Thurlton Primary School

About Thurlton Primary School

Thurlton Primary School is a small state primary in South Norfolk that parents seem keen to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school was oversubscribed, receiving 13 applications for just 9 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.44. All 9 first-preference applicants were offered a spot, which suggests that while demand is healthy, families who put it first have a strong chance. The school has a capacity of 105 but currently has only 66 pupils on roll, so there is room to grow. ParentView data is not available in the school's records, so we cannot report a specific recommend percentage, but the oversubscription figures alone indicate a positive local reputation. The headteacher is Jessica Balado, and the school has no religious character, meaning it is open to families of all backgrounds.

Academically, Thurlton has shown clear improvement. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024, the school was rated Good overall, a significant step up from its previous Requires Improvement rating in January 2022. Behaviour and attitudes were judged Outstanding, while leadership, quality of education, personal development, and early years provision all received Good. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 63% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is comfortably above the Norfolk local authority average of 52%. However, only 25% reached the higher standard in all three subjects. Average scores were 104 in maths and 103 in reading, both slightly above the national average of 100. The school ranks 19th out of 54 primary schools in South Norfolk and sits in the bottom 50% nationally, but its upward Ofsted trajectory is a stronger signal than the ranking alone.

The school offers a solid range of facilities for its size, including a sports hall, playing fields, art studios, an ICT suite, music rooms, a sensory room, and even a chapel. Sports on offer include cricket, athletics, swimming, tennis, dance and gymnastics, and there are clubs such as book club, art club, film club, coding, science club and chess. For SEND support, the school provides for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. There is no nursery or sixth form. This is a school that suits families looking for a small, community-focused primary where the headteacher is visible and the school has recently turned a corner in quality. The oversubscription suggests it is worth registering interest early, but the first-preference offer rate is reassuring.

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