Thornaby Church of England Primary School

About Thornaby Church of England Primary School

Thornaby Church of England Primary School is a popular choice among local families, with 21 of its 22 reception places for 2025/26 going to first-preference applicants and an oversubscription ratio of 1.5, meaning there were 33 applications for those places. The school is a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 3 to 11, with a Church of England character, and it also offers nursery provision. Of the parents who responded to the most recent Ofsted parent view, 100% said they would recommend the school to other parents, a strong signal of satisfaction. The school has held a Good rating from Ofsted across its last two graded inspections, in 2018 and 2013, and its most recent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed that it remains Good. Headteacher Richard Chandler leads a school of 304 pupils, with capacity for 420, and a significant 38.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

Academically, Thornaby’s Key Stage 2 results for 2023/24 show that 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, below the local authority average of 66%. The school ranks 44th out of 55 primary schools in Stockton-on-Tees on this measure, placing it in the bottom 50% nationally. In individual subjects, 71% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths, while 52% did so in writing. Higher-attaining pupils were less common: 21% achieved a higher standard in reading, 10% in maths, and none in writing. Average scaled scores were 104 in reading and 102 in maths, both slightly above the national average of 100. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils move on to secondary schools after Year 6.

The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, ICT suite, library, sensory room, art studios and a chapel, plus sports such as athletics, gymnastics, rounders, netball and cricket. Clubs include drama, book club and choir. SEND provisions are broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, physical disability, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. With its strong parent recommendation rate and oversubscribed places, Thornaby Church of England Primary suits families who value a supportive, inclusive environment and a Church of England ethos, though those prioritising top academic rankings may want to consider higher-performing local options such as Wolviston Primary School, which ranks first in the authority.

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