Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney

Thorner’s Church of England School is a small, rural primary where pupils feel nurtured and safe, and where warm relationships and a close-knit family feel are valued. Pupils develop a strong moral code, are inclusive and empathetic, and say bullying is rare. They benefit from enrichment trips, visitors and strong links with the village community, and attendance is high. The school has a clear vision and a curriculum that is sequenced from Year 1. Phonics and mathematics are particularly well planned in small steps, staff are well trained, and most pupils learn to read accurately and fluently. Pupils are enthusiastic learners who can recall knowledge, and governors evaluate the school accurately and have managed resourcing issues successfully. Safeguarding is effective. The main area for improvement is the early years, where the curriculum and provision are not ambitious enough and staff do not have a secure understanding of the statutory framework. As a result, children do not build the cumulative knowledge they need for key stage 1, and learning is not seamless from pre-school and Reception into Year 1. In some other subjects, knowledge is not identified or sequenced precisely enough, which weakens assessment and means next steps for some pupils, including those with SEND, are not specific enough. In some younger classes, expectations are not always high enough and low-level disruption is not addressed robustly enough.

Strengths

• Warm, nurturing relationships help pupils feel safe and valued.
• The school retains a close-knit, family feel within its rural community.
• Pupils develop a strong moral code through class charters and school values.
• Pupils are inclusive, empathetic and understand respect and difference.
• Bullying is rare, and pupils learn about equality and tolerance.
• Enrichment trips and visitors broaden pupils’ experience beyond their rural context.
• Pupils are proud of their contribution to local community projects.
• The curriculum from Year 1 is sequenced so pupils build on prior knowledge.
• Phonics and mathematics are planned in small steps and taught by well-trained staff.
• Most pupils read accurately and fluently, and older pupils enjoy reading.
• Pupils are enthusiastic about learning, attend well and can recall knowledge.
• Governors understand the school accurately and have managed resourcing issues successfully.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• The early years curriculum and provision are not ambitious enough.
• Early years staff do not have a secure understanding of the statutory framework.
• Learning is not seamless from pre-school and Reception into Year 1.
• Children in the early years do not build the cumulative knowledge they need for key stage 1.
• Early years areas do not promote curiosity, interest or critical thinking well enough.
• In some subjects, the knowledge pupils should learn is not identified or sequenced precisely across the age range.
• Assessment is less useful in some subjects because learning is not broken into small enough steps.
• Some pupils with SEND do not receive specific enough next steps.
• Adults do not always have high enough expectations in some younger classes.
• Low-level disruption is not always addressed robustly enough.

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 Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.2% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney 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 Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney had 24.5 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, 8.7% of pupils at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney received £7,063 and spent £6,808 for each of its 117 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £39,000 (£331 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).

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All schools in Dorchester · Dorset local authority: places and applications

What is Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney is Good, from an inspection in October 2024.

When was Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney last inspected by Ofsted?

Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney was last inspected in October 2024.

How many pupils does Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney have?

Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney has 115 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney cover?

Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney for pupils aged 2 to 11.

What are Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?

Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney is at Litton Cheney, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9AU.