It wasn't much of a surprise as a friend has a son there and she has said for ages it only does well because of its cohort. Her son is doing well there but has to have a tutor for GCSE science. It was the GCSE science results that apparently triggered the last Ofsted, not a change in Ofsted.
It was only the report before last when it finally got to Outstanding having been Good for some time before that. I live in a neighbouring LEA and we've seen a big trailing off in people opting for the Grammars which is having big positives for local schools.
Other schools to look at are at Twynham (doesn't suit all), Lytchett, Ringwood and Thomas Hardye.
The jury is out with QE at the moment. It is doing well with the new Head and you should see the benefits of them not losing the most able to the Poole Grammar's in 2020 results. But it remains to be seen what happens with their new setting system where the top 26
or 27 are settled fir Maths and English then the rest are mixed sets. I don't know many of this year's Year 13 potential destinations as yet but the ones I have heard of are several for science at Exeter, a Veterinary Science offer also one for a competitive art school.
Ferndown Upper is turning around fast with the new Head and was at one point in talks with Thomas Hardye about becoming an Academy, not sure what's happening with that.
It really depends on your child, I have dine different schools for both of mine as they are very different. For 6th form some travel some distances tonBrick College and Kingston Maurwood as well as local sixth forms.