School profile

Thornley Academy

Primary · Academy converter · Durham, DH6 3DZ

Good

Map showing Thornley Academy

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

National ranking

Key stage 2 2024/25

#11,188 of 15,057

Worse than 74% of schools in England

Ranked by pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Thornley Academy Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 25 Mar 2015

Ofsted rating
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years
Good

School facts

PhasePrimary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages2 to 11
Pupils124
GenderMixed
Head teacherMrs Sarah Robson
TrustWISE ACADEMIES
Local authorityCounty Durham
Opened01 Sept 2024
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 151059.

Key stage 2 results

2024/25

Year 6 results in national curriculum tests and teacher assessments. The expected standard is the level pupils should reach by the end of primary school.

MeasureThis schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Expected standard in reading, writing and maths54%, worse than England, worse than County Durham62%63%
Higher standard in reading, writing and mathsScore of 110 or more in reading and maths, greater depth in writing.4%, worse than England, worse than County Durham8%8%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.104, worse than England, similar to County Durham105106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.101, worse than England, worse than County Durham104105
Average grammar, punctuation and spelling scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 meets the expected standard.105, similar to England, similar to County Durham105105
Expected standard in reading69%, worse than England, worse than County Durham74%76%
Expected standard in writing62%, worse than England, worse than County Durham73%73%
Expected standard in maths58%, worse than England, worse than County Durham73%75%
Pupils taking tests26--

Source: DfE, Compare school performance, Compare school performance 2024-2025.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils124
Girls47
Boys77
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.31.5%
First language not English4%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.210
Pupils excluding nurseryPupils who take up school places.101
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.51.9%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.42
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.6
Average class size17.2

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
89.5%
Other White
2.4%
African
2.4%
White and Asian
1.6%
Chinese
1.6%
Gypsy/Roma
0.8%
White and Black African
0.8%
Other mixed
0.8%
Irish
0%
Traveller of Irish heritage
0%

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 teacher16.7
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.8.4
Teachers (FTE)7
Teaching assistants (FTE)5.9
Support staff (FTE)7.9
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/257.5
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/256
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/250
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251.5

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 (Reception)Places offered on national offer day.13
Applications (Reception)Includes every preference parents listed.23
First preference applications (Reception)Families who put this school as their first choice.13
First preference offers (Reception)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.13
Applications from another local authority (Reception)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 schoolCounty DurhamEngland
Overall absence8.3%, worse than England, worse than County Durham5.3%5.1%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.16.7%, worse than England, worse than County Durham14%13.2%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.1%, worse than England, worse than County Durham0.9%1%

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 rate0.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions0.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 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 Thornley Academy
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.9 miPrimarySt Godrics Catholic Primary School, ThornleyAcademy converter
Good
0.9 miPrimaryLudworth Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.9 miPrimaryWheatley Hill Community Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.6 miPrimaryOur Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, ShottonAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Thornley Academy

What is Thornley Academy's Ofsted rating?

Thornley Academy is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 25 Mar 2015.

How does Thornley Academy rank in England?

Thornley Academy ranks 11,188 of 15,057 schools in England for Key stage 2 2024/25 (worse than 74% of schools).

What are Thornley Academy's SATs results?

In 2024/25, 54% of pupils at Thornley Academy met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 63%).

How hard is it to get into Thornley Academy?

For Reception entry in 2026/27, Thornley Academy made 13 offers from 23 applications (1.8 per offer), and 13 of 13 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Thornley Academy?

Thornley Academy has 124 pupils aged 2 to 11.

What is the capacity of Thornley Academy?

Thornley Academy had 210 school places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Thornley Academy?

At Thornley Academy, the average class had 17.2 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.7 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Thornley Academy?

In 2025/26, pupils at Thornley Academy missed 8.3% of sessions (England 5.1%), and 16.7% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 13.2%).

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.