Thornton Primary School, Bradford

Good
Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~979m)Possible (~1.4km)Unlikely (~1.8km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Elizabeth Davison
Pupils:449 / 600 capacity
LA:Bradford
Phone:01274833839
Address:Thornton Road, Thornton, Bradford, BD13 3NN
Trust:FOCUS ACADEMY TRUST (UK) LTD
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 February 2017

Ofsted Rating

Good

Overall

URN:143944
UKPRN:10062417
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Bradford West
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Thornton Primary School is a warm, caring place where your child will feel happy and supported. Reading is taught exceptionally well from the early years, and the school has an ambitious curriculum that helps children build strong knowledge. The school also provides excellent support for children with additional needs, ensuring all pupils can participate and succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Reading is taught extremely well with effective phonics instruction and regular knowledge checks
  • The curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced, helping pupils build knowledge as they progress
  • Strong support for pupils with SEND through adapted provision and inclusive practices
  • Pupils develop character through meaningful leadership roles in school and community
  • High expectations for behaviour are mostly followed, with pupils understanding the 'Thornton 3 Always' values

Areas for Improvement

  • Some gaps in older pupils' foundational knowledge in mathematics and writing have not been fully addressed
  • Behaviour expectations are not always applied consistently across the school
  • Some pupils did not achieve as well as they could in 2024 published outcomes

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular Activities

Active ambassadors (sports and games leadership), dementia ambassadors (singing and dancing with local care home residents), pupil parliament, first aid training, water safety education

Thornton Primary School has maintained good standards since its previous inspection in 2020. This is a welcoming, inclusive school where pupils develop strong relationships with caring staff and are ambitious to achieve highly.

At a Glance

31.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

62 responses
Would recommend81%
Child is happy84%
Well taught86%
Good progress79%
Feels safe86%
Well behaved79%
Bullying dealt with27%
Kept informed81%
Handles concerns58%
Wider development79%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-14ppMaths+13ppWriting-20pp

Reading has declined from 76% to 62%. Maths has improved from 55% to 68%. Writing has declined from 76% to 56%.

Class Sizes

29.4

Avg class size

27.6

Infant (KS1)

30.5

KS2

13

Total classes

4 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Thornton Primary School
70m · 1 min walk
Ashfield Road
99m · 2 min walk
Wensley Bank (at)
212m · 3 min walk
James Street School (adj)
224m · 4 min walk
James St West Lane
307m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

75%

Available places

449 pupils

600 capacity

151 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Bradford

Low pressure
New homes approved:9,205
Projected new pupils:2,301

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bradford

Admissions Demand - Bradford

Low demand0.81x oversubscription

Places available

7,695

Applications

6,195

Got 1st preference

95.3%

Got preferred school

99.0%

Primary admissions across Bradford (2025/26)

Inspection History(103)

Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good
Date not published by Ofsted
Good

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

5.89865%

Overall absence

15.15152%

Persistent absence

396

Enrolments

Authorised3.59137%
Unauthorised2.30728%
Persistent (10%+)15.15152%
Severe (50%+)1.51515%

Absence trend

4.4763%
18/19
4.00798%
20/21
6.44989%
21/22
6.63945%
22/23
6.16647%
23/24
5.89865%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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