Ofsted: Outstanding trending_up Places Available emoji_events #55 in Dorset public Top 76% UK

Thornford CofE Primary School

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

personMrs Neela Brooking

corporate_fareSHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST

location_onSherborne, DT9 6QY

language Visit Website phone 1935872706

verified

Ofsted

Outstanding

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

100

school

Expected Standard

53%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Thornford CofE Primary School is a Academy converter primary school in Sherborne, serving ages 4-11. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted — the highest possible grade. Ranks in the top 76% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Thornford CofE Primary School is an academy converter in Sherborne, Dorset, admitting pupils aged 4-11. It is part of SHERBORNE AREA SCHOOLS' TRUST. The school has approximately 99 pupils on roll, of whom 9% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 53% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 7% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #55 of 78 primaries in Dorset and #11,928 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. 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 Good.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 21.8:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

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

53%

LA 54%

Reading67% LA 71%

Writing60% LA 67%

Maths73% LA 68%

Read SS

104

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

64%

LA 53%England 61%

Reading93% LA 72% · Eng 74%

Writing71% LA 66% · Eng 72%

Maths86% LA 65% · Eng 73%

Read SS

110

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

107

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

80%

LA 53%England 60%

Reading100% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing80% LA 67% · Eng 71%

Maths100% LA 67% · Eng 73%

Read SS

110

Maths SS

108

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

2.1

Read

LA 0.0

-1.1 to 5.3

-0.2

Write

LA -0.8

-3.3 to 2.8

1.2

Maths

LA -1.3

-1.8 to 4.2

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

87%

LA 60%England 65%

Reading100% LA 73% · Eng 73%

Writing87% LA 75% · Eng 78%

Maths87% LA 74% · Eng 79%

Read SS

110

Maths SS

106

GPS SS

108

Progress (0 = national avg)

3.7

Read

LA -0.3

0.5 to 6.8

0.0

Write

LA -0.5

-2.9 to 2.9

0.0

Maths

LA -1.1

-2.7 to 2.8

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

63%

LA 58%

Reading88% LA 73%

Writing75% LA 73%

Maths75% LA 69%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

101

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

2.4

Read

LA -0.3

-0.6 to 5.4

3.5

Write

LA -0.5

0.6 to 6.4

-0.6

Maths

LA -1.2

-3.3 to 2.1

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

26 November 2024

Inspection Report

picture_as_pdf Download PDF

06 June 2017

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-11-26

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

Good

2014-04-30

Exempt School Inspection EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

2007-05-09

None EIF

Outstanding

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Outstanding

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

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 99 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	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	99	0.0%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	98	0.0%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	99	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	100	0.0%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	100	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	101	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	100	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	100	0.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	101	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	102	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	103	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	102	0.0%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	100	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	101	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	104	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	104	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	103	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	108	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	108	0.0%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	108	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	109	0.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	109	0.0%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	109	0.0%	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.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 7 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 4 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Profound & Multiple Learning 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.

100.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

100.0%Positive

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

5.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree62%

agree38%

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

strongly agree59%

agree28%

disagree13%

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

strongly agree31%

agree26%

disagree10%

not applicable33%

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.

strongly agree62%

agree26%

strongly disagree3%

don't know10%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree69%

agree26%

disagree3%

don't know3%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree49%

agree46%

disagree5%

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

strongly agree54%

agree33%

disagree8%

strongly disagree3%

don't know3%

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

strongly agree62%

agree36%

disagree3%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree49%

agree33%

disagree10%

strongly disagree3%

don't know5%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes100%

Top Primary Schools in Dorset

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Bovington Academy

Good

location_on Wareham, BH20 6LE

emoji_events #1 in LA

St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Weymouth, DT3 5DQ

emoji_events #2 in LA

Conifers Primary School

Good

location_on Weymouth, DT4 0QF

emoji_events #3 in LA

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage

Good

location_on Swanage, BH19 1QE

emoji_events #4 in LA

Trent Young's CofE Primary School

Good

location_on Sherborne, DT9 4SW

emoji_events #5 in LA

St Ives Primary & Nursery School

Outstanding

location_on Ringwood, BH24 2LE

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Dorset arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

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 Dorset

Bovington Academy

St Nicholas and St Laurence Church of England Primary School

Conifers Primary School

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Swanage

Trent Young's CofE Primary School

St Ives Primary & Nursery School