Thornton Dale CofE Primary School

Thornton Dale CofE Primary School is performing strongly overall. This was its first section 5 inspection since the predecessor school was judged inadequate, and the school has since converted to a sponsor-led academy within Elevate Multi Academy Trust. Inspectors found a happy, caring and aspirational school where pupils are polite and articulate, relationships are highly positive and staff know pupils as individuals. Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well, behaviour is highly positive and attendance is high. Early years provision is exceptional, giving children a strong start, and pupils benefit from high-quality phonics, a well-designed personal development programme and many wider experiences that build respect and community involvement. Leadership at all levels, governance and trust support are strong, staff well-being is prioritised and safeguarding is effective. The main area for improvement is that a small number of pupils have gaps in phonics knowledge that are not addressed swiftly enough, which can limit their confidence and achievement in reading.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, polite, articulate and embody the school's values.
• Staff have extremely high expectations and pupils achieve well, including those with SEND.
• Behaviour and attitudes are exemplary, with pupils showing remarkable empathy and tolerance.
• Parents are overwhelmingly positive and describe staff as caring and nurturing.
• Early years provision gives children an exceptional start and prepares them well for school.
• Phonics provision is strong overall and helps pupils become confident, fluent readers.
• SEND identification and support are of a very high standard.
• Pupils talk confidently and excitedly about their learning and connect ideas across subjects.
• Attendance is high and pupils love coming to school.
• The personal development programme is exemplary and includes faith, community and leadership experiences.
• Leaders, governors and the trust have driven sustained improvement and prioritise staff well-being.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• A small number of pupils have phonics gaps that are not identified and addressed swiftly enough, limiting their reading confidence and achievement.

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 Dale CofE Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.9% 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, 0.7% of pupils at Thornton Dale CofE 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 Dale CofE Primary School had 17.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.9% 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, 24.0% of pupils at Thornton Dale CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.4% 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 Thornton Dale CofE Primary School received £6,481 and spent £6,741 for each of its 137 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £133,000 (£969 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Elevate Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,114 and spending £6,947 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 Pickering · North Yorkshire local authority: places and applications

Thornton Dale CofE Primary School is part of Elevate Multi Academy Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Rillington Primary School Malton
• Wykeham Church of England Primary School Scarborough
• Hackness Church of England Primary School Scarborough
• Husthwaite Church of England Primary School York
• Sessay Church of England Primary School Thirsk
• Sowerby Primary Academy Thirsk
• Knayton Church of England Academy Thirsk
• Keeble Gateway Academy Thirsk
• South Kilvington Church of England Academy Thirsk
• Topcliffe CofE Academy Thirsk

What is Thornton Dale CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Thornton Dale CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Thornton Dale CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Thornton Dale CofE Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Thornton Dale CofE Primary School have?

Thornton Dale CofE Primary School has 146 pupils on roll.

What age range does Thornton Dale CofE Primary School cover?

Thornton Dale CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Thornton Dale CofE Primary School?

Thornton Dale CofE Primary School is at Castle Close, Thornton-le-Dale, Pickering, North Yorkshire, YO18 7TW.