Thornford CofE Primary School
Academy converter primary school in Sherborne (Dorset).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
Welcome to Thornford School. We are a small rural Church of England primary school set in beautiful grounds in a small village, close to the market town of Sherborne. We have strong links with the local church, St. Mary Magdalene and our golden thread: Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself, is used to promote positive attitudes and behaviours amongst our pupils.
From their first day in Reception, our children come into a safe, happy learning environment, where they are nurtured. Hard work and a growth mindset are encouraged and there is provision for the children's individual needs in order for pupils to achieve their potential.
They are well-prepared socially and academically for the next stage of their education by our dedicated staff.
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Enrichment
10 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Forest School
- Growth Mindset
- Charanga (Music)
- Cornerstones Curriculum
- ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support)
- Essential Letters and Sounds
- Letters and Sounds
- Maths Mastery
- Read Write Inc (RWI)
- White Rose Maths
Awards
2 awardsiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Eco SchoolsEnvironment
- UNICEF Rights Respecting SchoolsChildren's rights
Key facts
- URN
- 144415
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Primary
- Ages
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Sixth form
- Does not have a sixth form
- Nursery
- No Nursery Classes
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Constituency
- West Dorset
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Opened
- 2017
Governing body (6 current, 0 former)
iAcademy trust: local governing body and trust board.Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Jocelyn Popinchalk | Chair of Local Governing Body | Persons who are appointed by the foundation body or sponsor (if applicable) | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs Samantha Swatridge | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Patricia Wilding | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mrs Elizabeth Winter | Local Governor | Appointed by trustees | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Rachel Love | Local Governor | Persons who are appointed by the foundation body or sponsor (if applicable) | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Mrs Tanya Burnham | Local Governor | Appointed by academy members | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 25 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record