School profile

Thurstable School

Secondary · Academy converter · Colchester, CO5 0EW

Good

Map showing Thurstable School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#1,553 of 3,312

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

Thurstable School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 20 May 2025

Area360 rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form provision
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils932
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr James Ketley
TrustTHURSTABLE SCHOOL
Local authorityEssex
Opened01 Aug 2011
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 137241.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.46.5, similar to England, similar to Essex45.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.68.3%, better than England, better than Essex63.2%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.52%, better than England, better than Essex44.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.12.4%, similar to England, similar to Essex12.9%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths61.4%, similar to England, similar to Essex58.5%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4202--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils932
Girls474
Boys458
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.18.5%
First language not English2.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,357
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.31.3%
Sixth form places2024/25307
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.151
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.30
Average class size25.6

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
91.5%
Other White
2.1%
Other mixed
1.6%
White and Black African
1.2%
White and Asian
1.2%
White and Black Caribbean
1.1%
Gypsy/Roma
0.3%
African
0.2%
Chinese
0.2%
Other ethnic group
0.2%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher19.2
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.6
Teachers (FTE)48.56
Teaching assistants (FTE)10.75
Support staff (FTE)50.13
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2549.6
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2540
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/254
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.6

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.184
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.383
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.147
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.147
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolEssexEngland
Overall absence9.2%, worse than England, worse than Essex8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.24.9%, worse than England, worse than Essex21.4%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.7%, worse than England, worse than Essex4%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate16.5%
Pupils with one or more suspensions7.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.88.6%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.82.9%
Sixth form college41.4%
Further education32.9%
School sixth form8.6%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.1%
Employment3.3%
Apprenticeship2.4%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.79.7%
Employment37.8%
Higher education32.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.17.6%
Apprenticeship8.1%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Thurstable School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miPrimaryMilldene Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.3 miPrimaryBaynards Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.6 miPrimarySt Luke's Church of England Controlled Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryMessing Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
1.0 miPrimaryTiptree Heath Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Thurstable School

What is Thurstable School's Ofsted rating?

Thurstable School is rated Good, last inspected on 20 May 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does Thurstable School rank in England?

Thurstable School ranks 1,553 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (similar to most schools).

What are Thurstable School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 52% of pupils at Thurstable School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 46.5 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into Thurstable School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Thurstable School made 184 offers from 383 applications (2.1 per offer), and 147 of 147 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Thurstable School?

Thurstable School has 932 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of Thurstable School?

Thurstable School had 1,357 school places in 2024/25.

Does Thurstable School have a sixth form?

Yes, Thurstable School has a sixth form with 307 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Thurstable School?

At Thurstable School, the average class had 25.6 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 19.2 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Thurstable School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Thurstable School missed 9.2% of sessions (England 8%), and 24.9% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.