanent grass, and landset aside.[149] By contrast, in the same period,arable land decreased from 993 to 916 km2 (383 to 354 sq mi).[149] Excluding fowl, sheep are the most common animal stock in the county; between 1989 and 2006 their numbers fell from 252,189 to 193,500. Cattle and pig farming has declined similarly; during the same period the number of cattle fell from 240,413 to 170,700, and pigs from 169,636 to 72,700.[150]
In 2009 there were 2,340 armed forces personnel stationed in Dorset including theRoyal Armoured Corps atBovington,Royal Signals atBlandford and theRoyal Marines atPoole.[151] The military presence has had a mixed effect on the local economy, bringing additional employment for civilians, but on occasion having a negative impact on the tourist trade, particularly when popular areas are closed for military manoeuvres.[152][153]
Other major employers in the county include:BAE Systems,Sunseeker International,J.P. Morgan,Cobham plc andBournemouth University.[154] Dorset's three ports, Poole,Weymouth andPortland, and the smaller harbours of Christchurch, Swanage, Lyme Regis, Wareham and West Bay generate a substantial amount of international trade and tourism.[155] Around 230 fishing vessels that predominantly catch crab and lobster are based in Dorset's ports.[156] When the waters around Weymouth and Portland were chosen for the sailing events in the2012 Summer Olympic Games, the area underwent an increased investment in infrastructure and a growth in the marine leisure sector. It is expected that this will continue to have a positive effect on local businesses and tourism.[157]
The beach nearBournemouth Pier; Dorset's coastline is a major attraction for tourists
Tourism has grown in Dorset since the late 18th century and is now the predominant industry.[158] It is estimated that 37,500 people work in Dorset's tourism sector.[159] Some 3.2 million British and 326,000 foreign tourists visited the county in 2008, staying a total of 15.1 million nights.[160] In addition there were 14.6 million day visitors.[160] The combined spending of both groups was £1,458 million.[160] Towns received 56% of Dorset's day trippers, 27% went to the coast and 17% to the countryside.[161] A survey carried out in 1997 concluded that the primary reason tourists were drawn to Dorset was the attractiveness of the county's coast and countryside.[162] Numbers of domestic and foreign tourists have fluctuated in recent years due to various factors including security and economic downturn, a trend reflected throughout the UK.[163]
Manufacturing industry in Dorset provided 10.3% of employment in 2008. This was slightly above the average for Great Britain but below that of the South West region which was at 10.7% for that period.[143][144][145] The sector is the county's fourth largest employer, but a predicted decline suggests there will be 10,200 fewer jobs in manufacturing by 2026.[164]
Dorset hosts a number of annual festivals, fairs and events including theGreat Dorset Steam Fair near Blandford, one of the largest events of its kind in Europe,[183] and theBournemouth Air Festival, a freeair show that attracted 1.3 million visitors in 2009.[184] The Spirit of the Seas is a maritime festival held in Weymouth and Portland. Launched in 2008, the festival features sporting activities, cultural events and local entertainers.[185] The Dorset County Show, which was first held in 1841, is a celebration of Dorset's agriculture.[186] The two-day event exhibits local produce and livestock and attracts some 55,000 people.[186] Inside Out Dorset is an outdoor arts festival that takes place every two years in rural and urban locations across Dorset.[187][188] In addition to the smaller folk festivals held in towns such as Christchurch andWimborne,[189][190] Dorset holds several larger musical events such asCamp Bestival,End of the Road and theLarmer Tree Festival.[191][192][193]
Dorset's flag, which is known as the Dorset Cross or St Wite's Cross, was adopted in 2008 following a public competition organised by Dorset County Council.[213][214] The winning design, which features a white cross with a red border on a golden background, attracted 54% of the vote.[215] All three colours are used in Dorset County Council's coat of arms and the red and white was used in recognition of theEnglish flag.[216] The golden colour represents Dorset's sandy beaches and the Dorset landmarks ofGolden Cap andGold Hill. It is also a reference to theWessex Dragon, a symbol of theSaxon Kingdom which Dorset once belonged to, and the gold wreath featured on the badge of theDorset Regiment.[216]
Dorset is one of few English counties not well served by canals and has no motorways.[220] TheA303,A35 andA31trunk roads run through the county.[221] The A303, which connects theWest Country to London via theM3, clips the north-west of the county.[222] The A35 crosses the county in a west–east direction fromHoniton in Devon, via Bridport, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, toSouthampton in Hampshire. The A31 connects to the A35 atBere Regis, and passes east through Wimborne and Ferndown to Hampshire, where it later becomes theM27. Other main roads in the county include theA338,A354,A37 andA350. The A338 heads north from Bournemouth toRingwood (Hampshire) and on toSalisbury (Wiltshire) and beyond. The A354 also connects to Salisbury after travelling north-east from Weymouth in the south of the county. The A37 travels north-west from Dorchester toYeovil in Somerset. The A350 also leads north, from Poole throughBlandford and Shaftesbury, toWarminster in Wiltshire.[222]
A passenger seaport and an international airport are situated in the county.Brittany Ferries andCondor Ferries operate out of Poole Harbour; Brittany Ferries provide access toCherbourg in France and Condor Ferries sail a seasonal service to theChannel Islands andSt Malo, France.[223] Poole and Portland harbours are capable of taking cruise liners.[224]Bournemouth Airport, on the edge ofHurn village 6 kilometres (4 mi) north of Bournemouth, has scheduled and charter flights.
Morebus and Damory provide a county wide bus network with frequent services linking major towns, including Bournemouth, Poole and Wimborne, and a varied service in further rural locations.[225] TheFirst Group operate buses in the Weymouth and Bridport area, including a regular route along the A35 from Weymouth to Axminster, which helps to compensate for the missing rail link west of Dorchester; and theJurassic Coaster service, which runs along the county's coastline.[226][227]Yellow Buses provided bus services within Bournemouth and outlying areas until they ceased operating in 2022.[228][229]
Unlike all of its neighbouring counties, Dorset does not have a cathedral.[230] Over 95% of the county falls within theChurch of England Diocese of Salisbury.[231] A small section to the west comes under theDiocese of Bath and Wells and to the east Christchurch and much of Bournemouth—both historically part of Hampshire—belong to theDiocese of Winchester.[232][233] TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth incorporates most of Dorset with the exception of Christchurch and a portion of Bournemouth which belongs to theDiocese of Portsmouth.[234][235] Few purpose-built places of worship exist in Dorset for faiths other than Christianity. In 2008 a Hindu temple was constructed in Blandford Forum for theGurkhas based at the town's military camp.[236] Bournemouth, which contains a higher proportion of Jewish residents than the national average, has three synagogues and an Islamic Centre and a mosque for Muslims.[237][238]
Christianity was introduced to Dorset by the Romans.[239] A 4th centuryRoman mosaic discovered nearHinton St Mary contains what is generally accepted to be an image of Christ.[240][241] Christianity became firmly established in the county during the Saxon period although there are few surviving Saxon churches; the most complete isSt. Martin's in Wareham which has features from the early 11th century.[242][243] Mediaeval churches are more prevalent in Dorset; most are 15th century and are of aPerpendicular style.[244]Sherborne Abbey, one of the county's largest, is noted for its broadfan vaulting added during an extensive 15th century rebuild.[245] Founded in AD 705 byAldhelm, the Abbey contained thechair of theBishop of Sherborne and was granted cathedral status until 1075 when the diocese was transferred toOld Sarum.[246]Wimborne Minster features achained library and a 14th-centuryastronomical clock;[247] Christchurch Priory is renowned for itsmiraculous beam which, according to legend, was installed by Christ;[248] and the 15th century roof spanning thenave at St John the Baptist Church in Bere Regis is described by architectural historianNikolaus Pevsner as the "finest timber roof of Dorset".[249]Saint Wite's shrine is located in the north transept ofSt Candida and Holy Cross atWhitchurch Canonicorum. It is the only church in the country, besidesWestminster Abbey, to have a shrine that contains therelics of a saint.[250]
Monastic foundations were once abundant in Dorset, but all ceased to exist at the Dissolution of the monasteries.[251] TheReformation and the political and religious turmoil that ensued largely checked the building of new churches until the turn of the 18th century.[252][253] Notable examples ofEarly Georgian churches include theBastard brothers' Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Blandford Forum, andSt George's Church on the Isle of Portland, which has a steeple and tower inspired by the works ofChristopher Wren.[254] From the late 18th century onwards, churches in Dorset tended towards aGothic Revival style.[255] A notable exception to this trend, however, is the Church of St Mary inEast Lulworth—the first freestanding Roman Catholic church built in England after the Reformation.[256] George III gave permission to erect the building on the condition that it resembled a garden mausoleum rather than a church. It was completed in 1789.[252][256] Bournemouth, founded in 1810, has a wealth of 19th-century churches includingSt Peter's andSt Stephen's.St Dunstan's (formerly St Osmund's) in Poole is one of a small number of 20th-century churches in Dorset. The final major work ofEdward Schroeder Prior, it is one of the last examples of theNeo Byzantine style.[257] The Church of St Nicholas and St Magnus inMoreton is noted for its elaborate engraved glass windows designed byLaurence Whistler. Severely damaged by a stray German bomb in 1940, the church subsequently underwent extensive renovation and Whistler had replaced every window by 1984.[258]
Responsibility forstate schools in Dorset is divided between twolocal education authorities: Dorset Council, which covers the majority of the county, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council. Most of the Dorset Council area operates a two-tiercomprehensive system whereby pupils attend a primary school before completing their education at secondary school but Corfe Mullen, Dorchester, Ferndown andWest Moors maintain athree-tier system (first,middle and high school).[259] Bournemouth operates a two-tier system; Poole operates two and three-tier systems.[260] BCP is one of the few local authorities in England to maintain selective education, containing foursingle-sexgrammar schools which select pupils on the basis of aneleven-plus examination. Some of the county's schools areacademies—self-governing state schools which have become independent of their local education authority and are maintained directly by theDepartment for Education.[261] In 2017, theProgress 8 score for schools in the Dorset Council area was ranked below average, and 39.6% of pupils gained at least Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGCSEs matching the national average of 39.6%.[262] Poole recorded an above average Progress 8 score and 54% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.[263] Bournemouth was ranked as average and 47.8% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.[264]
Dorset contains a range of privately funded independent schools. Many areboarding schools which also takeday pupils, such as the co-educationalCanford School which is built around a 19th-century Grade I listedmanor house; andSherborne School, a boys' school founded in the 16th century.[265]
^2013 figures are mid year estimates produced by the ONS. Taking the 2011 census as a starting point, each year, the previous year's population is aged by one year, births and deaths are added and removed respectively whilst those leaving the county are subtracted and those moving in are added, each according to age and gender.
^"South East Dorset Strategy". Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Partnership. November 2005. p. 2. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 1 October 2011. Retrieved2 June 2011.
^"About Us". Poole Harbour Commissioners.Archived from the original on 21 September 2008. Retrieved14 February 2011.
^"Nature Conservation and Landscape"(PDF).Poole Harbour Management Plan. Poole Harbour Commissioners. 2006. pp. 1–2.Archived(PDF) from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved11 April 2011.
^ab"Wytch Farm"(PDF).Asset Portfolio.BP. pp. 3, 4. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 11 October 2007. Retrieved8 March 2012.
^Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP (2018)."Local Government Review"(PDF).Future Dorset. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.Archived(PDF) from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved7 April 2019.
^"Tourism". Dorset Coastal Forum. p. 1. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 11 January 2012. Retrieved9 May 2011.
^"Tourism". Dorset Coastal Forum. p. 3. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 11 January 2012. Retrieved9 May 2011.
^abc"The Value of Tourism 2008"(PDF).VoT 2008 – 4 Dorset and Districts 2008. South West Tourism Alliance. p. 1. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 31 October 2012. Retrieved13 May 2011.
^"The Value of Tourism 2008"(PDF).VoT 2008 – 4 Dorset and Districts 2008. South West Tourism Alliance. p. 7. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 31 October 2012. Retrieved13 May 2011.
^"Tourism". Dorset Coastal Forum. p. 4. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 11 January 2012. Retrieved13 May 2011.
