St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley, Durham
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Durham, part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 27th-highest of the 43 schools in Durham with published results, and 9,801st of 14,452 across England. It was 68% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley in detail
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley in its own words
In its own words: "Supporting St. Godric's Catholic Primary School through fundraising, community events and opportunities that enrich school life for all pupils. Welcome to St. Godric's Friends of the School. We would like to start by thanking everyone who has supported Friends of the School over the past years. Your support is greatly appreciated and we hope you can continue."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 57% of Year 6 pupils at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley reached the expected standard in reading and 86% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 88% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley
For September 2026 entry, 13 families put St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley as their first choice and 27 named it as one of their preferences, for 12 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley are Wheatley Hill Community Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 88% reading, 75% maths); Thornley Academy (0.9 miles, 69% reading, 58% maths); Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Shotton (1.6 miles, Good, 90% reading, 81% maths); and Deaf Hill Primary School (1.6 miles, 75% reading, 81% maths).
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Wheatley Hill Community Primary SchoolThornley AcademyOur Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, ShottonDeaf Hill Primary School
The trust
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley is one of 31 schools run by Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley (as of September 2025): 97% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (90%).
Who goes there
10.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 11 pupils (14.7%) received SEN support and 5 (6.7%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley had 6 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Vincents Corner (se-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in June 2020. Before that, as St Godric's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Thornley (URN 114277), it was rated Good in March 2019.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a nurturing school where children genuinely love coming to learn. Staff care deeply for pupils and create strong, lasting relationships, meaning children feel safe and happy. The curriculum is expertly taught and carefully adapted to meet every child's needs, including those with additional support needs.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary behaviour and strong relationships between staff and pupils create a warm, supportive community
- Expert teaching of a broad, ambitious curriculum with excellent phonics instruction ensures pupils become fluent, confident readers
- Pupils with SEND are quickly identified and fully included, receiving the same high expectations and ambitious curriculum as their peers
- Reception children get off to a fantastic start with high-quality adult interactions and a love of stories and learning
- Well-organised extra-curricular clubs and trips enhance learning and broaden pupils' experiences
Areas for Improvement
- Some aspects of the personal development programme do not widen pupils' understanding and attributes as effectively as others and should be refined
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sporting events, extra-curricular clubs, trips and visits
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley has maintained the high standards from its previous inspection. Pupils thrive in a nurturing, welcoming environment where they receive excellent education and care.
At a Glance
28.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
31 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 88% to 57% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 86% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 75% to 43% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.5
Avg class size
29.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley is in County Durham; for families living there:
- County Durham's school travel policy: School transport policies and strategies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school travel
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 5
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 3 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley
Will you get a place at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from County Durham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley for 2021 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in County Durham got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
68%
Available places
71 pupils
105 places
34 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Durham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Durham
Across County Durham council
Places available
6,581
Applications
4,409
Got 1st preference
97.3%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across County Durham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
11
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
21.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
75
Total Pupils
42
Boys
33
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
12.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,933
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,249
Per pupil
£538k
Total funding
£24k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
8.8%
Persistent absence
68
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley
What are SATs results like at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
Of the pupils at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 57% reached the expected standard in reading and 86% did so in maths.
What is St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley's Ofsted rating?
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in June 2020. Before that, as St Godric's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Thornley (URN 114277), it was rated Good in March 2019.
What is the catchment area for St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
No fixed boundary. When St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley is oversubscribed, County Durham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley was not full in 2025: it ran at 68% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
Classes at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley average 23.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley has around 75 pupils on roll. 28% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
4.8% of sessions were missed at St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley in 2024/25. 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 5 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 3 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley?
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley is at Thornley Road, Wheatley Hill, Durham, DH6 3NR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)