Independent Day and Boarding School for Girls aged 4 - 16

Frequently Asked Questions

When can we come and have a look around?

You are very welcome on any day of the week.  Our Admissions Secretary, Mrs Claire Ballantyne, will arrange an appointment for you.  We will take you around the school so that you can see the facilities and classes in action and after the tour we will arrange a meeting for you with the Headmistress, Miss Agnes Williams.  A typical visit to the school will last approximately 1 ½ hours.  You are very welcome to bring your daughter(s) with you on this visit, but many parents prefer to come alone the first time and then arrange for their daughter(s) to spend a day in school with her peer group. 

How early do I need to register my daughter and are there waiting lists?

You are welcome to register your daughter with us years in advance of her actually joining.   We do not actually offer a firm place however until your daughter has spent a trial day with us in school.  Following the trial day your daughter would be offered a firm place for the following September (depending on place availability and her suitability to the school) or be placed on a waiting list for a subsequent year’s entry.  We rarely offer firm places for more than one year ahead as the demand for places is high and all places are usually filled. 

There are waiting lists in most, but not all year groups for September 2008 and there is a waiting list in operation for Year 7 entry 2009.

Do we need to be a Catholic family to join?

Thornton College is a Christian school in the Roman Catholic tradition.  Not all of the children at Thornton are practising Catholics and we welcome children of all faiths.  All children are educated in keeping with Christian values. 

Is there an entrance exam?

No, Thornton is a non-selective school.  Pupils are offered a place if we feel that they can cope with the pace of the curriculum and we can offer an education that will fulfil their potential. 

What are the timings of the school day?

How many pupils are there in the school?

There are currently (summer term 2008) 344 pupils in the School, 130 in the Junior school and 214 in the Senior School.

How big are the classes?

Class sizes vary from year to year.  Junior School classes have up to 20 girls in each and Senior School form groups have up to 22 girls in each.  Currently Junior classes range in size from 10 to 20 and Senior School form groups have between 18 and 22 girls in each. 

Where do girls go when they leave Thornton?

All girls leave Thornton after their GCSEs in Year 11.  We help the girls and their families find the best Sixth Form option for the ‘A’ levels or curriculum they wish to study.  Typically girls will go on to a mix of local grammar, local and regional independent and local state schools.  Last year’s leavers went to the following schools and colleges. 

Is there bus transport?

Yes.  We run an extensive bus network exclusively for Thornton girls.  Most girls are collected from outside their front door.  When two or more girls live in close proximity to each other there is a pick-up point.   Full details of pick up points can be found in the 'parents' section of the website under ‘transport’.

Which are your feeder schools?

We welcome day girls from a 30+ mile radius of Thornton so there are many primary/preparatory schools which recommend Thornton.  We attract girls from state and independent schools.  We do not give priority to girls from any particular school.  Each girl is admitted on her own merit irrespective of school or background.

Most girls from our own Nursery will join the Junior School into the Recpetion class and almost all girls will move up from Year 6 in the Junior to Year 7 in the Senior School.

Do you offer any scholarships or bursaries?

Yes, we offer Scholarships into Year 7.  Thornton holds Scholarship Examinations every March for Year 6 internal and external girls, and if successful, a scholarship of up to 50% may be awarded for education in our senior school. 

Successful candidates qualify for a reduction in fees of 25%, 33% or 50%.  Once granted, the

Scholarship operates for a period of five years.  It is understood that pupils accepting a Scholarship will remain at the school throughout the period of statutory schooling.

Candidates take three tests: one each in Verbal Reasoning, Mathematics and English.  The Verbal Reasoning test is standardised, lasting for approximately forty-five minutes.  The English test consists of a comprehension and an essay and lasts for ninety minutes.  In Mathematics, the four rules of computation should be known and a good grasp of multiplication tables will be useful.  Simple graphs and pie charts should be understood, together with the principles of long multiplication and long division.  Decimals to two places and simple fractions may also be tested.  Candidates who can combine speed with accuracy are likely to perform well.

If you would like further information please contact Mrs Lesley Try, our School Secretary.  Alternatively, this could be discussed with our Headmistress, Miss Agnes Williams, during a visit to Thornton.

Can we pay the fees in instalments?

Yes.  You can set up a standing order to pay the fees over ten equal monthly instalments.