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Reviewed

Thurston Community College

State school · Bury St Edmunds, IP31 3PB
  • Secondary
  • Co-ed
  • Ages 11-18
  • 1,650 pupils
We've reviewed this school • Unlock to access

A large, extremely well managed comprehensive where the majority thrive and do well.

Why read our school review?

Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.

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Overview & data

Pupil numbers
1,650 ·
Sixth form numbers
375 ·
Local authority
Suffolk County Council

Headteacher

Principal

Mrs M Taylor

Since September 2024, Mrs Maéve Taylor, previously interim principal and before that head at Claydon High School.

Entrance

The expansion as an 11-18 (rather than 13-18) school has resulted in certain year groups higher up the school becoming very large, but there is a firm policy to keep year group sizes below 300 and the school won’t budge on this. Heavily

Open days
Main school - September; Sixth Form - November

Entry and exit data - year 7 entry (average 2020-2022)

Elmswell Community Primary School 14 %
Thurston Church of England Primary Academy 12 %
Other 11 %
Where the number of students is less than 10, we cannot say where they've come from or where they are going to due to data protection rules.
Norton CEVC Primary School 8 %
Great Barton Church of England Primary Academy 8 %
Rougham Church of England Primary School 7 %
Rattlesden Church of England Primary Academy 5 %
Stanton Community Primary School 5 %
Woolpit Primary Academy 4 %
Abbots Green Primary Academy 4 %
Walsham-le-Willows Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 3 %
Honington Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 3 %
Cockfield Church of England Primary School 2 %
Barningham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 2 %
Barnham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 2 %
Sebert Wood Community Primary School 2 %
Ixworth Church of England Primary School 2 %
Abbot's Hall Community Primary School 2 %
Bardwell Church of England Primary School 1 %
Unknown 1 %
Where the school a student attended before or after this school is not known. These might be students who have come from or going to home schooling, independent schools, moving abroad etc.
Data highlight

Exit

Around half stay on after GCSEs, the rest mostly moving on to employment or FE college. At 18 the great majority go on to university, with a wide range of subjects studied eg midwifery, electrical engineering, psychology and neuroscience. Around 40

% students progressing to higher education or training (2021 leavers)

School
70%
LA avg.
55%
Eng. avg.
66%
Data highlight

What is this?

The proportion of 16-18 students that progressed to degrees, higher apprenticeships or other study at level 4 or above for at least 6 consecutive months in the 2 years after taking advanced level qualifications (level 3) at this school or college.

Latest results

In 2023, 66 per cent 9-4 in English and maths at GCSE; 20 per cent A*/A at A level (62 per cent A*-C). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 63 per cent 9-4 in English and maths at GCSE; 17 per cent A*/A at A level (74 per cent A*-C).

GCSE - % of pupils achieving grade 5 or above (A* to C) in English and maths GCSE (2024)

School
65%
LA avg.
63%
Eng. avg.
60%
Data highlight

What is this?

This tells you the percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.

A level - Average points score (2024)

School
36.06
LA avg.
31.39
Eng. avg.
35.69
Data highlight

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.

Teaching & learning

Achievement is strongly supported and clear strategies are in place to pick up problems early. Rigorous selection when appointing staff (‘we want the outstanding ones’) and a regular turnover ensures that standards are constantly appraised and

Qualifications taken in 2024
  • A level
  • BTEC
  • EPQ
  • GCSE
  • VRQ
90
Number of teachers
17:1
Pupil to teacher ratio

Learning support & SEN

Academic learning tuition (SEN support) is provided by 21 teaching assistants, mostly operating in the classroom, six qualified higher level teaching assistants and two SENCos. Lots of help available, including catch up classes in numeracy and

2.4 %
Students with a SEN EHCP
12.5 %
Students with SEN support

Arts & extracurricular

Music and drama both timetabled up to year 9 and many pupils have instrumental lessons – practice rooms are available. Drama is a popular GCSE choice and the school stages two major productions each year; ‘our daughters have both performed and we

Sport

Despite having only a single, weekly timetabled games lesson (though it lasts 100 minutes), team and other sports flourish through a network of lunchtime and after-school clubs, and friendly inter-house rivalry is encouraged. Football, netball, rugby

Ethos & heritage

A large rural comprehensive close to Bury St Edmund’s, with a separate sixth form campus in a revamped former middle school at Beyton. Reorganisation of the Suffolk schooling system from three tier to two tier saw it accept pupils from year 7 rather

Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline

The school is divided up into five houses (named after Suffolk luminaries) and pupils belong to a tutor group within a house for registration and academic and pastoral oversight. These smaller units, of around 300, help to give pupils a sense of

Pupils & parents

The catchment, on the edge of Bury St Edmund’s, is largely prosperous, rural and representative of this part of East Anglia; very few from ethnic minorities. A network of school bus routes brings most pupils, some from considerable distance. The

1,650
Number of pupils

The last word

A large, extremely well managed comprehensive where the majority thrive and do well.

Inspection reports

Ofsted reports

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer makes an overall effectiveness judgement in inspections of state-funded schools.

Short inspection: Good

You can read full reports on the Ofsted website

Leadership and management Good
Sixth form provision Good

Full inspection: Good

Leadership and management Good

This school has not provided any information yet

If you are from this school, please, get in touch to feature images and useful information for parents.

Contact the school

Address

Norton Road
Thurston
Bury St Edmunds
Suffolk
IP31 3PB
Get directions

Telephone: 01359 230885

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.thurstoncollege.org

Local authority: Suffolk County Council

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School data & information Thurston Community College Norton Road, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP31 3PB
1,650 Pupil numbers
375 Sixth form numbers
14 % % of pupils eligible for free school meals
2 % Pupils whose first language is not English
17:1 Pupil to teacher ratio
90 Number of teachers
18 Number of teaching assistants
Our review contains additional results data reported to us by Thurston Community College and is updated annually. See the review

% achieving grade 5 or above (A* to C) in English and maths GCSE (2024)

School
65%
LA avg.
63%
Eng. avg.
60%

What is this?

This tells you the percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs.

Average overall GCSE score (attainment 8) (2024)

School
44.40
LA avg.
43.20
Eng. avg.
44.20

What is this?

Schools get a score based on how well pupils have performed in up to 8 qualifications, which include English, maths, 3 English Baccalaureate qualifications including sciences, computer science, history, geography and languages, and 3 other additional approved qualifications.

Improvement rates in core subjects (progress 8) (2024)

-0.16 Score Average
≈ 35% of schools in England

What is a progress score?

This score shows how much progress pupils at this school made between the end of key stage 2 and the end of key stage 4, compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2. This is based on results in up to 8 qualifications, which include English, maths, 3 English Baccalaureate qualifications including sciences, computer science, history, geography and languages, and 3 other additional approved qualifications.

Subjects entered at GCSE level (2024)

Pupils attending this school entered exams in these subjects. The list only includes qualifications approved for inclusion in the performance measures. The subjects and qualifications on offer at this school may change year on year. For a full list of subjects and qualifications on offer at this school, visit the school or college website or contact the school directly. Find out more

Subject Qualification Entries Avg. grade
Spanish GCSE (9-1) Full Course 45 6
Religious Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 35 5
Psychology GCSE (9-1) Full Course 70 5
Physics GCSE (9-1) Full Course 66 6
Physical Education/Sports Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 39 5
Music GCSE (9-1) Full Course 7 6
Mathematics GCSE (9-1) Full Course 254 5
History GCSE (9-1) Full Course 100 5
Geography GCSE (9-1) Full Course 164 5
French GCSE (9-1) Full Course 39 4
English Literature GCSE (9-1) Full Course 247 5
English Language GCSE (9-1) Full Course 256 5
Design & Technology GCSE (9-1) Full Course 94 4
D&T Food Technology GCSE (9-1) Full Course 62 5
Computer Studies/Computing GCSE (9-1) Full Course 35 4
Chemistry GCSE (9-1) Full Course 66 6
Biology GCSE (9-1) Full Course 66 6
Art & Design (Textiles) GCSE (9-1) Full Course 21 5
Art & Design GCSE (9-1) Full Course 64 5

% of pupils achieving AAB or higher, including at least 2 facilitating subjects (2024)

School
24%
LA avg.
11%
Eng. avg.
20%

What is this?

Facilitating A levels are ones that are commonly needed for entry to leading universities. They are: biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, further mathematics, geography, history, English literature and classical or modern languages. The % of pupils achieving AAB or higher may therefore decrease if many pupils have opted not to take two or more of the facilitating subjects mentioned.

Average points score (2024)

School
36.06
LA avg.
31.39
Eng. avg.
35.69

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.

Subjects entered at 16 to 18 (2024)

Pupils attending this school entered exams in these subjects. The list only includes qualifications approved for inclusion in the performance measures. The subjects and qualifications on offer at this school may change year on year. For a full list of subjects and qualifications on offer at this school, visit the school or college website or contact the school directly. Find out more

Subject Qualification Entries Avg. grade
Psychology GCE A level 16 B
Physics GCE A level 9 A
Physical Education / Sports Studies GCE A level 9 B
Mathematics (Further) GCE A level 6 A*
Mathematics GCE A level 22 A
History GCE A level 18 B
Geography GCE A level 11 A
English Literature GCE A level 8 A
Economics GCE A level 9 C
Computer Studies / Computing GCE A level 7 C
Chemistry GCE A level 18 B
Biology GCE A level 14 B
Mathematics (Further) GCE AS level 7 A

Entry and exit data

Here we report figures on pupils moving between schools at the usual entry and exit points, as well as student destinations into higher education. We publish publically available data for state schools. For independent schools, The Good Schools Guide collects data from its prep schools as to where their pupils go on to. Find out more

Our review contains additional entry and exit data reported to us and is updated annually. See the review

Year 7 entry (average 2020-2022)

Year 12 entry (average 2020-2022)

Year 11 exit (average 2020-2022)

Year 13 exit

SEN overview

Thurston Community College is a mainstream school. The school may provide support for students with special educational needs as detailed below. If you require more information on conditions the school can support, we encourage you to contact the school directly.

SEN statement

Provided by the school and not part of our review

We aim to enable all of our students to be successful learners whatever their abilities and needs. We have a committed Raising Achievement Team whose role is to support student learning within and beyond lessons. Some students benefit from additional help, for instance, with reading, working on a computer spelling programme or working in a social skills group. Others have support in lessons where they face learning difficulties, while some are given the opportunity to work in small groups.

The Raising Achievement Co-ordinator and teaching assistants liaise with Heads of Department, Heads of House, the Education Welfare Officer, health professionals, educational psychologists, advisory teachers, Social Services, Connexions and, of course, parents. In this way we aim to create a shared focus on the individual success of every student in our care.

The College has been successful in providing appropriate support for those students with special educational needs. Our most able students also need challenging and the Able, Gifted & Talented Co-ordinator works with staff to develop approaches to ensure that all students have the best possible chance to reach their potential.

Thurston Community College has always enabled sutdents with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of college life. We have been pleased to accomodate students from both inside and outside the catchment area who can benefit from our single-storey accomodation. We have external disabled access to the main college entrance along with lifts, ramps and disabled toilet facilities. Whatever the disability, if a student is able to participate in college education, a warm welcome is given by staff and students. Where applicable, individual support is provided.

Nov 09.

2.4 %
Students with a SEN EHCP UK mainstream school avg. 2.7%
12.5 %
Students with SEN support UK mainstream school avg. 12.9%

SEN conditons supported

No information available from the school. Find out more.

Ofsted reports

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer makes an overall effectiveness judgement in inspections of state-funded schools.

Short inspection: Good

You can read full reports on the Ofsted website

Leadership and management Good
Sixth form provision Good

Full inspection: Good

Leadership and management Good
Our data explained
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