Classpot

Thurston Community College

Mid Suffolk, IP31 3PBSecondaryAges 11–18MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Mar 2024
Progress 8
-0.16
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
268 1st-choice / 286 places
Ranking
#1,917
of 3,141 nationally

About Thurston Community College

Thurston Community College holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections, including an ungraded visit in 2024 that confirmed the school remains Good. The most telling academic metric for this large 11-18 mixed state secondary in Mid Suffolk is its Progress 8 score of -0.16, which places it in the 'Average' banding nationally. That score is almost exactly in line with the Suffolk local authority average of -0.17, meaning pupils here make about the same progress as their peers across the county. Within Mid Suffolk, the school ranks 6th out of 7 schools on this measure, and sits in the bottom 50% nationally at the 61st percentile. The Attainment 8 score of 44.4 gives a sense of overall GCSE achievement, while 64.5% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 18 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressNorton Road, Bury St Edmunds, Mid Suffolk, IP31 3PB
HeadteacherMaéve Taylor
Local AuthoritySuffolk
Number of Pupils1,484
Free School Meals (FSM)17.7%
School Capacity1,484 / 1,800 (82% full)
Sixth FormYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

6 Mar 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Sixth Form Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (6 Mar 2024): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 1 May 2018. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

10
Swimming PoolTheatreScience LabsGymnasiumMusic RoomsSports HallTennis CourtsDining HallChapelSixth Form Centre

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

19

Sports

Cross CountryCricketFootballRowingNetballSwimmingBasketballBadmintonHockeyDance

Clubs & Activities

Young EnterpriseScience ClubCodingNewspaperModel United NationsChessArt ClubDuke of EdinburghDebate

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:20

After-school care

15:25-16:40

Source: thurstoncollege.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Thurston Community College

Thurston Community College has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.