The Thomas Hardye School
Academy converter secondary school in Dorchester (Dorset).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
Scroll to welcome Welcome to The Thomas Hardye School Welcome to The Thomas Hardye School of The Thomas Hardye School As headteacher, I know this is a school unlike any other.
Our reputation for excellence is founded not just on our students excellent academic results, but on our sense of community, our incredible extra-curricular offer and our focus on all aspects of students development. We challenge all our students to excel.
From the way they wear their uniform to the way they approach their studies, we want them to look back on their years at the school with a sense of pride both in their achievements and in the challenges they have overcome. Our outstanding facilities means students can find their passions, whether they be in the classroom, on the sports field, in the music room or on the stage.
Here you will find, you can learn about the extra-curricular opportunities, visits, international links, charity and community work, environmental projects, visiting speakers, performances, exhibitions and sports. In other words, all the things that make us distinctive. Thank you very much for your interest.
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Enrichment
23 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Athletics
- Badminton
- Band
- Basketball
- Book Club
- Chess
- Choir
- Climbing
- Creative Writing
- Cross Country
- Dance
- Dodgeball
- Drama
- Duke of Edinburgh
- Football
- Mindfulness
and 7 more
Awards
3 awardsiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Duke of EdinburghPersonal development
- Eco SchoolsEnvironment
- Sing UpRecognised award
Key facts
- URN
- 137163
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 13 to 18
- Gender
- Mixed
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Sixth form
- Has a sixth form
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Constituency
- West Dorset
- Setting
- Urban: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 2011
Governing body (12 current, 3 former)
iAcademy trust: local governing body and trust board.2 governors are linked to a profile (1 confirmed, 1 (likely)).
Governors marked “Confirmed same person” have exactly the same forename and surname as the only officer of that name at the school’s own academy trust company on the Companies House register, so we treat them as the same person. The governance record itself comes from DfE.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Rachel Turberville-Smith | Chair of Local Governing Body | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2026 · until 2030 |
| Mr Anthony Moore Former | Chair of Local Governing Body | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2024 · term ended 2026 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Lucy Erskine | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2026 · until 2029 |
| Dr Saleem Taibjee | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2026 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Genna Bunker | Local Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2025 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Sophie Duke | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Christina Hancock | Local Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mr Rob Heathcote | Local Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mr Mike Faulkner (likely) | Local Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Prof Hugh Griffiths Confirmed same person | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Eva Lewis | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Ms Zoe Hopkins | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Mr Nicholas Rutherford | Local Governor | Ex-officio by virtue of office as headteacher/principal | since 2021 |
| Ms Hilary Over Former | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2024 · term ended 2026 |
| Mr Ross Cumber Former | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · term ended 2026 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record