St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance

St Mary’s CofE Primary School in Penzance continues to demonstrate strong performance overall, being recognized as a good school. Pupils show enthusiasm for learning, exhibit positive behavior, and have a respectful environment, which contributes to a calm and orderly school atmosphere. The leadership team has established a curriculum that focuses on both academic and personal development, helping students build their knowledge effectively over time. Stakeholders, including parents, commend the friendly and supportive school staff, adding to the overall positive experience for pupils.

Strengths

• Pupils display enthusiasm and positive behavior in a calm environment.
• The curriculum promotes both academic and personal development.
• Strong focus on reading and phonics in early years and later years.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND allowing them to access the same curriculum as peers.
• Pupils engage in a variety of extracurricular activities including after-school clubs and leadership roles.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum not clearly defined in some subjects, hindering long-term retention of knowledge.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance attended 93.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.7% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance had 23.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 16.3% of pupils at St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance received £7,735 and spent £7,696 for each of its 141 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £27,000 (£194 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Penzance · Cornwall local authority: places and applications

What is St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance last inspected by Ofsted?

St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance have?

St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance has 141 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance cover?

St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 40% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance?

St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance is at Redinnick Place, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 4HP.