Thornley Academy
Cooper's Terrace, Thornley, Durham, DH6 3DZ
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Trust
- WISE ACADEMIES
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah Robson
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Sponsor
- WISE Academies
- Constituency
- Easington
- Setting
- Larger rural: Nearer to a major town or city
- Capacity
- 210
- Pupils on roll
- 124
- URN
- 151059
- Local authority
- County Durham
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01429820280
About this school
Thornley Academy is a primary academy in Durham. It teaches children aged 2 to 11 and has 124 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has inspected Thornley Academy, and its latest judgement is set out below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Seeing a school for yourself shows what no page can, so arrange a visit before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Confirmed by a short inspection, not a full one
Ofsted's most recent visit was a short inspection on 24 January 2024, where inspectors confirmed the school remains Good, but had some concerns; a full inspection will follow. The school's last full inspection took place before September 2019, so its area grades are not part of Ofsted's current published data. Older reports are on the school's Ofsted page.
This inspection took place when the school was registered as Thornley Primary School (URN 114146).
Exam results
Key stage 2 (end of primary school)
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 2 | 26 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 54% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 4% |
| Expected standard in reading | 69% |
| Expected standard in maths | 58% |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | 77% |
| Average scaled score in reading | 104.0 |
| Average scaled score in maths | 101.0 |
How Thornley Academy compares
Thornley Academy ranked 132nd of 185 primary schools in County Durham for KS2 results in 2024/25. Its KS2 result was higher than 28% of England primary schools that published results in 2024/25. Its absence rate was lower than 7% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | 54% | 10.4% | 42.4% | 124 | — |
| St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley | 43% | 4.8% | 23.2% | 75 | 0.9 miles |
| Ludworth Primary School | 64% | 7.2% | 59.5% | 84 | 0.9 miles |
| Wheatley Hill Community Primary School | 68% | 7.4% | 50.8% | 445 | 0.9 miles |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Shotton | 71% | 6.3% | 35.1% | 156 | 1.6 miles |
| Shotton Primary School | 64% | 8.5% | 54.8% | 289 | 2.0 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 42.4%
- English as an additional language
- 1.9%
- Overall absence
- 10.36%
- Persistent absence
- 31.53%
Location
Nearby schools
-
St Godrics Catholic Primary School, Thornley0.9 miles
Primary · Durham
-
Ludworth Primary School0.9 miles
Primary · Durham
-
Wheatley Hill Community Primary School0.9 miles
Primary · Durham
-
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Shotton1.6 miles
Primary · Durham
-
Shotton Primary School2.0 miles
Primary · Shotton Colliery
Other schools in Durham
Thornley Academy ranks 33rd of the 42 ranked primary schools in Durham.
- All Saints' Catholic Primary School, Lanchester Primary
- Bearpark Primary School Primary
- Belmont Cheveley Park Primary School Primary
- Belmont CofE (Controlled) Primary School Primary
- Blue Coat CofE (Aided) Junior School Primary
- Brandon Primary Academy Primary
- Burnhope Primary School Primary
- Cassop Primary School Primary
- Coxhoe Primary School Primary
- Durham Gilesgate Primary School Primary
- Durham Newton Hall Infants' School Primary
- Edmondsley Primary Academy Primary
Common questions
- What ages does Thornley Academy teach?
- Thornley Academy teaches children aged 2 to 11. It is a primary school in Durham.
- Who is the headteacher of Thornley Academy?
- The headteacher of Thornley Academy is Mrs Sarah Robson, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has Thornley Academy been inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Thornley Academy, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How many pupils are at Thornley Academy?
- Thornley Academy has 124 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 2 to 11.
- Is Thornley Academy full?
- Thornley Academy has capacity for 210 pupils and 124 on roll (59%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Thornley Academy a faith school?
- No. Thornley Academy has no designated religious character.
- Does Thornley Academy have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Thornley Academy as having nursery classes.
- Is Thornley Academy part of an academy trust?
- Thornley Academy is part of WISE ACADEMIES. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
- How does Thornley Academy compare with other schools in County Durham?
- Thornley Academy ranked 132nd of 185 primary schools in County Durham for key stage 2 results. Its KS2 result was higher than 28% of England primary schools that published results in 2024/25. Its absence rate was lower than 7% of England schools in 2024/25. Results reflect each cohort as well as the school, so treat rankings as a starting point.
- What is Thornley Academy's absence rate?
- Thornley Academy's overall absence rate is 10.4% in the latest published census.
- What are Thornley Academy's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Thornley Academy's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 10 July 2026.