Thornhill Primary School

Thornhill Primary School has received an outstanding rating in its recent inspection, maintaining high standards since its last review in 2008. Leaders demonstrate a clear commitment to ensuring that students achieve academically and socially, regardless of their backgrounds. The pupils benefit from a broad and ambitious curriculum that promotes extensive learning and personal development, with a focus on community engagement and real-world applications of their studies. The environment is safe and supportive, allowing pupils to thrive both academically and personally.

Strengths

• The school has an ambitious curriculum that effectively meets local community needs.
• Pupils show exemplary behaviour and learn strong moral codes from a young age.
• There is a vibrant early years environment that encourages communication and social skills.
• Teachers are skilled at using assessments to tailor learning experiences for pupils.
• Early years children show exceptional communication and language skills.
• Pupils have access to a wide variety of high-quality reading materials.
• The school promotes positive mental health and awareness of fundamental British values.
• Governors actively support and challenge school leadership.

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 Thornhill Primary School attended 95.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.8% 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, 1.0% of pupils at Thornhill 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 Thornhill Primary School had 15.5 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, 21.5% of pupils at Thornhill Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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 Thornhill Primary School received £8,468 and spent £8,270 for each of its 205 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £441,000 (£2,149 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

All schools in County Durham · County Durham local authority: places and applications

What is Thornhill Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thornhill Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2023.

When was Thornhill Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Thornhill Primary School was last inspected in March 2023.

How many pupils does Thornhill Primary School have?

Thornhill Primary School has 205 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thornhill Primary School cover?

Thornhill Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Thornhill Primary School?

Thornhill Primary School is at Thornhill Gardens, Shildon, County Durham, DL4 1ES.