Thornton Dale CofE Primary School

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 4 to 11
Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding

Castle Close, Thornton-le-Dale, Pickering, YO18 7TWOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Thornton Dale CofE Primary School is a primary school in Pickering for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 376 schools in North Yorkshire. It ranks 20th of 232 primary schools in North Yorkshire. Its latest Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, graded each key judgement and gave no overall Ofsted rating.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 4 March 2025, report published 1 May 2025

This inspection graded each key judgement and gave no overall effectiveness grade.

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

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 March 2025

Pupils at Thornton Dale Primary are happy, polite and articulate members of the school family. They enjoy numerous opportunities to thrive and flourish in the school's carefully crafted, nurturing environment. Pupils embody the school's values of kindness, friendship and respect. Relationships between staff and pupils are highly positive. Pupils are at the heart of all that the school does. Staff value each pupil as an individual. Over time, the school has established extremely high expectations for all. Well-trained and talented staff ensure that all pupils have many opportunities to succeed and to meet these high expectations over time. Pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils develop exemplary attitudes to one another. As a result, behaviour is highly positive across the school. Pupils' empathy towards others is remarkable. They talk about the need to 'take charge of yourself and respect and show tolerance to everyone'. Others talk about 'uniqueness being like a superpower'. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate the work that staff do to get to know their children. Parents' comments about the school, such as 'staff are caring and nurturing' and that their children are 'thriving in all areas of the school', reflect the findings of the inspection team.

What the school should improve

  • A small number of pupils have gaps in their phonics knowledge that are not identified and addressed effectively. This means that these pupils do not achieve as well as they might. The school should ensure that gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge are addressed swiftly and effectively.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

16 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths63%

63%, 1 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths19%

19%, 11 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score107

107, 1 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score107

107, 2 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score104

104, 1 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

146 pupils on roll, with places for 190

Eligible for free school meals10.3%

10.3%, 16.2 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language0.7%

0.7%, 20.9 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support24%

24%, 9.2 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan3.4%

3.4%, 2.6 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Thornton Dale CofE Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Pickering Community Infant School2 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Pickering Community Junior School2 milesOfsted: Good45% met the expected standard
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academy3 milesOfsted: Good58% met the expected standard
Rillington Primary School6 milesOfsted: Good64% met the expected standard
Sinnington Community Primary School6 milesOfsted: Good100% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy sponsor led
Sector
Academy
Trust
ELEVATE MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Age range
4 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Miss Camarah Mosey
Address
Castle Close, Thornton-le-Dale, Pickering, YO18 7TW
Local authority
North Yorkshire
URN
147763

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.