Schools and universities in Bournemouth and Poole

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Bournemouth and Poole have two universities, a further education college, four selective grammar schools that share one 11 plus test, a full spread of state primary and secondary schools, and several independent schools. For a family moving here, the school you want often decides the street you rent or buy in, because most admissions give priority by catchment or distance. For a landlord, the universities at Wallisdown and the Lansdowne shape the student and young professional market.

School names, admissions rules and dates change. Every school named here should be checked on its own website and on GOV.UK before you rely on it; this guide is general information at the time of writing, 1 October 2026.

The universities

Bournemouth University has two campuses. The Talbot Campus at Fern Barrow, on the Poole side of the boundary at Wallisdown, holds most of the university: the business school, media and communication, science and technology, the students' union and the sports facilities. The Lansdowne Campus, in the east of the town centre near the station, is home to the health and social sciences faculty in the Bournemouth Gateway Building, with simulation suites for nursing, midwifery and paramedic training. Much of the university's accommodation is around the Lansdowne.

Arts University Bournemouth is a single-campus university on Wallisdown Road, next to the Talbot Campus, teaching art, design, film, performance, architecture and related subjects.

Bournemouth and Poole College provides further education, apprenticeships and some higher education from its Lansdowne campus on Meyrick Road and its North Road campus near Poole Park.

What the universities mean for renters and buyers

• Students in shared houses concentrate in Winton, Charminster, Moordown and Talbot Village. Expect busier buses in term time and a lively mix of residents.
• Staff, researchers and health students on placement look for flats and furnished stays near the Lansdowne and the station.
• Landlords should note that BCP Council requires planning permission to turn a family house into a small shared house across Bournemouth and in Talbot Village, and that shared houses of five or more need an HMO licence. Our student lets guide has the detail.
• Families sometimes prefer to avoid the streets with the most shared houses; others like the high streets and buses that come with them. Walk the area in term time before deciding.

Grammar schools and the 11 plus

The conurbation has four state grammar schools, which select at 11 through one shared entrance test:

Families register for the test through the schools, usually in the spring and summer of Year 5, and the test is sat early in the autumn of Year 6. For September 2027 entry, Bournemouth School for Girls states that registration closed at midday on 4 September 2026 and the test was on Saturday 26 September 2026. You then name the schools as preferences on the council's secondary application. Each school's admissions policy sets out how places are given among children who reach the standard, which can include distance or catchment.

If you are moving here with a child in Year 5 or 6, start early: the registration window may close before you arrive.

State primary and secondary schools

BCP Council coordinates admissions for state schools across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, including academies and church schools. You apply through the council by the national deadlines, naming several preferences. When a school has more applicants than places, the admissions policy decides, usually giving priority to looked-after children, then often to siblings, catchment or feeder schools and distance from the home address.

In general terms:

• Bournemouth has primary and secondary schools across every district, with church and community schools alongside academies.
• Poole includes the grammar schools at Parkstone and on the north side of the town, and a range of comprehensives.
• Christchurch and its villages follow a mix of primary and secondary schools, and families near the Hampshire border sometimes look at schools over it.

Check Ofsted reports and each school's own admissions policy, and look at where places were offered last year, since cut-off distances change with demand.

Independent schools

Independent schools in the area include Talbot Heath School, an independent girls' school in Talbot Woods, Bournemouth Collegiate School, co-educational, and Canford School, a co-educational senior day and boarding school near Wimborne. There are also independent nursery, prep and primary schools, such as Park School. Fees, ages and entry vary; ask each school directly.

Checking a school before you choose a home

A short routine saves disappointment:

1. Read the admissions policy for the year your child will start, on the school's or the council's site.
2. Look at last year's allocation, including how far away the last child admitted lived, if the school publishes it.
3. Read the latest Ofsted report and the school's own performance data on GOV.UK.
4. Visit on an open day and ask about the journey: buses, walking routes and parking at drop-off.
5. Check the dates for applications, which are fixed nationally for the normal round.

What this means when you rent or buy

Renting. A tenancy address can count for admissions, but councils and schools may check that it is your genuine, permanent home, and some take the address at a fixed date. Do not move in for a few months to win a place and then leave; read the policy.

Buying. Homes near popular schools tend to be in demand. Check the catchment map or the last offer distance before you offer, and do not assume a boundary from an estate agent's description.

Arriving mid-year. In-year applications go through the council too. If you are arriving before you have found a home, a furnished apartment in central Bournemouth gives you time to visit schools and areas. Our guide to moving to Bournemouth covers the first month, and the best areas to rent lists the family districts.

When you have chosen your area, our letting agents will look for homes near your preferred schools, and our sales team can advise if you are selling elsewhere to move here.