Thorpe Hesley Primary School
114%
Capacity
547
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About Thorpe Hesley Primary School
Parents considering Thorpe Hesley Primary School will be reassured by the strong signals of local demand and satisfaction. The school is oversubscribed, with 99 applications for 69 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.43. Of those applications, 74 were first-preference choices, and 68 first-preference offers were made, indicating that most families who want a place get one at their first attempt. The school is a state primary for mixed genders, serving children aged 2 to 11, and is non-religious. It currently has 547 pupils on roll, which is above its official capacity of 478, suggesting it is a popular choice in the Rotherham area. The headteacher is Sarah Hewitt, and the school offers nursery provision for the youngest children.
Academically, Thorpe Hesley Primary School performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 64% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Rotherham local authority average of 60%. This places the school 38th out of 96 primary schools in the area, and it ranks in the top 50 nationally for its combined expected standard score. In individual subjects, 79% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, 81% in writing, and 77% in maths. At the higher standard, 7% achieved the top marks across all three subjects. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, confirmed it remains Outstanding overall, with Outstanding grades for early years provision, leadership and management, and overall effectiveness. Its previous graded inspection in 2017 also rated it Outstanding, and the 2012 inspection had rated it Good.
The school offers a broad range of facilities and activities that support both academic and personal development. These include a library, playing fields, a forest school, a sports hall, a sensory room, a gymnasium, an outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, dance, swimming, football, cross country, cricket, and tennis, while clubs range from book club and drama to choir, eco club, and coding. For children with additional needs, the school provides support for a wide range of SEND categories, including specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. This combination of strong academic outcomes, a clear Ofsted rating, and a wide array of extracurricular and pastoral provisions makes Thorpe Hesley Primary a strong fit for families seeking a well-supported, high-performing state primary in the Rotherham area.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 2 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Upper Wortley Road, Rotherham, Rotherham, S61 2PL |
| Headteacher | Sarah Hewitt |
| Local Authority | Rotherham |
| Number of Pupils | 547 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 8.3% |
| School Capacity | 547 / 478 (114% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
2 Nov 2023Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Latest inspection (2 Nov 2023): School remains Outstanding
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 25 Sept 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (64%)
6246th of 13,686
Nationally
648th of 1,506
In Yorkshire and the Humber
35th of 84
In Rotherham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
64%
Expected Standard
7%
Higher Standard
'22/23
69%
'23/24
64%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
12Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed69
99
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
74 families put this school as their 1st choice (75% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:55 – 15:15
Breakfast club
07:30-08:40
After-school care
15:15-17:45
Source: thorpehesleyprimary.rotherham.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.1%
- Mixed4.4%
- Asian1.8%
- White (other)1.1%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than half of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Thorpe Hesley Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Upper Wortley Road, Rotherham
Rotherham, S61 2PL
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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