In 2025, GCSE results delivered 33.1% top grades (9-7) while A-Level entries achieved 52.3% A*-B.
RU HMC co-educational boarding school in Dorset, founded 1896
Why this school
In 2025, GCSE results delivered 33.1% top grades (9-7) while A-Level entries achieved 52.3% A*-B.
BTEC 2025 results recorded 42.9% Distinction* or Distinction across the cohort.
Founded by Alexander Devine in 1896, the school moved through three sites before settling on its present estate in 1933.
Clayesmore School is a co-educational independent school in Iwerne Minster, Dorset, taking pupils from age 3 to 18. Lex Devine founded it in 1896 on the principle of an all-round education, and breadth — academic, creative, and physical — has shaped the school’s identity ever since. Around 600 pupils are spread across the prep and senior school. Clayesmore holds membership of the HMC (Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference) and BSA (Boarding Schools’ Association), and sits within the Inspired Learning Group. The rural Dorset setting, away from any major urban centre, does real work here: boarding is genuinely central to daily life, and the open campus supports a range of activity that simply wouldn’t fit on a smaller, city site.
The senior school (Years 9–13) offers GCSE, A-Level, and BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) programmes. That combination matters. Pupils who work better through coursework and applied learning have a credible route forward, not a consolation option. Class sizes at a school of 600 tend to be small, which supports closer contact between teachers and pupils. In 2025, 27.5% of A-Level grades were A* or A.
The sixth form covers Years 12 and 13, running A-Level and BTEC qualifications side by side. Day fees for Years 9–13 are £35,672 per year (2025/26, VAT inclusive); full boarding fees for the same year groups are £49,511 per year (2025/26, VAT inclusive). Having both routes available gives sixth-formers genuine flexibility when building university applications. In 2025, 27.5% of A-Level results were graded A* or A.
A-Level results
27.5% A*-A (2025)
Boarding is a core part of what Clayesmore offers, not an add-on. The LEX weekend programme runs a structured calendar of trips and events available to all pupils, so weekends on campus have genuine content. Pastoral support is organised through the house system, which provides continuity of adult contact for boarders throughout their time at the school. Day pupils and boarders share the same timetable and co-curricular programme during the week, keeping the community coherent.
The LEX programme is the clearest signal of how Clayesmore approaches co-curricular life. It runs across the full school year, covering a wide range of trips and experiences that extend well beyond the campus. Sport, the arts, music, and drama all feature in the school’s offer, supported by a rural setting that makes outdoor and field-based activity practical. The school’s size — around 600 pupils — means individuals can contribute meaningfully to productions, teams, and ensembles without the competition for places that tends to appear at larger schools.
Clayesmore occupies a rural campus near Iwerne Minster in the Dorset countryside. The setting provides room for sport, outdoor activity, and a residential boarding life that benefits from open space. As part of the Inspired Learning Group, the school has access to investment frameworks that support ongoing facilities development. Both the prep school (from age 3) and the senior school (to age 18) share a single site, which supports continuity across a pupil’s years at Clayesmore.
Annual tuition
£49,511 per year · full boarding · Senior · Year 9-13
Other tier breakdowns shown below.
| Stage | Year groups | Type | Audience | Fee / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior | Year 9-13 | Full boarding | — | £49,511 |
| Senior | Year 9-13 | Day | — | £35,672 |
Additional fees
Deposit
£13,753
Registration
£300
Dorset; Bournemouth Airport is the nearest international airport.
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Clayesmore takes pupils from age 3 through to 18, spanning both a prep school and a senior school on a single Dorset campus. The senior school covers Years 9 to 13.
Full boarding fees for Years 9–13 are £49,511 per year (2025/26, VAT inclusive), equivalent to £16,504 per term. Day fees for the same year groups are £35,672 per year (2025/26, VAT inclusive), or £11,891 per term.
The senior school offers GCSEs, A-Levels, and BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) qualifications. The sixth form (Years 12 and 13) runs A-Level and BTEC programmes side by side, giving pupils a choice of academic or applied routes.
In 2025, 27.5% of A-Level grades at Clayesmore were A* or A, with 52.3% reaching A*-B. BTEC results that year showed 42.9% of Year 13 candidates achieving Distinction* or Distinction.
Clayesmore offers both boarding and day places for senior school pupils (Years 9–13). Boarding is central to school life, and the LEX weekend programme provides structured activity for boarders throughout the year.
LEX is Clayesmore’s weekend programme of trips, experiences, and events, available to all pupils. It runs across the school year and is designed to extend pupil life beyond the standard timetable, particularly for boarders.
Overseas applicants pay a registration fee of £300. The deposit required is £13,753.
Clayesmore holds membership of the HMC (Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference), IAPS (Independent Association of Prep Schools), and BSA (Boarding Schools’ Association).
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