Bacup Thorn Primary School

Primary
Local authority maintained
Ages 4 to 11

Ofsted: Good

Cowtoot Lane, Bacup, OL13 8EFOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Bacup Thorn Primary School is a primary school in Bacup for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 692 schools in Lancashire. It ranks 2nd of 8 primary schools in Bacup. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 28 November 2023, report published 18 January 2024

Overall effectiveness: Good
Quality of education: Good
Behaviour and attitudes: Good
Personal development: Good
Leadership and management: Good
Early years provision: Good
Safeguarding: Met

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

46 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths61%

61%, 1 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths7%

7%, 1 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score106

106, the same as the England average.

Maths, average scaled score105

105, the same as the England average.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score107

107, 2 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

253 pupils on roll, with places for 276

Eligible for free school meals41.5%

41.5%, 15 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language3.2%

3.2%, 18.4 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support11.1%

11.1%, 3.7 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan5.9%

5.9%, 0.1 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Bacup Thorn Primary School

School	Distance	Ofsted	Results
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy	0.5 miles	Report card: Needs attention to expected standard	15% met the expected standard
Northern Primary School	0.7 miles	Ofsted: Good	50% met the expected standard
Sharneyford Primary School	0.9 miles	Ofsted: Good	30% met the expected standard
Bacup St Saviour's Community Primary School	1 mile	Ofsted: Good	64% met the expected standard
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Stacksteads, Bacup	1 mile	Report card: Needs attention to expected standard	50% met the expected standard

School details

School type: Community school
Sector: Local authority maintained
Age range: 4 to 11
Gender: Mixed
Nursery classes: No
Headteacher: Mrs Alison Edgar
Phone: 01706874027
Website: thorn.lancs.sch.uk (opens in a new tab)
Address: Cowtoot Lane, Bacup, OL13 8EF
Local authority: Lancashire
URN: 119193

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.