Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy

Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy continues to uphold its strong educational standards since its previous inspection. The school creates a vibrant and nurturing environment where pupils develop confidence and a love for learning from an early age. The commitment of school and trust leaders is evident in their ambitious curriculum, which effectively builds knowledge across various subjects, while also promoting strong communication skills. Parents express high satisfaction with the school's positive impact on their children's development. Despite these strengths, there are areas requiring attention, particularly regarding a small cohort of pupils who have not been provided with precise support to meet the school's high standards in certain aspects. This oversight has led to these pupils lacking the necessary strategies for success. Overall, the school shows promise in maintaining quality education while addressing these challenges for complete inclusivity and success for all students.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate confidence and happiness.
• Strong emphasis on language and communication from early years.
• Ambitious curriculum that builds a rich body of knowledge.
• Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Strong subject knowledge among teachers.
• Prioritization of reading and oracy across the school.
• High-quality written work produced by pupils.
• Strong promotion of pupils' wider development and social values.
• Effective partnerships with families to improve attendance.

Areas for Improvement

• A small number of pupils lack specific support to meet high expectations.

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 Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.8% 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, 1.2% of pupils at Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy 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 Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy had 19.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 48.4% 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, 7.1% of pupils at Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 1 pupil.

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 2024–25 Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy received £14,389 and spent £13,392 for each of its 79 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £59,000 (£747 per pupil).

Across all 15 schools of Bridge Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,573 and spending £7,633 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy is part of Bridge Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Copper Valley Junior Academy Gunnislake
• Harrowbarrow Primary Academy Callington
• Brunel Primary & Nursery Academy Saltash
• Darite Primary Academy Liskeard
• St Cleer Primary Academy Liskeard
• Trenode CofE VA Primary Academy Looe
• Duloe CofE VA Primary Academy Liskeard
• Looe Primary Academy Looe
• Pelynt Primary Academy
• Polperro Primary Academy Looe

What is Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy have?

Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy has 70 pupils on roll.

What age range does Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy cover?

Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy for pupils aged 2 to 7.

Where is Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy?

Copper Valley Infant and Nursery Academy is at Drakewalls, Gunnislake, Cornwall, PL18 9EN.