Workforce & Staffing
Staff composition, teacher turnover, retention, and sickness absence
Key Figures
80.96
Qualified Teachers (FTE)
18.2:1
Pupil:Teacher Ratio
5.2d
Teacher Absence (avg/teacher)
Pupil:Teacher Ratio — History
2024/25
18.2
80.96 FTE
2023/24
18.0
82.02 FTE
2022/23
16.0
94.27 FTE
2021/22
17.3
88.6 FTE
2020/21
17.7
86.14 FTE
2019/20
17.0
89.38 FTE
2018/19
18.1
84.12 FTE
National primary average: ~20.9. A higher ratio indicates fewer teachers per pupil.
Staff Retention — Historical View
| Year | Total FTE | Retained | Left Sector | Moved School | Turnover Rate | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 82.2 | 71.3 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 13.4% | |
| 2022/23 | 93.6 | 75.6 | 11.2 | 6.8 | 19.2% | |
| 2021/22 | 88.6 | 80.4 | 2.9 | 5.3 | 9.3% | |
| 2020/21 | 86.1 | 78.1 | 6.9 | 1.2 | 9.4% | |
| 2019/20 | 89.4 | 81.2 | 3.2 | 5 | 9.2% | |
| 2018/19 | 84.1 | 81.3 | 1.8 | 1 | 3.3% | |
| 2017/18 | 82.8 | 79.4 | 2 | 1.4 | 4.1% |
Teacher Sickness Absence
Staff Wellbeing — Sickness Data
Teacher absence due to illness
| Year | % Taking Absence | Avg Days (all teachers) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 74.3% | 5.2 |
| 2022/23 | 82.1% | 7.5 |
| 2021/22 | 80.6% | 6.2 |
| 2020/21 | 17.4% | 0.4 |
| 2018/19 | 68.2% | 3.6 |
| 2017/18 | 58.1% | 2.2 |
| 2016/17 | 63.6% | 2.9 |
National avg days lost per teacher: ~4.5. Thornden School's rate of 5.2 days per teacher is above average.