What did Ofsted judge The Cornerstone Academy's overall effectiveness to be?

Ofsted judged The Cornerstone Academy's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in January 2017 (last graded inspection), and an ungraded inspection in October 2022 confirmed it, on Ofsted's own scale.

How many pupils attend The Cornerstone Academy?

The Cornerstone Academy has 645 pupils on roll.

What ages does The Cornerstone Academy take?

The Cornerstone Academy admits pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is The Cornerstone Academy located?

The Cornerstone Academy is located in Poole, BH15 4BQ, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

How do I apply to The Cornerstone Academy?

The Cornerstone Academy is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.

How are Year 7 places decided at The Cornerstone Academy?

When The Cornerstone Academy has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after and previously looked after children — Looked after children and children who were looked after, but immediately after being looked after became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order, or special guardianship order (Note 1). Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted (Note 2); 2. Sibling attending — Children with a sibling who is already attending The Cornerstone Academy and will continue to attend Cornerstone at the time of admission; 3. Children of staff — Children of staff at The Cornerstone Academy: a) where the member of staff has been employed at The Cornerstone Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission is made or b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Staff are defined as all teaching and support staff employed at the school. 'Children of staff' refers to situations where the staff member is the natural parent, the legal guardian, or a resident step-parent. A demonstrable skill shortage refers to a post which the school has had difficulties fulfilling. For priority to be given on this basis, the school must have taken part in a recruitment drive to fill the post where the post was not filled after two attempts at recruitment have been made, and 3 further criteria. The school offers 180 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Those who live closest to the school will be given priority (Note 3). The school will use random allocation for applicants living an equal distance from the school or in the same block of flats who are eligible for the remaining places. Applicants will have their names drawn as lots to see who should be offered the place(s). The person drawing the names will be a person independent of the school.

What is the largest ethnic background at The Cornerstone Academy?

According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 75.2% of pupils at The Cornerstone Academy are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

The Cornerstone Academy: Ofsted, Results & Catchment 2026

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How places are decided at The Cornerstone Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Looked after and previously looked after children — Looked after children and children who were looked after, but immediately after being looked after became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order, or special guardianship order (Note 1). Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted (Note 2).
2Sibling attending — Children with a sibling who is already attending The Cornerstone Academy and will continue to attend Cornerstone at the time of admission.
3Children of staff — Children of staff at The Cornerstone Academy: a) where the member of staff has been employed at The Cornerstone Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission is made or b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Staff are defined as all teaching and support staff employed at the school. 'Children of staff' refers to situations where the staff member is the natural parent, the legal guardian, or a resident step-parent. A demonstrable skill shortage refers to a post which the school has had difficulties fulfilling. For priority to be given on this basis, the school must have taken part in a recruitment drive to fill the post where the post was not filled after two attempts at recruitment have been made
5Children on roll of named feeder schools — Children on the roll of either Hamworthy Park Junior School or Bayside Academy.
6All other children — All other children.
7Tie break process — In the event that The Cornerstone Academy is oversubscribed in any of the categories 1-6 the tie break process will be used. Those who live closest to the school will be given priority (Note 3). The school will use random allocation for applicants living an equal distance from the school or in the same block of flats who are eligible for the remaining places. Applicants will have their names drawn as lots to see who should be offered the place(s). The person drawing the names will be a person independent of the school.

If two applications tie: Those who live closest to the school will be given priority (Note 3). The school will use random allocation for applicants living an equal distance from the school or in the same block of flats who are eligible for the remaining places. Applicants will have their names drawn as lots to see who should be offered the place(s). The person drawing the names will be a person independent of the school.

Document numbering skips from criterion 3 to criterion 5 as printed (no criterion 4 listed in the oversubscription list). Sibling definition text elsewhere references 'Years 7-10', indicating this policy is for Year 7 entry (secondary phase). National closing date for this entry year given as 31st October 2026.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.

The Cornerstone Academy: key facts

What did Ofsted judge The Cornerstone Academy's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged The Cornerstone Academy's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in January 2017 (last graded inspection), and an ungraded inspection in October 2022 confirmed it, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend The Cornerstone Academy?: The Cornerstone Academy has 645 pupils on roll.
What ages does The Cornerstone Academy take?: The Cornerstone Academy admits pupils aged 11 to 16.
Where is The Cornerstone Academy located?: The Cornerstone Academy is located in Poole, BH15 4BQ, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
How do I apply to The Cornerstone Academy?: The Cornerstone Academy is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How are Year 7 places decided at The Cornerstone Academy?: When The Cornerstone Academy has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after and previously looked after children — Looked after children and children who were looked after, but immediately after being looked after became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order, or special guardianship order (Note 1). Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted (Note 2); 2. Sibling attending — Children with a sibling who is already attending The Cornerstone Academy and will continue to attend Cornerstone at the time of admission; 3. Children of staff — Children of staff at The Cornerstone Academy: a) where the member of staff has been employed at The Cornerstone Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission is made or b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Staff are defined as all teaching and support staff employed at the school. 'Children of staff' refers to situations where the staff member is the natural parent, the legal guardian, or a resident step-parent. A demonstrable skill shortage refers to a post which the school has had difficulties fulfilling. For priority to be given on this basis, the school must have taken part in a recruitment drive to fill the post where the post was not filled after two attempts at recruitment have been made, and 3 further criteria. The school offers 180 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Those who live closest to the school will be given priority (Note 3). The school will use random allocation for applicants living an equal distance from the school or in the same block of flats who are eligible for the remaining places. Applicants will have their names drawn as lots to see who should be offered the place(s). The person drawing the names will be a person independent of the school.
What is the largest ethnic background at The Cornerstone Academy?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 75.2% of pupils at The Cornerstone Academy are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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How places are decided at The Cornerstone Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Looked after and previously looked after children — Looked after children and children who were looked after, but immediately after being looked after became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order, or special guardianship order (Note 1). Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted (Note 2).
2Sibling attending — Children with a sibling who is already attending The Cornerstone Academy and will continue to attend Cornerstone at the time of admission.
3Children of staff — Children of staff at The Cornerstone Academy: a) where the member of staff has been employed at The Cornerstone Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission is made or b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Staff are defined as all teaching and support staff employed at the school. 'Children of staff' refers to situations where the staff member is the natural parent, the legal guardian, or a resident step-parent. A demonstrable skill shortage refers to a post which the school has had difficulties fulfilling. For priority to be given on this basis, the school must have taken part in a recruitment drive to fill the post where the post was not filled after two attempts at recruitment have been made
5Children on roll of named feeder schools — Children on the roll of either Hamworthy Park Junior School or Bayside Academy.
6All other children — All other children.
7Tie break process — In the event that The Cornerstone Academy is oversubscribed in any of the categories 1-6 the tie break process will be used. Those who live closest to the school will be given priority (Note 3). The school will use random allocation for applicants living an equal distance from the school or in the same block of flats who are eligible for the remaining places. Applicants will have their names drawn as lots to see who should be offered the place(s). The person drawing the names will be a person independent of the school.

The Cornerstone Academy: key facts

What did Ofsted judge The Cornerstone Academy's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged The Cornerstone Academy's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in January 2017 (last graded inspection), and an ungraded inspection in October 2022 confirmed it, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend The Cornerstone Academy?: The Cornerstone Academy has 645 pupils on roll.
What ages does The Cornerstone Academy take?: The Cornerstone Academy admits pupils aged 11 to 16.
Where is The Cornerstone Academy located?: The Cornerstone Academy is located in Poole, BH15 4BQ, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
How do I apply to The Cornerstone Academy?: The Cornerstone Academy is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How are Year 7 places decided at The Cornerstone Academy?: When The Cornerstone Academy has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after and previously looked after children — Looked after children and children who were looked after, but immediately after being looked after became subject to adoption, a child arrangements order, or special guardianship order (Note 1). Children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted (Note 2); 2. Sibling attending — Children with a sibling who is already attending The Cornerstone Academy and will continue to attend Cornerstone at the time of admission; 3. Children of staff — Children of staff at The Cornerstone Academy: a) where the member of staff has been employed at The Cornerstone Academy for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission is made or b) the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Staff are defined as all teaching and support staff employed at the school. 'Children of staff' refers to situations where the staff member is the natural parent, the legal guardian, or a resident step-parent. A demonstrable skill shortage refers to a post which the school has had difficulties fulfilling. For priority to be given on this basis, the school must have taken part in a recruitment drive to fill the post where the post was not filled after two attempts at recruitment have been made, and 3 further criteria. The school offers 180 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Those who live closest to the school will be given priority (Note 3). The school will use random allocation for applicants living an equal distance from the school or in the same block of flats who are eligible for the remaining places. Applicants will have their names drawn as lots to see who should be offered the place(s). The person drawing the names will be a person independent of the school.
What is the largest ethnic background at The Cornerstone Academy?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 75.2% of pupils at The Cornerstone Academy are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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The Cornerstone Academy

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The Cornerstone Academy: key facts

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How places are decided at The Cornerstone Academy

The Cornerstone Academy: key facts

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