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Thurston Community College

Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Community school

Norton Road, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds IP31 3PB · thurstoncollege.org · 01359 230885

On the mapSearch near IP31 3PB

Overview

Ofsted
Remains Good
Ungraded inspection · Mar 2024
GCSEs, 2024/25
46.9
average Attainment 8 score. Suffolk 42.8, England 46
Demand for places
1.0
first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
Pupils
1,512
84% of 1,800 places
Local authority
Suffolk
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Free school meals
19%
First language not English
2.4%
School census 2025/26

The official school record (Department for Education)

Admissions

For Year 7 in September 2026, 271 families put the school first and 277 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.

First choices against places

20222023202420252026September 2022: 272 (Places 274)272September 2023: 234 (Places 253)234September 2024: 242 (Places 259)242September 2025: 268 (Places 286)268September 2026: 271 (Places 277)271Places 277
Year 7PlacesFirst choicesPer place% offered
September 2026Sept 20262772711100%
September 2025Sept 20252862680.9100%
September 2024Sept 20242592420.9100%
September 2023Sept 20232532340.9100%
September 2022Sept 20222742721100%

Results

In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 46.9, and 50.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Suffolk it was 42.8, and across England 46.

In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (32.4 points per entry).

GCSE results

Attainment 8

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252016/17: 44.3 (England 46.3)44.32017/18: 46.0 (England 46.5)46.02018/19: 46.8 (England 46.7)46.82021/22: 48.0 (England 48.8)48.02022/23: 45.8 (England 46.3)45.82023/24: 44.4 (England 45.9)44.42024/25: 46.9 (England 46.0)46.9England 46.0
2024/25TrendSchoolEngland
●46.946.0
▲50.6%45.4%
●66.8%64.8%
▼23.4%40.5%
●4.114.09

Where Year 11 leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
School sixth form35.1−6.6
Sixth form college0.4—
Further education54.7+11.8
Other education1.9—
Apprenticeship3.8−1.3
Employment1.9−0.1
Not in a lasting destination1.5−4.8
Activity not captured0.8−1.2

A levels and other 16 to 18 results

A level average grade

2019/20 to 2020/21: no school results published15/1616/1717/1818/1921/2222/2323/2424/252015/16: 32.7 (England 30.5)C+2016/17: 32.3 (England 31.1)C+2017/18: 32.3 (England 32.1)C+2018/19: 30.9 (England 32.9)C2021/22: 38.5 (England 37.9)B2022/23: 31.2 (England 34.2)C2023/24: 35.9 (England 34.4)B-2024/25: 32.4 (England 35.0)C+England 35.0
2024/25TrendAverage gradeProgress
77 studentsC+ (32.4)Below average -0.19
77 studentsC+ (32.6)Below average -0.20
39 studentsMerit+ (27.6)Well below average -0.55
8.3%AAB or better
97.4%finished their course
Earlier years: A levelStudentsAverage gradeProgress
2023/2469B- (35.9)+0.16
2022/23124C (31.2)—
2021/22115B (38.5)—
2018/19140C (30.9)+0.14
2017/18147C+ (32.3)0.00
2016/17118C+ (32.3)0.00
2015/16152C+ (32.7)-0.07

Where sixth-form leavers went

2015/162016/172017/182018/192019/202021/222022/232023/24
Left in 2023/24Since 2021/22
University48.2−3.8
Further education3.6−1.3
Apprenticeship7.2−0.9
Employment27.7+1.7
Not in a lasting destination4.8−1.7
Activity not captured8.4+6

Ofsted

At an ungraded inspection on 6 March 2024, Ofsted’s outcome for Thurston Community College was: School remains Good.

Outcome
Remains Good
Inspected
5 Mar 2024
Ungraded inspection

Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports

Previously: Good, graded inspection, Mar 2018

Earlier inspections

Before September 2019

  • Mar 2018Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Personal development, behaviour and welfareGood
    Leadership and managementGood
    16 to 19 study programmesGood
    SafeguardingEffective
  • May 2013Good
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementGood
  • Feb 2010Outstanding
    Outcomes for pupilsGood
    Quality of teaching, learning and assessmentGood
    Leadership and managementOutstanding
    16 to 19 study programmesGood

What parents said

59% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (286 replies, to 6 January 2025).

Recommend
59%
Replies
286
19% · 6 Jan 2025
Child is happy at school▼66% agreeEngland 88%
Child feels safe▼68% agreeEngland 89%
Pupils are well behaved▼51% agreeEngland 84%
School has high expectations▼66% agreeEngland 84%
Child does well▼67% agreeEngland 87%
Told what child will learn▼49% agreeEngland 83%
Told how child is doing▼69% agreeEngland 85%
Good range of subjects▼77% agreeEngland 90%
Can join clubs and activities▼87% agreeEngland 90%
Supports personal development▼59% agreeEngland 79%
Concerns are dealt with properly▼55% agreeEngland 77%

based on the 84% who raised concerns

Bullying dealt with quickly▼33% agreeEngland 49%

based on the 42% who had a child bullied

Gets the SEND support they need▼49% agreeEngland 67%

based on 66 parents (23%) with SEND

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