Thornton Grove Academy
Thornton Grove Academy is an academy sponsor led in Hailsham for pupils aged 3 to 11. It has 253 pupils on roll. It has more teachers for its size than most primary schools: 15.6 pupils for each teacher in 2025/26, against 20.7 nationally.
| Type | Primary / Academy sponsor led |
| Age Range | 3-11 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Marshfoot Lane Hailsham East Sussex BN27 2PH |
| Phone | 01323819309 |
| Reference Number | 152103 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 253 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 48.62%
Girls: 51.38% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 44.5% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 13.8% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 21.7 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 21.5 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 23.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | 17 | 30 |
| 2 | 14 | 9 | 23 |
| 3 | 21 | 21 | 42 |
| 4 | 8 | 19 | 27 |
| 5 | 15 | 24 | 39 |
| 6 | 16 | 16 | 32 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 76.7% |
| White, Other | 4% |
| African | 2.4% |
| Indian | 2% |
| Mixed, Other | 2% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.2% |
| Pakistani | 1.2% |
| Asian, Other | 1.2% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.8% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | |
| Last Report Date | This school has not had an inspection yet. |
| Date | Report |
|---|
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 5 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 3 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
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).
In 2025–26 Thornton Grove Academy had 15.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7).
Pupils per teacher
| 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 9.4 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | – |
| Sick days per teacher | – |
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, 25.3% of pupils at Thornton Grove Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 19 | 4 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 21 | 1 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 16 | 2 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 5 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 1 | 0 |
| Multi-sensory impairment | 1 | 0 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 1 | 0 |
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.
| Name | Distance |
|
White House Academy
Marshfoot Lane, White House Academy, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2FB |
0.25 miles |
|
Grovelands Community Primary School
Dunbar Drive, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 3UW |
0.97 miles |
|
Hawkes Farm Academy
Hawks Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1ND |
1.05 miles |
|
Hellingly Community Primary School
North Street, Hellingly, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 4DS |
1.95 miles |
|
Park Mead Primary School
Michelham Priory Road, Upper Dicker, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 3QP |
2.73 miles |
|
Polegate Primary School
Oakleaf Drive, East Sussex, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6PT |
2.86 miles |
|
Hankham Primary School
Hankham Road, Hankham, Pevensey, East Sussex, BN24 5AY |
2.88 miles |
|
Herstmonceux Church of England Primary School
Hailsham Road, Herstmonceux, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 4LG |
2.96 miles |
|
Stone Cross School
Adur Drive, Stone Cross, Pevensey, East Sussex, BN24 5EF |
3.5 miles |
|
Shinewater Primary School
Milfoil Drive, Langney, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 8ED |
4 miles |
|
Willingdon Primary School
Rapsons Road, Willingdon, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 9RJ |
4.01 miles |
|
Chiddingly Primary School
Muddles Green, Chiddingly, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6HN |
4.08 miles |
|
Oakwood Primary Academy
Magnolia Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 0SS |
4.13 miles |
|
Pevensey and Westham CofE Primary School
High Street, Westham, Pevensey, East Sussex, BN24 5LP |
4.18 miles |
|
Parkland Infant School
Brassey Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9QJ |
4.56 miles |
|
Parkland Junior School
Brassey Avenue, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9QJ |
4.56 miles |
|
Heron Park Primary Academy
Dallington Road, Hampden Park, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9EE |
4.57 miles |
|
West Rise Primary School and Nursery
Chaffinch Road, Langney, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 7SL |
4.63 miles |
|
Langney Primary Academy
Chailey Close, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 7EA |
4.97 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Ropemakers' Academy
Reef Way, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1FB |
0.39 miles |
|
Hailsham Academy
Battle Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1DT |
0.57 miles |
|
Bede's Senior School
The Dicker, Hailsham, BN27 3QH |
2.89 miles |
|
Hazel Court School
Larkspur Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 8EJ |
3.78 miles |
|
Willingdon Community School
Broad Road, Lower Willingdon, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 9QX |
3.84 miles |
|
The Turing School
Larkspur Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 8EJ |
4.03 miles |
|
The Eastbourne Academy
Brodrick Road, Hampden Park, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 9RQ |
4.33 miles |
|
The Lindfield School
Lindfield Road, Hampden Park, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 0BQ |
4.35 miles |
All schools in Hailsham · East Sussex local authority: places and applications
Thornton Grove Academy is part of Step Academy Trust, which runs 19 schools. The nearest others:
- White House Academy Hailsham
- Hawkes Farm Academy Hailsham
- High Cliff Academy Newhaven
- Breakwater Academy Newhaven
- Peacehaven Heights Academy Peacehaven
- Telscombe Cliffs Academy Peacehaven
- Tudor Academy Croydon
- Applegarth Academy Croydon
- Heathfield Academy Croydon
- La Fontaine Academy Bromley
How many pupils does Thornton Grove Academy have?
Thornton Grove Academy has 253 pupils on roll.
What age range does Thornton Grove Academy cover?
Thornton Grove Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.
Where is Thornton Grove Academy?
Thornton Grove Academy is at Marshfoot Lane, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2PH.