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Thornford CofE Primary School

Dorset, DT9 6QYPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
Nov 2024
KS2 Results
64%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
14 1st-choice / 14 places
Ranking
#6,363
of 13,686 nationally

About Thornford CofE Primary School

Thornford CofE Primary School is a Church of England state primary in Dorset, a local authority with 119 primary schools in total. It ranks 24th in the county on the key stage 2 expected standard measure, placing it in the top half of Dorset primaries. The top three schools in the area on the same metric are Spetisbury CofE Primary School, St Ives Primary & Nursery School, and Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School. Thornford is a small school with 99 pupils on roll, just below its capacity of 105, and it is noticeably oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, 35 families applied for 14 places, with 12 offers going to first-preference applicants. The school is led by headteacher Ian Bartle and was inspected by Ofsted in November 2024, receiving a Good rating overall, though the inspection was a graded one that did not assign a new overall effectiveness label. Its previous inspection in 2014 had rated it Outstanding.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressBoot Lane, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6QY
HeadteacherIan Bartle
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils99
Free School Meals (FSM)9.1%
School Capacity99 / 105 (94% full)

The full report on this school

What 39 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

26 Nov 2024
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 13 Jan 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

5
ICT SuiteLibraryPlaying FieldsOutdoor PlaygroundChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

AthleticsCross CountryDanceFootballGymnastics

Clubs & Activities

Book ClubEco ClubGardeningDramaCodingFilm Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Breakfast club

08:00-08:45

Source: thornford.dorset.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Thornford CofE Primary School

Thornford CofE Primary School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.