In a county famed for its landscape and heritage, Dorset Studio School is a pioneer in land-based education.
Here, the country is the classroom – giving pupils a powerful head start in the world of work.
I met principal Jason Malone at the Kingston Maurward campus. “A student can study ecology from a textbook – but hand them a pair of boots, a landscape and animals, and they’ll learn to care,” he said.
The classrooms here stretch outdoors and farms, workshops and woodlands sit on its doorstep. It really is a stunning setting.
The school was founded in 2014. The Studio moniker originated from ‘Da Vinci Studios’ – a nod to the typical Renaissance workshops or bottega, where a master artist, such as Leonardo da Vinci, would train apprentices in these learning centres where collaboration, innovation and real-life skills hold the keys to success.
Since Jason Malone took the helm, the school carries his fingerprints in a culture where learning is shaped by doing, not just observing.
Mr Malone said: “Preparing young people for a future is vital. Not only do we educate with the traditional subjects and the knowledge that goes with those, but we give them knowledge and skills that are practical and makes transitioning into the world of work much more straightforward. And that to me is great.
“Pupils who once dreaded lessons begin turning up early, sleeves rolled up, ready to work with livestock or tackle environmental challenges. Academic subjects, taught through practical context, suddenly made sense to them.”

Little surprise children thrive here, with access to the 280-hectare working farm, animal park boasting exotic animals, a state-of-the-art animal science centre and international-sized indoor equine arena and stables.
Partnerships with local employers are strong. Education is not just theoretical, it is purposeful – underpinned with a belief that character and confidence are just as important as exams.
However, educational attainment has never been an afterthought. This year, Dorset Studio School delivered its strongest exam results to date. An achievement built on high standards, hard work and steady momentum.
Academic rigour remains the school’s bedrock, evolving alongside a culture that fosters aspiration as much as achievement.
That forward drive is shaping the next generation of opportunity, as Dorset Studio forges meaningful, long-term links with universities such as the University of Reading.
Mr Malone said: “Expectations here are high, and the expectations of the students are high. If you come here to learn, you must hold a passion for land-based learning. It means working to industry-style standards to gain nationally-recognised qualifications, but it also means working hard for GCSEs. Having that solid foundation of knowledge, skills, confidence, discipline and self-discipline is vital.”

This small mainstream school for pupils aged between 11 and 16, has just 75 pupils in each year group – children are seen and supported along their journey to gain the knowledge, confidence and practical skills for careers such as in equine care, veterinary nursing, farming, rural craft, environmental and countryside management – combining academic rigour with the development of key employment skills.
Mr Malone said: “The facilities here are outstanding, from the animal park with sheep, alpacas and pigs, to the animal centre with exotics, dog grooming salon and large aquatics room with facilities for providing plants for animal feed grown through an aquaponic system, the stables, dairy and the farm, we have an arsenal of teaching tools.”
Work experience plays a vital role. In Year 11 pupils spend one day a week in their chosen field for an extended period. Work ethic is instilled from a young age, along with leaving school as ‘a leader, passionate about the land and environment, who understands and loves the heart, culture and heritage of the area’.
For many, that journey doesn’t stop at graduation. Dorset Studio School offers a pathway that can begin at 11 and continue into early adulthood by transitioning into Coastland College, where students expand their skills, confidence, and independence as they step towards further study,
industry careers, and life beyond the classroom.
Mr Malone said: “The pan-Dorset economy has a GVA (gross value added) worth about £21 billion to the national economy, and much of this is through that land-based and environment sector.
“We are helping to contribute to the future prosperity of the area by unlocking each student’s full potential.”
He added: “My football team, Manchester City, has a saying: ‘Some are born here, some are made here, but we all belong here’.
“And when I came for the interview for principal, I got a great sense of feeling, of community and belonging, and these are, for me, important things that motivate me and drive me in work. “
“So, I felt at home, professionally, pretty much straight away but what piqued my interest is what the school could offer, because its unique, isn’t it? It offers a pioneering curriculum, blending skill specialism in the land-based sector with traditional qualifications.

“And, you know, what I’ve come to love is the heritage and the passion, and that’s the word, the passion for the land and the environment and the management of that land and the animals who make the land their home.”
“Our doors are open for you to see what we’re about, to look at the wonderful education and unique opportunities that we offer and how we make every moment count.
“We want people to reach their full potential and by giving them the belief and steer them onto the right path to whatever success is going to look like for them, our pupils will be well prepared for a future.
“And there’ll be a legacy for the next generation.”
Dorset Studio School is so much more than an education hub.
It is a movement of possibility, one muddy boot print at a time.
n Mr Malone holds a number of open days at Dorset Studio School throughout the year for parents to visit with their child, or parents are welcome to visit by appointment.
n dorsetstudioschool.co.uk
n info@dorsetstudioschool.co.uk 01305 443600