Thorpe Primary Academy

About Thorpe Primary Academy

Thorpe Primary Academy sits in the middle of the pack in Peterborough, ranking 32nd out of 53 primary schools in the local authority. Its headline Key Stage 2 measure — the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths — stands at 55%, which is four points below the Peterborough average of 59%. That gap is modest but consistent, and it places the school in the bottom half nationally, at the 68th percentile. Where Thorpe does better is in maths: 72% of pupils hit the expected standard, and the average maths score of 103 is solid. Reading and writing expected rates are 66% and 68% respectively, so the school is broadly in line with national norms for individual subjects. The bigger challenge is at the higher end — only 8% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects, and just 9% did so in writing. For parents weighing up options, Thorpe is a decent but not standout performer relative to its local peers.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2022, awarded a Good rating across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. That’s a significant improvement from its previous inspection in 2017, which rated overall effectiveness as Inadequate and leadership and management as Requires Improvement. Under headteacher Jamie Parkhouse, the school has clearly turned a corner. The early years provision, previously Outstanding, is now rated Good, but the overall picture is one of consistent, solid practice. Thorpe is a larger-than-average primary, with 495 pupils against a capacity of 630, and 31.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals — above the national average, which adds context to its attainment figures. The school does not have a sixth form, but it does offer nursery provision for children from age three.

Admissions are competitive: for the 2025/26 intake, Thorpe received 117 applications for 47 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.49, and all 45 first-preference applicants were offered a place. That suggests strong local demand. Facilities include an ICT suite, library, music rooms, a forest school and a chapel, and the school runs clubs ranging from art and science to drama, gardening and eco club. Sports on offer are football, gymnastics, rounders and cricket. For SEND, the school supports pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication issues, and autistic spectrum disorder. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Fulbridge Academy, 2.4 km away. Thorpe suits families looking for a well-run, improving primary with good early years provision and a broad range of activities, particularly those who value the forest school and chapel facilities.

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