Thurston Community College

Thurston Community College maintains a good standard of education, evidenced by high aspirations reflected in its curriculum. Most pupils are engaged and produce high-quality work, with particular strengths in how reading is incorporated across subjects. However, some younger pupils struggle to retain knowledge due to inconsistent teaching approaches, and the lack of integration for sixth-form students within the main school life limits opportunities for enriched experiences. Despite effective support systems, a small number of behavioral issues disrupt lessons and increase anxiety for some pupils awaiting resolutions to their concerns.

Strengths

• High academic aspirations reflected in the curriculum.
• Effective integration of reading across all subjects.
• Quality learning experiences for sixth-form students.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND when strategies are implemented.
• Well-planned personal, social, health, and economics education.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent application of behavior management policies.
• Some teachers do not use assessment effectively to adapt their teaching.

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 Thurston Community College attended 92.2% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 24.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

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, 8.9% of pupils at Thurston Community College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 3 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 Thurston Community College had 17.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

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, 12.0% of pupils at Thurston Community College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 3.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Thurston Community College received £7,315 and spent £7,872 for each of its 1,513 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £481,000 (-£318 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 Bury St Edmunds · Suffolk local authority: places and applications

What is Thurston Community College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thurston Community College is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Thurston Community College last inspected by Ofsted?

Thurston Community College was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Thurston Community College have?

Thurston Community College has 1,512 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thurston Community College cover?

Thurston Community College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Thurston Community College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 45.9, and 45% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Thurston Community College?

Thurston Community College is at Norton Road, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 3PB.