SchoolScoresThornhill Lees CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School
Voluntary controlled school · Primary, ages 2 to 7 · Mixed · Church of England · Nursery class
Slaithwaite Road, Thornhill Lees, Dewsbury, WF12 9DL
01924 430548 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 23 May 2018.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 21 September 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
32 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024.
Dewsbury comparisons use the 12 of its 19 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 7 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Dewsbury | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 3rd highest of 12 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dewsbury. Higher than 62% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 97% | 93% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 1st highest of 12 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dewsbury. Higher than 80% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 100% | 93% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 4th highest of 12 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dewsbury. Higher than 62% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 94% | 86% | 84% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 10 parents whose child had been bullied 4th highest of 5 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dewsbury. Higher than 17% of 6,022 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 40% | 45% | 49% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 22 parents who had raised a concern 7th highest of 11 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dewsbury. Higher than 23% of 8,398 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 73% | 73% | 75% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 6th highest of 12 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Dewsbury. Higher than 38% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 88%said yes | 83% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. Dewsbury figures pool parents at the Dewsbury schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Kirklees. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.
| Places offered | 65 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 61 |
| Of those, offered a place | 61 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 97 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.0 · 2026: 0.9
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
This is a Church of England school, but as a voluntary controlled school its admissions are set by the council, which usually doesn't prioritise by faith. Check the council's admissions criteria.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Kirklees | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 15th highest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Higher than 54% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 23.1% | 27.7%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 7th highest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Higher than 70% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 4.1% | 3.6%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 9th highest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Higher than 70% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 17.5% | 15.2%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 6th highest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Higher than 94% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 62.2% | 24.9%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 19th lowest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Lower than 1% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 9.2% | 5.5%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 18th lowest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Lower than 1% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 31.3% | 13.8%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils Joint 1st lowest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0 | 3.4 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once Joint 1st lowest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 12th highest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Higher than 55% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 21.0 | 21.2 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) Joint 16th highest of 19 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Higher than 9% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 7.9 | 10.3 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year Joint 14th highest of 18 state primary schools in Dewsbury. Higher than 0% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 13.2%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Headfield CofE Voluntary Controlled Junior School 0.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2015), confirmed 2024 · 65% met expected standard (KS2)
- Pentland Infant and Nursery School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023)
- Paradise Primary School 0.5 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2025)
- Savile Town CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2022
- Overthorpe CofE Academy 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 53% met expected standard (KS2)
- Boothroyd Primary Academy 0.8 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 41% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Paulinus Catholic Primary Academy 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Requires improvement (2023) · 32% met expected standard (KS2)
- Thornhill Junior and Infant School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 55% met expected standard (KS2)
- Earlsheaton Infant School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024, before conversion)
- Eastborough Academy 1.3 miles · Ofsted: Requires improvement (2021, before conversion) · 68% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Thornhill Lees CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Thornhill Lees CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 23 May 2018. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 21 September 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Would parents recommend Thornhill Lees CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School?
88% of the 32 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 4 September 2023 and 2 September 2024 said they would recommend Thornhill Lees CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Thornhill Lees CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 61 families put Thornhill Lees CofE Voluntary Controlled Infant and Nursery School as their first choice for 65 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 61 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 107705.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 4 September 2023 to 2 September 2024.
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Page updated 26 September 2026.