Thornsett Primary School (High Peak Federation)

About Thornsett Primary School (High Peak Federation)

Thornsett Primary School (High Peak Federation) is a small state primary in the Derbyshire local authority, serving 74 pupils aged 4 to 11. Within High Peak, it ranks 27th out of 34 primary schools on the key stage 2 reading, writing and maths expected standard measure, placing it in the bottom half of local schools. The top-performing peers in the area — Wessington Primary School, Redhill Primary School and Longford CofE Primary School — all achieve a perfect ranking score of 100, which highlights the competitive landscape Thornsett sits within. The school is mixed, non-religious, and led by headteacher Ashley Parry. It has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 28.4%, compared with the national average for primary schools. Despite its modest size and ranking, the school has maintained a Good rating from Ofsted across both its most recent inspection in 2024 and its previous inspection in 2012, suggesting consistent leadership and standards over time.

Academically, Thornsett’s key stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 40%, which is below the Derbyshire local authority average of 59%. In individual subjects, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 60% in writing, and 40% in maths. Higher-attaining pupils were scarce: 20% achieved a higher score in reading, 10% in maths, and none in writing. The average scaled scores were 100 in reading and 96 in maths, with no progress scores available. In its most recent Ofsted inspection, the school received Good ratings across all five graded categories — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — each scoring 2 on the four-point scale. This consistency suggests that while outcomes are below the local average, the school provides a solid standard of education and pastoral care.

Thornsett offers a range of facilities including a library, playing fields, music rooms, sports hall, ICT suite, outdoor playground and a chapel. Sports provision covers football, cricket, tennis and netball, while clubs include chess, choir, eco club, art club, book club and coding. The school has identified SEND provisions for speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties or disabilities. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed: it offered 5 places from 23 total applications, with 5 first-preference applications and an oversubscription ratio of 4.6 applicants per place. This level of demand suggests a strong local reputation despite the academic ranking. Thornsett is best suited to families who value a small, community-focused primary with consistent Ofsted outcomes and a broad extracurricular offer, and who are comfortable with results that sit below the local average.

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