Thornford CofE Primary School, Sherborne
Thornford CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Sherborne, part of Sherborne Area Schools' Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 6 schools in Sherborne with published results, and 10,359th of 14,452 across England. It was 95% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Dorset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Thornford CofE Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Thornford CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Dorset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 93% in reading and 86% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Thornford CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 17 families put Thornford CofE Primary School as their first choice and 36 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Thornford CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Thornford CofE Primary School are St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford Abbas (1.3 miles, Good, 63% reading, 69% maths); St Andrew's Church of England Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 71% reading, 47% maths); Sherborne Abbey Church of England Primary School (2.1 miles, Good, 60% reading, 54% maths); and Barwick and Stoford Community Primary School (2.7 miles, Requires improvement, 64% reading, 73% maths).
Thornford CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
St Mary's Church of England Primary School, Bradford AbbasSt Andrew's Church of England Primary SchoolSherborne Abbey Church of England Primary SchoolBarwick and Stoford Community Primary School
The trust
Thornford CofE Primary School is one of 18 schools run by Sherborne Area Schools' Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
39 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Thornford CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
7.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 10 pupils (9.6%) received SEN support and 7 (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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
Thornford CofE Primary School had 7 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thornford Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 4 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Dorset (25).
Suspensions and exclusions
Thornford CofE Primary School 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; 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 agoThis judgement is from April 2014, 12 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 Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Thornford CofE Primary School excels at creating a nurturing environment where children thrive both academically and personally. The school balances high academic expectations with exceptional character development, resulting in pupils who are kind, resilient and confident learners. Parents overwhelmingly recommend the school, and pupils benefit from a broad curriculum enhanced by numerous enrichment opportunities that help them understand the wider world.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes - pupils show excellent self-control and play harmoniously together
- Outstanding personal development - extensive range of sport, music, performance, trips and visits that broaden cultural capital
- Strong focus on reading and vocabulary from Reception Year onwards, with pupils developing a genuine love of reading
- Quick identification of pupils with SEND and effective support from external agencies
- High attendance with strong family relationships and proactive intervention
Areas for Improvement
- In some subjects, assessment checks on what pupils have learned do not consistently inform future teaching, leading to gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sport, music, performance, outdoor education, community projects, educational trips, residential visits, eco-ambassador roles, pen pal exchanges with France, breakfast club
Thornford CofE Primary School is a warm and supportive school where pupils are happy, safe and attend very well. The school has a strong culture of kindness based on treating others as you would like to be treated, with pupils showing impeccable behaviour and excellent attitudes to learning.
At a Glance
7.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
39 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 93% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 86% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 71% to 60% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.0
Avg class size
21.5
Infant (KS1)
30.5
KS2
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
Keep up with Thornford CofE Primary School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thornford CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thornford CofE Primary School 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)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 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 Thornford CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at Thornford CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Thornford CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Thornford CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Thornford CofE Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Dorset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Thornford CofE Primary School for 2017 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
95%
Near capacity
100 pupils
105 places
5 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Sherborne
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Sherborne
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
16.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
104
Total Pupils
59
Boys
45
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
14.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,615
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,101
Per pupil
£651k
Total funding
£11k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.5%
Overall absence
3.4%
Persistent absence
89
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Thornford CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at Thornford CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at Thornford CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Thornford CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Thornford CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Thornford CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Thornford CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, Dorset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Thornford CofE Primary School?
Thornford CofE Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 95% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Thornford CofE Primary School?
Classes at Thornford CofE Primary School average 26 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 Thornford CofE Primary School?
Thornford CofE Primary School has around 104 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Thornford CofE Primary School?
3.5% of sessions were missed at Thornford CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 3.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thornford CofE Primary School?
Apply through Dorset's coordinated admissions process, naming Thornford CofE Primary School 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 Thornford CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Dorset is 3 (the median across 184 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thornford CofE Primary School?
Thornford CofE Primary School is at Boot Lane, Thornford, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6QY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)