Thurcroft Junior Academy

About Thurcroft Junior Academy

Thurcroft Junior Academy holds a Good rating from its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2025, but the standout metric is its Key Stage 2 performance. In the 2023/24 academic year, 75% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is well above the Rotherham local authority average of 60% and places the school 16th out of 84 primary schools in the area, comfortably inside the top quarter nationally. The school also scored well above the national average in individual subjects: 93% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, 82% in reading and 79% in writing. A smaller proportion, 5%, reached the higher standard across all three subjects, but 30% achieved the higher mark in maths alone. The Ofsted inspectors noted that early years provision is Outstanding, while leadership, behaviour, personal development and the quality of education are all rated Good.

The school's Progress 8 data is not available, but the raw attainment figures tell a clear story. Thurcroft's average maths score was 106 and its average reading score was 105, both above the national benchmark of 100. This is a school where the majority of children are meeting or exceeding expectations, particularly in maths. The parent view, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, is broadly positive: 89% of the 18 respondents would recommend the school. Strong majorities agreed that their child is happy (89% strongly agree or agree) and feels safe (95% strongly agree or agree). However, a small but consistent minority of around 6% strongly disagreed with several statements, including on safety and happiness, which is worth noting.

Thurcroft Junior Academy is a larger-than-average primary for its age range, with 291 pupils against a capacity of 280, so it is oversubscribed. A significant 45.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, reflecting the local demographic. The school offers a range of facilities including a library, playing fields, a forest school and a chapel. Clubs include coding, chess, book club and gardening, while sports provision covers netball, football, gymnastics and cross country. SEND support is a clear strength, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and a dedicated SEN unit. This is a solid, well-performing state primary that suits families looking for strong core academic results, particularly in maths, and a broad offer of extracurricular activities within a supportive SEND framework.

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