St Francis CofE Primary School

St Francis CofE Primary School is a larger-than-average Church of England primary in the Kernow Learning Multi Academy Trust. Safeguarding standards are met, and the school has been recovering from a turbulent period of staffing and leadership instability that affected confidence among some parents. Early years provision is a standout strength: children get a highly positive start, with strong communication and language support and secure foundations in early reading, writing and mathematics. Most other areas of the school's work are secure. Pupils generally learn the curriculum well, phonics outcomes are significantly above national over time, and reading is prioritised. SEND identification and support are effective, classrooms are inclusive, and leaders have stabilised the school, improved communication, and benefited from trust and governance support. Personal development is broad, and attendance is high. However, behaviour and attendance is the area needing attention. Low-level disruption still affects some pupils' learning, some pupils and parents have ongoing concerns about behaviour, and bullying concerns are not always dealt with promptly enough. Disadvantaged pupils' combined reading, writing and mathematics outcomes are below national, with a wide disadvantage gap. Next steps include consistently upholding high behaviour expectations, resolving concerns quickly, strengthening parent relationships, and continuing to develop staff expertise so the curriculum is consistently matched to pupils with SEND.

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, giving children a highly positive start.
• Children's communication and language needs are identified early and supported effectively.
• Children build strong foundations in early reading, writing and mathematics.
• Phonics screening outcomes in Year 1 are significantly above national over time.
• Pupils typically learn the curriculum well and reach expected standards at the end of key stage 2.
• Reading is prioritised, with books matched to pupils' known sounds and effective catch-up support.
• Teaching is generally strong, with effective modelling, questioning and revisiting of prior learning.
• SEND identification starts early and works well through partnerships with nurseries, professionals and parents.
• Classrooms are inclusive, with appropriate adaptations and targeted support for SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders have stabilised the school after staffing and leadership turbulence and improved parent communication.
• Trust and governance have supported improvement and fulfilled statutory duties.
• Staff value the training and support they receive for their roles, workload and wellbeing.
• Personal development is broad, with trips, residentials and activities that prepare pupils for modern Britain.
• Pupils learn how to keep safe online and in the wider world, including water safety.
• Attendance is consistently high and above the national average.
• Pupils enjoy school and staff build positive relationships from the start of the day.
• Leaders use attendance data effectively to identify barriers and support families.
• Pupils have opportunities for leadership and extra-curricular activities.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance and behaviour is graded needs attention.
• Low-level disruption still affects some pupils' learning.
• Some pupils and parents have ongoing concerns about behaviour.
• Bullying concerns are not always addressed promptly enough.
• Some parents continue to lack confidence in the school, and more work is needed to rebuild relationships.
• Disadvantaged pupils' combined reading, writing and mathematics outcomes are below national, with a wide disadvantage gap.
• Disadvantaged pupils' reading outcomes were below national in 2024/25.
• On occasions, the curriculum is not well matched to what pupils know and remember, especially for some pupils with SEND, so attitudes to learning can wane.
• Some pupils lack the depth of knowledge leaders intend in personal development, particularly about different beliefs, faiths and cultures.
• Leaders need to ensure all staff consistently uphold high behaviour expectations.
• Leaders need to continue developing staff expertise to meet SEND needs so support is consistently well matched.
• Some remaining concerns from pupils, parents and carers are not fully resolved.
• More pupils with SEND need to participate in extra-curricular activities.
• Leaders should strengthen parent partnerships so concerns are addressed promptly.

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 Francis CofE Primary School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.7% 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, 2.0% of pupils at St Francis CofE 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 St Francis CofE Primary School had 19.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 46.8% 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, 21.7% of pupils at St Francis CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.3% 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 St Francis CofE Primary School received £6,046 and spent £6,018 for each of its 407 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £169,000 (£414 per pupil).

Across all 21 schools of Kernow Learning Multi Academy Trust, income was £7,158 and spending £7,013 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 Falmouth · Cornwall local authority: places and applications

St Francis CofE Primary School is part of Kernow Learning Multi Academy Trust, which runs 21 schools. The nearest others:

• Falmouth Primary Academy Falmouth
• King Charles Church of England Primary School Falmouth
• Mabe Community Primary School Penryn
• Constantine Primary School Falmouth
• Wendron Church of England Primary School Helston
• Leedstown Community Primary School Hayle
• St Agnes Academy St Agnes
• St Newlyn East Learning Academy Newquay
• Foxhole Learning Academy St. Austell
• The Bishops CofE Learning Academy Newquay

What is St Francis CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Francis CofE Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in July 2026.

When was St Francis CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Francis CofE Primary School was last inspected in July 2026.

How many pupils does St Francis CofE Primary School have?

St Francis CofE Primary School has 396 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Francis CofE Primary School cover?

St Francis CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Francis CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 51% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Francis CofE Primary School?

St Francis CofE Primary School is at Longfield, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4SU.