Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #351 in Kent public Top 83% UK

Thistle Hill Academy

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

personMs Rebecca Handebeaux

corporate_fareTHE STOUR ACADEMY TRUST

location_onSheerness, ME12 3UD

language Visit Website phone 1795899119

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

359

school

Expected Standard

49%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

0.9x

summarize

Thistle Hill Academy is a Academy sponsor led primary school in Sheerness, serving ages 4-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 83% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Thistle Hill Academy is an academy sponsor led in Sheerness, Kent, admitting pupils aged 4-11. It is part of THE STOUR ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 332 pupils on roll, of whom 49% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 49% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined. The school ranks #351 of 424 primaries in Kent and #11,688 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Good, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Outstanding, and leadership and management Outstanding.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.9× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 21.0:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 1.4 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

49%

LA 61%

Reading59% LA 74%

Writing76% LA 72%

Maths59% LA 70%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

68%

LA 60%England 61%

Reading80% LA 75% · Eng 74%

Writing73% LA 73% · Eng 72%

Maths71% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

105

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

56%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading70% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing63% LA 72% · Eng 71%

Maths61% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.8

Read

LA -0.4

-4.4 to -1.2

-2.1

Write

LA -0.2

-3.7 to -0.5

-5.0

Maths

LA -1.2

-6.6 to -3.5

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

50%

LA 67%England 65%

Reading54% LA 75% · Eng 73%

Writing62% LA 81% · Eng 78%

Maths62% LA 77% · Eng 79%

Read SS

101

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-2.4

Read

LA 0.0

-4.9 to 0.1

-3.4

Write

LA 0.1

-5.7 to -1.1

-4.0

Maths

LA -0.6

-6.2 to -1.8

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

13%

LA 65%

Reading37% LA 76%

Writing37% LA 80%

Maths27% LA 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.2

Read

LA 0.0

-6.3 to -2.1

-8.9

Write

LA 0.4

-11 to -6.8

-5.6

Maths

LA -0.5

-7.5 to -3.7

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

05 November 2024

Inspection Report

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20 June 2024

Inspection Report

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26 April 2022

Inspection Report

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22 May 2018

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-11-05

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 2 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

Good

Development

Outstanding

Leadership

Outstanding

2022-04-26

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2018-05-22

Academy First Section 5 Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

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

Suspension Rate

2.1%per term

warning Above Average

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

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

0.6%(2 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 332 pupils. During this period, there were 7 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 2.1%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	332	7	2.1%	0.8%	0
2024/25 (Autumn term)	331	2	0.6%	0.9%	0
2023/24 (Summer term)	358	8	2.2%	0.8%	0
2023/24 (Spring term)	352	11	3.1%	0.7%	1
2023/24 (Autumn term)	348	6	1.7%	0.8%	0
2022/23 (Summer term)	345	16	4.6%	0.7%	0
2022/23 (Spring term)	359	24	6.7%	0.6%	1
2022/23 (Autumn term)	363	32	8.8%	0.6%	0
2021/22 (Summer term)	339	10	2.9%	0.5%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	330	3	0.9%	0.5%	0
2021/22 (Autumn term)	328	2	0.6%	0.5%	0
2020/21 (Summer term)	321	2	0.6%	0.4%	1
2020/21 (Spring term)	320	3	0.9%	0.1%	0
2020/21 (Autumn term)	317	1	0.3%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Summer term)	299	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	299	1	0.3%	0.4%	0
2019/20 (Autumn term)	306	1	0.3%	0.6%	0
2018/19 (Summer term)	303	1	0.3%	0.4%	0
2018/19 (Spring term)	313	1	0.3%	0.5%	0
2018/19 (Autumn term)	315	3	1.0%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Summer term)	309	15	4.9%	0.5%	0
2017/18 (Spring term)	306	9	2.9%	0.4%	0
2017/18 (Autumn term)	302	7	2.3%	0.5%	0
2016/17 (Summer term)	235	3	1.3%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Spring term)	230	2	0.9%	0.4%	0
2016/17 (Autumn term)	231	1	0.4%	0.5%	0

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

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psychology_alt

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.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 43 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 39 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 23 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 21 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 4 pupils

Physical Disability 3 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

91.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

91.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

17.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree54%

agree32%

disagree7%

strongly disagree5%

don't know2%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree59%

agree33%

disagree7%

strongly disagree1%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree38%

agree16%

disagree8%

strongly disagree6%

don't know1%

not applicable31%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes41%

no59%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree72%

agree10%

disagree13%

strongly disagree5%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree44%

agree42%

disagree6%

strongly disagree2%

don't know5%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree56%

agree34%

disagree6%

strongly disagree2%

don't know2%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree56%

agree31%

disagree6%

strongly disagree6%

don't know1%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree58%

agree33%

disagree3%

strongly disagree1%

don't know5%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree65%

agree29%

disagree2%

strongly disagree1%

don't know2%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree52%

agree29%

disagree13%

strongly disagree1%

don't know5%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes85%

no15%

Top Primary Schools in Kent

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Westgate Primary School

Good

location_on Dartford, DA1 2LP

emoji_events #1 in LA

Leigh Academy Cherry Orchard

Outstanding

location_on Ebbsfleet, DA10 1AD

emoji_events #2 in LA

Kingsdown and Ringwould Church of England Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Deal, CT14 8DD

emoji_events #3 in LA

Thornden Wood Primary School

Good

location_on Herne Bay, CT6 7RS

emoji_events #4 in LA

Leigh Academy Paddock Wood

Good

location_on Tonbridge, TN12 6JE

emoji_events #5 in LA

The Discovery School

Outstanding

location_on West Malling, ME19 4GJ

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Kent arrow_forward

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)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

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