Sir James Smith's School Review 2026: A small coastal secondary with big horizons

Set in Camelford and shaped by North Cornwall’s rural, coastal setting, Sir James Smith's School presents itself as a small secondary where every child is known and where learning is connected to the wider world. The school’s stated vision is “the small school with a global perspective”, with values framed as being Connected, Creative, and Committed.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (October 2022) confirmed the school continues to be Good.

For families weighing up local options, the headline is balance. This is a state secondary with an inclusive intake and a clear attempt to link curriculum, wellbeing, careers, and enrichment into one coherent offer. The academic outcomes, however, sit below England averages on several key measures, so fit and support matter as much as ambition.

A sense of place runs through how the school describes itself. The headteacher’s welcome foregrounds the geography “between the moors and the sea”, and ties that directly to priorities such as sustainability and outdoor education. That framing matters because it signals a school that wants learning to feel relevant rather than abstract, particularly for students growing up in small rural communities.

The values are not presented as generic slogans. “Connected” is defined in terms of belonging and respect; “Creative” is linked to curiosity, collaboration, and a love of learning; “Committed” is explicitly about high expectations, character, and integrity. Parents looking for a school that is trying to articulate culture as well as rules will find clear language to discuss with their child.

Leadership is another anchor point. The current headteacher is Mr Marc Cooper, named both on the school website and on the government’s Get Information About Schools service. (A public start date is not clearly stated in the sources reviewed.)

Sir James Smith’s is ranked 2,831st in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), and ranks 1st locally in Camelford in the same measure. This sits below England average overall, in line with the bottom 40% of secondary schools in England on this ranking lens.

The underlying indicators point to a mixed attainment picture:

• Attainment 8 is 38.8.

• Progress 8 is -0.43, which indicates students made less progress than pupils with similar starting points nationally.

• EBacc average point score is 3.54.

• 13.1% achieved grades 5 or above across English Baccalaureate subjects.

How should a parent interpret this in practice?

• Example: A negative Progress 8 score suggests that, overall, students may not be making the progress schools aim for from Key Stage 2 to GCSE.

• Evidence: The Progress 8 figure is -0.43.

• Implication: Families should focus on how their child will be supported academically, particularly in core subjects, and ask precise questions about intervention, tutoring support, and how gaps are identified early.

If you are comparing several local secondaries, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you view outcomes side by side, rather than relying on anecdotes. (Rankings and metrics vary by cohort, so trends and context matter.)

The curriculum intent is described as broad, balanced, and ambitious, with a deliberate “global perspective” woven through subjects, including themes such as sustainability, diversity, migration, and human rights.

The school also sets out a defined teaching and learning model, described as a Teach, Check, Practice cycle, paired with a clear emphasis on sequencing knowledge and revisiting learning so that students remember more over time.

For parents, the useful question is how this translates day to day:

• Example: A consistent lesson model can reduce variation between classrooms.

• Evidence: The school describes a common structure for explanation, checking, and independent practice.

• Implication: This can suit students who benefit from predictable routines and explicit instruction, especially where confidence or behaviour dips when expectations shift between lessons.

The October 2022 inspection reported that pupils enjoy coming to school, feel safe, and build strong relationships with staff, while also identifying a need for more detailed planning of core knowledge in some subjects and stronger communication with parents.

Where Students Go Next

This is an 11 to 16 secondary without a sixth form, so the key transition is post 16. The school’s careers and “Futures@SJS” programme is set out in some detail and is designed to run from Year 7 to Year 11 with staged themes: Year 7 Discover, Year 8 Explore, Year 9 Inquire, Year 10 Immerse, and Year 11 Apply.

The strength here is structure and external connection:

• Students are supported into work experience in Year 10, with placements checked for suitability and visited, and with preparation around health and safety.

• The school lists a range of providers and partners it works with, including Cornwall College, Truro and Penwith Colleges, Callywith College, and Falmouth University, alongside local and regional careers infrastructure.

The implication for families is practical. If your child is motivated by seeing where learning leads, a visible careers spine can add focus from early secondary, particularly in a rural area where routes can otherwise feel distant.

Sir James Smith’s School is part of Westcountry Schools Trust, and the trust is the admissions authority for the school. Year 7 applications are made through your home local authority as part of Cornwall Council’s coordinated admissions process.

For September 2026 entry (Cornwall residents applying to transfer to secondary school):

• The Cornwall Council deadline is 31 October 2025.

• National Offer Day is 02 March 2026.

The school’s published admission number (PAN) for Year 7 in 2026 to 2027 is 120. If applications exceed places, published oversubscription criteria apply, with tie breaks based on distance measurements as defined by Cornwall Council’s mapping system.

Demand indicators suggest places can be competitive, so families should treat admissions as a process, not a single date. A practical step is to use FindMySchool’s Map Search to understand the distances that tend to matter for local schools, then confirm the current year’s rules with the local authority and the school.

Open events are not consistently published in a way that remains accessible year to year, so it is sensible to check the school’s calendar and admissions pages each autumn for current arrangements.

Pastoral provision is described in two complementary ways: systems and support.

On the systems side, the anti bullying information emphasises multiple reporting routes, staff duty presence at social times, designated break areas by year group, and the use of CCTV to help identify issues and keep students safe. It also references peer mentoring as an internal support option.

On the support side, the school highlights mental health and wellbeing as a priority and describes an internal approach informed by analysis of school, regional, and national mental health data, alongside a PSHE programme and assemblies.

The school also references an in school mental health support service (Place2Be) and points families towards evidence based parenting resources linked to wellbeing and attendance topics.

For parents, the key is to test how accessible support feels. Ask who a student sees first, how quickly concerns are triaged, and how communication is handled for low level worries as well as serious issues.

Because some enrichment information is hosted in PDFs that are not consistently accessible without permissions, the most reliable detail comes from the pages and documents that are publicly readable.

Reading and writing enrichment is one clear strand. The literacy support information references Book Clubs and external author related trips and workshops, and a published events calendar includes Book Buzz Club, a writing competition titled Wicked Writers Be, and a We Wonder STEM Reading Challenge, alongside Carnegie book shadowing activity.

Careers related enrichment is another. Futures@SJS is positioned as a whole school programme with employer encounters, personal guidance, and structured activities through each year group, and work experience is framed as a core experience rather than an optional extra.

The implication is that enrichment here is less about a glossy list and more about building confidence, literacy habits, and real world awareness. For some students, especially those who are not naturally academic, that can be the difference between passive attendance and purposeful engagement.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

School day start and finish times are not currently accessible via the public “School Day” link, which redirects to a sign in protected page. Families should request timings directly from the school, particularly if transport connections are tight.

Transport is a real consideration in this part of Cornwall. There is a public transport stop named for the school listed via Transport for Cornwall, and Cornwall Council’s admissions materials stress planning how a child will travel for the full period on roll, with eligibility rules for supported transport depending on the designated or closest school principles.

• Academic outcomes are below England averages. Progress 8 is -0.43 and Attainment 8 is 38.8. This does not determine an individual child’s outcome, but it increases the importance of asking how the school identifies gaps early and what intervention looks like in practice.

• Subject sequencing and communication were flagged as priorities. The October 2022 inspection identified inconsistency in how detailed some curriculum planning was, and noted that a minority of parents wanted clearer information about their child’s experience and progress. Ask what has changed since then and how parents are kept informed now.

• Rural travel logistics can shape daily life. Transport planning is explicitly highlighted in admissions materials, and journey time can affect punctuality, enrichment participation, and energy levels at home.

• Some key information sits behind sign in protected links. For example, the School Day page redirects to a restricted document. Parents should be prepared to request practical details directly rather than assuming everything is visible online.

Sir James Smith's School positions itself as a small, place rooted secondary with a clear values framework and an unusually structured approach to careers and future readiness. The pastoral and wellbeing messaging is prominent, and there are specific literacy and enrichment touchpoints that go beyond generic club claims.

Who it suits: families who want a local, inclusive state secondary with a strong sense of identity, explicit values, and a practical, structured approach to post 16 preparation. For students who need stronger academic momentum, the deciding factor should be the school’s capacity to provide targeted support and to communicate progress clearly.