Porthleven School

Porthleven School is performing well, with strong standards evident across several domains. The school has established a positive culture where pupils feel safe and supported, leading to high attendance and positive behaviour. Leadership demonstrates ambition and a clear vision for improvement, actively engaging with the community to enhance pupils' learning experiences. Despite these strengths, there are still challenges regarding the academic performance of some pupils, particularly in writing and mathematics, where historical standards have not met expectations. Overall, while the school is on a trajectory of improvement, further work is required to ensure all pupils reach their full potential.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate high attendance and positive behaviour.
• Strong culture of safeguarding where pupils feel safe.
• Effective curriculum design connecting local community to broader themes.
• Inclusive practices that support disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Ambitious leadership driving ongoing improvements and staff support.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' achievement in writing and mathematics has been below expectations.
• Knowledge gaps in some subjects affect pupils' overall understanding.

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 Porthleven School attended 96.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 3.7% 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 Porthleven School 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 Porthleven School had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.8% 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, 15.4% of pupils at Porthleven School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.0% 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 2024–25 Porthleven School received £7,008 and spent £6,951 for each of its 187 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £88,000 (£472 per pupil).

Across all 17 schools of Crofty Education Trust, income was £7,035 and spending £6,965 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 Helston · Cornwall local authority: places and applications

Porthleven School is part of Crofty Education Trust, which runs 18 schools. The nearest others:

• Parc Eglos School Helston
• Sithney Community Primary School Helston
• Trannack Primary School Helston
• Godolphin Primary School Helston
• Garras Community Primary School Helston
• Halwin School Helston
• Marazion School Marazion
• Penpol School Hayle
• Pencoys Primary School Redruth
• Weeth Community Primary School Camborne

What is Porthleven School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Porthleven School is Needs attention, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was Porthleven School last inspected by Ofsted?

Porthleven School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does Porthleven School have?

Porthleven School has 175 pupils on roll.

What age range does Porthleven School cover?

Porthleven School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Porthleven School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Porthleven School?

Porthleven School is at Torleven Road, Porthleven, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 9BX.