Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School, Ripon
Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Ripon. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 11 schools in Ripon with published results, and 12,633rd of 14,452 across England. It was 41% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to North Yorkshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 56% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in North Yorkshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 83% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 1 family put Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 6 named it as one of their preferences, for 1 place 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 Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School are Snape Community Primary School (2.3 miles, Good); Bedale Church of England Primary School (2.5 miles, Good, 80% reading, 84% maths); Crakehall Church of England Primary School (2.9 miles, Good, 81% reading, 81% maths); and Masham CofE Primary School (2.9 miles).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School.
Snape Community Primary SchoolBedale Church of England Primary SchoolCrakehall Church of England Primary SchoolMasham CofE Primary School
Who goes there
15.4% 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, 2 pupils (15.4%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) 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.
Staffing
Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 5 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Bedale (Wensleydale Railway), about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Village Hall (w-bound), 80 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 North Yorkshire (9).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School issued 6 suspensions, 28.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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 · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
15.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 83% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 83% to 56% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 50% to 33% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
16.0
Avg class size
12.0
KS2
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School is in North Yorkshire; for families living there:
Apply to North Yorkshire 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 North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 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 Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from North Yorkshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School for 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026 entry.
- How many families in North Yorkshire 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
41%
Available places
21 pupils
51 places
30 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ripon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ripon
Across North Yorkshire council
Places available
7,127
Applications
5,052
Got 1st preference
95.6%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across North Yorkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
2
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
15.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
13
Total Pupils
8
Boys
5
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
4
Teachers
3.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,923
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£14,867
Per pupil
£323k
Total funding
£2k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
10.2%
Persistent absence
49
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 56% did so in maths.
What is Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2023.
What is the catchment area for Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, North Yorkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 41% of its 51 places.
How big are the classes at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School average 16 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School has around 13 pupils on roll. 15% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 10.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
Apply through North Yorkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Thornton Watlass Church of England 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 Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
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 North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School?
Thornton Watlass Church of England Primary School is at Thornton Watlass, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 4AH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)