Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney, Dorchester
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Dorchester. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 7 schools in Dorchester with published results, and 2,629th of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney in detail
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney in its own words
In its own words: "By working hard together, our small steps will build your path to the future “ The Lord is my Shepherd…he guides me along the right paths ” Psalm 23 Together we - community, church, and school - promise to help you thrive as you start your journey and to give you real hope for your future."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 78% in reading and 78% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney
For September 2026 entry, 16 families put Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney as their first choice and 22 named it as one of their preferences, for 16 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney are Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled School (3.8 miles, Good, 82% reading, 82% maths); Powerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (4.3 miles, Requires improvement, 75% reading, 50% maths); Loders CofE Primary Academy (4.3 miles, Good, 58% reading, 50% maths); and Winterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School (4.3 miles, Requires improvement).
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Burton Bradstock Church of England Voluntary Controlled SchoolPowerstock Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolLoders CofE Primary AcademyWinterbourne Valley Church of England Aided First School
What parents say
83 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney (as of September 2025): 99% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 80% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (80%).
Who goes there
12.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 10 pupils (8.7%) received SEN support and 1 (0.9%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is White Horse Inn (sw-bound), 270 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Suspensions and exclusions
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney 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; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; 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 agoThis judgement is from May 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Everyone is proud to belong to this small, rural school. Relationships are warm and positive, which means pupils feel nurtured and safe. There are growing numbers of pupils at the school and yet parents and carers, pupils and staff continue to value the close-knit, family feel.
The values of the school underpin daily life. Pupils have a strong moral code. They help to create their class charters at the start of each year. This develops younger pupils' understanding of right and wrong. For older pupils, they begin to understand the concepts of rights and responsibilities. The charters help with a shared understanding of expectations. However, adults do not always have high enough expectations for pupils in some younger classes. Sometimes, low-level disruption affects learning, which is not addressed robustly enough.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has a clear vision of success for all pupils. It has focused on implementing a sequenced curriculum. The curriculum is designed from Year 1 and ensures that, year on year, pupils build on what they know. However, the curriculum is not yet designed to be seamless from the early years. The school has not considered how learning in the pre-school and Reception Year prepares children for later learning. This means that children in the early years are not learning all the knowledge they need for a successful transition to Year 1.
In phonics and mathematics, the curriculum is designed into small steps of learning. Pre-school children become familiar with songs and rhymes. This prepares them for segmenting words and blending sounds in the Reception Year and key stage 1. Training for staff means that they are accurate and confident in implementing the programme. As a result, most pupils learn to read with accuracy and fluency. Older pupils are enthusiastic about the books they choose to read.
From Ofsted's September 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2015 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
12.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
83 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 improved from 78% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 78% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 80% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.0
Avg class size
12.0
Infant (KS1)
4
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney
Eggardon’s Theatre Trip
2 Oct 2026
Alma Thomas Inspired Collaborative Art
28 Sep 2026
Windsurfing Club
22 Sep 2026
Welcome Back!
14 Sep 2026
Sponsored obstacle course raises £650 _
30 Jun 2026
Thursday 25th June - school is closing at 1pm today due to the red heat warning Friday open all day as usual 8am - 4.30pm
25 Jun 2026
From Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney is in Dorset; for families living there:
Apply to Dorset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 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 Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney
Will you get a place at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Dorset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Dorset 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
96%
Near capacity
101 pupils
105 places
4 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Dorchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dorchester
Across Dorset council
Places available
3,692
Applications
2,795
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Dorset council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
9.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
115
Total Pupils
46
Boys
69
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
6
Teachers
19.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,665
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,258
Per pupil
£693k
Total funding
£17k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
9.2%
Persistent absence
87
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney
What are SATs results like at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
Of the pupils at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% did so in maths.
What is Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney's Ofsted rating?
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
No fixed boundary. When Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney is oversubscribed, Dorset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
Classes at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney average 25 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney has around 115 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
4.1% of sessions were missed at Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney in 2024/25. 9.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney 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 Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney?
Thorner's Church of England School, Litton Cheney is at Litton Cheney, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 9AU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)