Academy converter · Suffolk

Thurston Church of England Primary Academy

5–11Ages
349Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
142562URN

Pond Field Road, Bury St. Edmunds, IP31 3FT · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.3 below Suffolk median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Suffolk

84 applications for 57 places · 122nd of 165 in Suffolk

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

59%met the expected standard

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 12 November 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.5applications per place, Reception

0.3 below Suffolk median (1.8) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

84 applications · 57 places offered · 56 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.5; Suffolk median median 1.8
2025 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.8
2024 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.8
2023 2.3; Suffolk median median 1.8
2022 1.6; Suffolk median median 1.8
2021 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.9
2020 2.4; Suffolk median median 1.7
2019 1.9; Suffolk median median 1.8
2018 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.8
2017 2.1; Suffolk median median 1.8
2016 2.4; Suffolk median median 1.9
2015 1.7; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 1.8; Suffolk median median 1.9; as the previous school

This school
Suffolk median

Dashed bars: as Thurston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (URN 124715), the previous school.

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	57	84	1.5	56	0.98
Sep 2025	52	91	1.8	51	0.98
Sep 2024	45	75	1.7	45	1.00
Sep 2023	40	90	2.3	40	1.00
Sep 2022	48	77	1.6	48	1.00
Sep 2021	25	52	2.1	24	0.96
Sep 2020	19	45	2.4	17	0.89
Sep 2019	30	56	1.9	33	1.10
Sep 2018	30	55	1.8	27	0.90
Sep 2017	23	49	2.1	23	1.00
Sep 2016	30	73	2.4	35	1.17
Sep 2015 *	30	52	1.7	29	0.97
Sep 2014 *	28	50	1.8	25	0.89

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 78% · Writing 83% · Maths 75% → all three 59% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard59%120th of 223 in Suffolk

Suffolk 60% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard78%

Suffolk 76% England 78%

Higher standard24%

Suffolk 32% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard83%

Suffolk 73% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Suffolk 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard75%

Suffolk 73% England 77%

Higher standard24%

Suffolk 21% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Suffolk median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	59%	5%	105	104
2023/24	60%	8%	104	104
2022/23	61%	7%	104	105

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Thurston Church of England Primary AcademyThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Norton CEVC Primary School
0.1 km · Suffolk

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Elmswell Community Primary School
4.0 km · Suffolk

Standards maintained2025

1.3applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Woolpit Primary Academy
4.1 km · Suffolk

Good2022

2.1applications per place 29%met the SATs standard
Ixworth Church of England Primary School
5.3 km · Suffolk

2026

2.1applications per place 40%met the SATs standard
Rougham Church of England Primary School
5.7 km · Suffolk

Good2024

2.7applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Great Barton Church of England Primary Academy
6.9 km · Suffolk

Good2023

2.0applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Rattlesden Church of England Primary Academy
7.0 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2024

1.4applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Stanton Primary School
7.5 km · Suffolk

Remains Good2024

1.5applications per place

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 142562 · 935/3062
Trust: The Tilian Partnership
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 420 pupils · 349 on roll
Free school meals: 20.3% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 January 2016
Replaced: Thurston Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (URN 124715)
Address: Pond Field Road, Bury St. Edmunds, IP31 3FT
Local authority: Suffolk · Mid Suffolk

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources