Schools by area › County Durham › Thornhill Primary School
Thornhill Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Community school
Thornhill Gardens, Shildon DL4 1ES · thornhill.durham.sch.uk · 01388 772906
Overview
- Ofsted
- Outstanding
- 2019 framework · inspected Feb 2023
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 93%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. County Durham 62%, England 62%
- Last distance offered
- 1.03 mi
- 1.66 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · County Durham Council
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 205
- 98% of 210 places
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 35.6%
- First language not English
- 2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 1.03 mi (1.66 km) from the school. Source: County Durham Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 32 families put the school first and 30 places were offered; 94% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 30 | 32 | 1.1▲ | 94% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 30 | 28 | 0.9 | 89% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 30 | 28 | 0.9 | 89% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 30 | 35 | 1.2▲ | 86% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 25 | 17 | 0.7 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 1.03 mi1.66 km | |
Results
In 2024/25, 93% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 20% the higher standard. Across County Durham it was 62%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲93% | 62% | ||
| ▲20% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●108 | 106 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
| ▲110 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Thornhill Primary School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 2 February 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Outstanding
- Inspected
- 2 Feb 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Jun 2008
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Jun 2008Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding
What parents said
97% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (35 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 97%
- Replies
- 35
- 17% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 63% who raised concerns
based on the 14% who had a child bullied