Thurton Primary School

Thurton Primary School is a smaller-than-average Church of England primary school with 104 pupils. This was its first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2015, when it was previously judged outstanding and exempt from routine inspection. Under the current framework, no overall effectiveness grade is awarded. Inspectors found the quality of education and leadership and management to be strong, while behaviour and attitudes, personal development and early years provision were exceptional. Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Strengths

• Nurturing community with a strong sense of togetherness and individuality
• Pupils have highly positive attitudes, high attendance and excellent behaviour
• Pupils are exceptionally polite and respectful, sharing equipment and taking turns
• Broad and ambitious curriculum with clearly set out knowledge and vocabulary
• Sharp focus on writing with high-quality handwriting
• Skilled phonics teaching and a strong reading culture
• Pupils with SEND are well supported to learn alongside their peers
• Outstanding early years provision with strong routines, interactions and play-based learning
• Extensive wider development offer including trips, clubs, residentials and character development
• Skilled pastoral support helps pupils cope with setbacks and express emotions
• Staff benefit from training and support for workload and well-being
• Governors are well informed and focused on continual improvement
• Parents and carers are highly positive about the school

Areas for Improvement

• In a few newly introduced subjects, teachers are still developing their understanding of how important knowledge builds over time
• Assessment in these newer subjects is not always used effectively to adapt teaching and support pupil progress
• Teaching sometimes focuses on the topic rather than the most important knowledge pupils need to learn
• Some pupils remember the topic generally rather than the key learning, making it harder to build on knowledge and make connections

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 Thurton Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.7% 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 Thurton 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 Thurton Primary School had 18.3 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, 12.7% of pupils at Thurton Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% 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 Thurton Primary School received £7,329 and spent £7,360 for each of its 110 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £18,000 (-£165 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 Norwich · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

What is Thurton Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thurton Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was Thurton Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Thurton Primary School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does Thurton Primary School have?

Thurton Primary School has 110 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thurton Primary School cover?

Thurton Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 40% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Thurton Primary School?

Thurton Primary School is at Ashby Road, Thurton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 6AT.