West Thurrock Academy

West Thurrock Academy has been rated as 'Good' in all areas of its performance during this inspection. The school creates a positive environment where pupils from diverse backgrounds feel safe and valued. They exhibit strong behaviors and have a commendable desire to learn. The curriculum is broad and well-planned, allowing for effective learning progression, particularly in early years and key subjects such as reading, writing, and mathematics. However, there are some areas, like geography and art, where subjects lack depth, limiting students' knowledge extension. Additionally, the opportunity for extracurricular activities is somewhat limited, which affects pupils' cultural development.

Strengths

• Pupils feel happy and safe, with effective support available for worries.
• The curriculum meets the ambitions of the national curriculum and is well-planned.
• Teachers exhibit strong subject knowledge and present information clearly.
• Special educational needs are identified and supported effectively.
• There is a well-planned programme for personal development and PSHE.

Areas for Improvement

• A small minority of subjects do not provide the depth needed for students to extend their knowledge.
• Limited opportunities for pupils to engage in extracurricular activities.
• Some parents have expressed concerns over communication from leaders during leadership transition.

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 West Thurrock Academy attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.4% 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, 0.2% of pupils at West Thurrock Academy 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 West Thurrock Academy had 20.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.5% 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, 15.9% of pupils at West Thurrock Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 7.3% 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 2024–25 West Thurrock Academy received £6,767 and spent £6,776 for each of its 444 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £189,000 (£426 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Grays · Thurrock local authority: places and applications

What is West Thurrock Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for West Thurrock Academy is Good, from an inspection in September 2022.

When was West Thurrock Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

West Thurrock Academy was last inspected in September 2022.

How many pupils does West Thurrock Academy have?

West Thurrock Academy has 440 pupils on roll.

What age range does West Thurrock Academy cover?

West Thurrock Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are West Thurrock Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is West Thurrock Academy?

West Thurrock Academy is at Schoolfield Road, Grays, Essex, RM20 3HR.