Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, Dewsbury
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 7 in Dewsbury. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in September 2023 did not change this grade. It was 85% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Kirklees (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School in detail
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "Thornhill Lees CE (C) Infant and Nursery School is a large, friendly and growing school. It serves a vibrant multi-ethnic community, approximately half a mile from the centre of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. We are an Infant and Nursery school with a Christian foundation and also celebrate the Muslim faith."
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:50am.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Getting a place at Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School
For September 2026 entry, 61 families put Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 97 named it as one of their preferences, for 65 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School are Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School (0.2 miles, Good, 76% reading, 78% maths); Pentland Infant and Nursery School (0.4 miles, Good); Savile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School (0.6 miles, Good); and Overthorpe CofE Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 57% reading, 87% maths).
Headfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior SchoolPentland Infant and Nursery SchoolSavile Town Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery SchoolOverthorpe CofE Academy
Who goes there
15.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 61.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (88%) and Mixed (6%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ravensthorpe Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Thornhill Lees School (at), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School 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
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from May 2018, 8 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's September 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at teaching reading and supports all learners to develop confidence and enjoyment in books. Pupils with additional needs receive targeted, thoughtful support that helps them learn alongside their peers. The school creates a calm, friendly atmosphere where children develop strong relationships with staff and learn important values like kindness and respect.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with effective phonics programme - pupils learn to read well, especially those learning English as an additional language
- Excellent support for pupils with special educational needs through careful adaptations and tailored teaching
- High-quality early years provision with carefully planned routines and rich language development opportunities
- Clear school values (caring, kindness, respect, community) embedded throughout the curriculum
- Effective identification and support systems for children who need additional help
Areas for Improvement
- In some foundation subjects, curriculum planning does not clearly identify what pupils need to learn and in what order - pupils struggle to remember facts and information
- Leaders should ensure every subject clearly sets out exactly what pupils should know and when, to prepare them for the next stage of education
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Eco-club, collective worship group, kindness crew, trips to local parks and museums, pantomime visits
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School is a good school that provides a friendly and welcoming environment where pupils are happy and enjoy learning. The school demonstrates strong commitment to pupils' learning and personal development.
At a Glance
15.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
22.4
Avg class size
23.0
Infant (KS1)
11
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School, with their latest published grades:
- Chuckles Private Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.4 milesOfsted, 5 July 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Paradise Early Years - Day nursery, 0.5 milesOfsted report card, 14 July 2026: Strong standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Lees Hall Playgroup - Pre-school, 0.5 milesOfsted, 12 July 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Dinky Daycare and Holiday Club Ltd - Day nursery, 0.8 milesOfsted, 18 June 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Chapel House Private Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.8 milesOfsted, 15 August 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Term dates
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Kirklees. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Tuesday 25 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School is in Kirklees; for families living there:
- Kirklees's school travel policy: School transport
- How to apply: Apply for school travel support
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 26
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 9 serious and 16 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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 Kirklees is 12 (the median across 203 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Will you get a place at Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
For 2026 entry it had 61 first choices for 65 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
85%
Available places
229 pupils
270 places
41 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Kirklees council
Places available
5,437
Applications
4,554
Got 1st preference
93.8%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All primary applications across Kirklees council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Dewsbury South Primary planning area (Kirklees) will have 460 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
56
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
24.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
284
Total Pupils
146
Boys
138
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
21.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,148
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,130
Per pupil
£1545k
Total funding
£68k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.2%
Overall absence
31.3%
Persistent absence
150
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School
Questions parents ask about Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School
What is Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in September 2023, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in May 2018, it was rated Good.
Is it hard to get a place at Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School was not full in 2025: it ran at 85% of its 270 places.
How big are the classes at Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
Classes at Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School average 22.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School has around 284 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
9.2% of sessions were missed at Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School in 2024/25. 31.3% of pupils were persistently absent.
What are Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School's term dates?
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Kirklees. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Monday 6 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Tuesday 25 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 26 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 9 serious and 16 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Kirklees is 12 (the median across 203 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
Thornhill Lees Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School is at Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF12 9DL.
Sources: Kirklees term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)