Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up Popular emoji_events #28 in Kent public Top 11% UK

Lady Joanna Thornhill Endowed Primary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Rachael Foster

location_onAshford, TN25 5EA

language Visit Website phone 1233812781

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

418

school

Expected Standard

81%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.1x

summarize

Lady Joanna Thornhill Endowed Primary School is a Voluntary controlled school primary school in Ashford, serving ages 5-11. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Demand is above capacity (1.1×) — apply through your local authority on time. Ranks in the top 11% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Lady Joanna Thornhill Endowed Primary School is a voluntary controlled school in Ashford, Kent, admitting pupils aged 5-11. The school has approximately 424 pupils on roll, of whom 13% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 81% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 30% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #28 of 424 primaries in Kent and #925 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Outstanding. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Outstanding, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Outstanding.

The school is oversubscribed — in the most recent cycle, there were 1.1× as many applications as places, making a successful application competitive.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 24.6:1. There is 1 teaching vacancy.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 0.0 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

81%

LA 61%

Reading92% LA 74%

Writing92% LA 72%

Maths84% LA 70%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

70%

LA 60%England 61%

Reading89% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing88% LA 73% · Eng 72%

Maths75% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

107

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

85%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading93% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing90% LA 72% · Eng 71%

Maths90% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

110

Maths SS

108

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

3.0

Read

LA -0.4

1.4 to 4.7

2.9

Write

LA -0.2

1.3 to 4.5

2.0

Maths

LA -1.2

0.5 to 3.6

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

78%

LA 67%England 65%

Reading86% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing94% LA 81% · Eng 78%

Maths81% LA 77% · Eng 79%

Read SS

109

Maths SS

107

GPS SS

110

Progress (0 = national avg)

1.3

Read

LA 0.0

-0.2 to 2.9

0.8

Write

LA 0.1

-0.6 to 2.2

-1.1

Maths

LA -0.6

-2.5 to 0.3

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

84%

LA 65%

Reading94% LA 76%

Writing94% LA 80%

Maths87% LA 73%

Read SS

110

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

111

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

LA 0.0

1.5 to 4.5

0.5

Write

LA 0.4

-0.9 to 1.9

-0.3

Maths

LA -0.5

-1.7 to 1.1

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

11 February 2025

Inspection Report

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04 February 2015

Inspection Report

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15 January 2009

Inspection Report

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08 June 2006

Inspection Report

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12 June 2000

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2025-02-11

S5 Inspection EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Good

Behaviour

Outstanding

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

2015-02-04

Exempt School Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2009-01-15

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

0.0%per term

sentiment_satisfied Below Average (Good)

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.0%(0 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 424 pupils. During this period, there were 0 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 0.0%, which is below the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	424	0	0.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	423	0	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	414	4	1.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	410	4	1.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	411	5	1.2%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	423	8	1.9%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	418	3	0.7%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	421	3	0.7%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	414	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	406	3	0.7%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	403	2	0.5%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	406	1	0.2%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	403	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	403	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	425	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	425	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	424	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	430	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	426	0	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	424	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	428	0	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	420	0	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	418	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	427	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	426	1	0.2%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	424	2	0.5%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 20 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 20 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 11 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 11 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 7 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

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Lady Joanna Thornhill Endowed Primary School

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Kent

Westgate Primary School

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard

Kingsdown and Ringwould Church of England Primary School

Thornden Wood Primary School

Leigh Academy Paddock Wood

The Discovery School