Thornton Primary School

Thornton Primary School is showcasing overall good performance across all domains, with exceptional strengths in personal development. Pupils demonstrate confidence and a positive attitude, contributing to a nurturing atmosphere where safety and well-being are prioritized. High expectations are set by leaders, resulting in most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieving well. A strong emphasis on reading, combined with a rich curriculum, prepares students effectively for their future education and life beyond school.

Strengths

• Pupils thrive and exhibit positive relationships with staff.
• Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Exceptional range of opportunities for character development.
• Effective leadership with strong support for staff well-being.
• Reading is prioritized with effective phonics program and support.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not address misconceptions in learning promptly.

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 Thornton Primary School attended 93.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 16.4% 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, 5.8% of pupils at Thornton 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 Thornton Primary School had 16.6 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, 28.2% of pupils at Thornton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 10.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 8 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 Thornton Primary School received £8,564 and spent £8,874 for each of its 149 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £37,000 (-£250 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 Thornton-Cleveleys · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Thornton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thornton Primary School is Good, from an inspection in April 2023.

When was Thornton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Thornton Primary School was last inspected in April 2023.

How many pupils does Thornton Primary School have?

Thornton Primary School has 149 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thornton Primary School cover?

Thornton Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 45% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Thornton Primary School?

Thornton Primary School is at Heys Street, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 4JP.