Thorney Close Primary School

Thorney Close Primary School is performing well overall, maintaining a good standard of education across various domains. Pupils thrive in a supportive environment where exemplary behavior and mutual respect are foundational principles. The school's commitment to a high-quality education is evident in its inclusive curriculum and the effective support provided for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Enrichment activities, such as trips and after-school clubs, further enhance the educational experience, preparing students for life beyond school. Despite the many strengths, there are challenges to be addressed, particularly concerning attendance, as some pupils do not attend regularly enough. While the school has implemented strategies to improve attendance, it is still early to determine their effectiveness. Additionally, there are certain areas within the early years curriculum that need better alignment with key stage 1 to ensure all children are adequately prepared for their next steps in education.

Strengths

• Pupils receive high-quality support from staff.
• The curriculum is ambitious and meets pupils' needs.
• Strong emphasis on early reading ensures pupils learn to read fluently.
• The school fosters exemplary behavior and mutual respect among pupils.
• Staff have high expectations and adaptations for pupils with SEND.
• Inclusive environment celebrating diversity.
• Strong focus on mental health and well-being of pupils.
• Effective professional development for staff.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough.
• Early years curriculum does not fully prepare children for foundation subjects in key stage 1.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Thorney Close Primary School attended 94.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.6% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.4% of pupils at Thorney Close Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Thorney Close Primary School had 15.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 19.7% of pupils at Thorney Close Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 12 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Thorney Close Primary School received £9,082 and spent £9,194 for each of its 274 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £79,000 (£287 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Thorney Close Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thorney Close Primary School is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Thorney Close Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Thorney Close Primary School was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Thorney Close Primary School have?

Thorney Close Primary School has 289 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thorney Close Primary School cover?

Thorney Close Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Thorney Close Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Thorney Close Primary School?

Thorney Close Primary School is at Torquay Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR3 4BB.