Sithney Community Primary School

Sithney Community Primary School has been rated as 'Good' overall during its first full inspection as an academy. The school demonstrates a solid quality of education, with pupils showing enthusiasm for learning and strong behavior throughout. Supportive staff create a nurturing environment, and parents express high satisfaction with the care and education their children receive. However, the school has recently transitioned from an 'Outstanding' previous grade, which signals a shift in performance expectations. The current leadership is well-structured under the Crofty Multi Academy Trust, but there are some areas needing improvement to address curriculum weaknesses and presentation standards.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm and readiness to learn.
• High levels of parental satisfaction with the school.
• Strong support for pupils with SEND through expert adaptations.
• Pupils enjoy reading and the phonics curriculum is effective.
• The school fosters personal development and positive citizenship.

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects are not as well developed, leading to gaps in knowledge.
• Expectations for the quality of pupils' work and presentation are not high enough.

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 Sithney Community Primary School attended 95.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.8% 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, 1.1% of pupils at Sithney Community Primary 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 Sithney Community Primary School had 18.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 10.2% of pupils at Sithney Community Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.0% 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 Sithney Community Primary School received £7,548 and spent £8,453 for each of its 84 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £39,000 (£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

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

• Trannack Primary School Helston
• Godolphin Primary School Helston
• Parc Eglos School Helston
• Porthleven School Helston
• Halwin School Helston
• Garras Community Primary School Helston
• Pencoys Primary School Redruth
• Penpol School Hayle
• Weeth Community Primary School Camborne
• Roskear Primary & Nursery School Camborne

What is Sithney Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sithney Community Primary School is Good, from an inspection in December 2023.

When was Sithney Community Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sithney Community Primary School was last inspected in December 2023.

How many pupils does Sithney Community Primary School have?

Sithney Community Primary School has 88 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sithney Community Primary School cover?

Sithney Community Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Sithney Community Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 46% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sithney Community Primary School?

Sithney Community Primary School is at Crowntown, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0AE.