The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
Small primary schools can feel like a gamble, especially when year groups are tiny and mixed-age teaching is the norm. Here, the bet is on intimacy done well. With a published capacity of 42 places and 35 pupils on roll at the time of the most recent inspection, this is the kind of setting where staff can know families properly, older pupils naturally mentor younger ones, and leadership decisions show up quickly in day-to-day routines.
The location matters too. The school describes itself as a small rural setting in a wooded valley in West Penwith, and it leans into that, with outdoor learning framed as a core feature rather than an occasional enrichment. Its own site notes a greenhouse and garden used as learning resources, plus stewardship of two National Trust “quillets” at Penberth Cove. That gives outdoor learning a practical, place-based character rather than a generic “nature walk” feel.
Quality assurance is recent and specific. The latest inspection (27 and 28 February 2024) judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for personal development. Safeguarding arrangements were recorded as effective.
Leadership has also moved on since that inspection. The current head teacher is Ben Chalwin, shown in government records as taking up post from 01 September 2025, and he is named as head teacher on the school’s contact page.
A small roll shapes everything. In practical terms, it makes for a setting where social dynamics tend to be more visible and easier to guide, because staff see the whole cohort, not just a slice of it. The 2024 inspection describes pupils as polite, respectful, and proud of an inclusive culture where equality matters, and it highlights older pupils taking pleasure in helping younger pupils.
The school’s stated ethos is clear and personal: “celebrate the individual”, aiming to develop kind, inquisitive and resilient individuals who are “determined to shine for life”. That “shine” language is not just branding, it appears in how learning is framed, how assemblies are used to celebrate achievements, and how pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own progress.
A distinctive detail is the way the school articulates learning habits through its SHINE model:
Supportive learning, focusing on emotional and physical readiness to learn
Horizons, with clear learning intentions and success criteria
Initiate, Investigate, Instruct, using modelling and structured explanation
New learning, with differentiation and extension
Echo, with recall, review and reflection, including self and peer assessment
For parents, that matters because it is a concrete teaching culture rather than an abstract set of values. In a mixed-age environment, clarity of routine is often the difference between “cosy chaos” and calm productivity.
Community traditions add texture. The school highlights events like a welcome supper and ceilidh, a “Big Breakfast” that brings families together, and participation in the Lafrowda Festival in St Just, including making a withy sculpture and performing on the Plen Stage. These are not generic PTA mentions, they are specific rituals that shape belonging in a small community school.
On the physical environment, the site itself carries history. The schoolhouse connected with the school site is Grade II listed, with Historic England describing it as dating to 1849. That sort of heritage tends to show up less as “grand architecture” and more as a sense of continuity in a village setting, with the modern curriculum layered onto a long-established place.
The most recent inspection describes an ambitious curriculum, with identified knowledge and sequencing in most subjects. It also highlights careful use of assessment to identify misconceptions and support learning, and it notes that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn the curriculum successfully alongside peers because staff understand and support individual needs.
Reading is positioned as a major priority. The inspection notes that pupils read books matched to the sounds they know, staff teach the phonics programme effectively, and a reading culture is promoted across the school. A particularly school-specific detail is pupil leadership of the reading shed called “Mini world of stories (MWOS)” during breaktimes and lunchtimes, plus initiatives such as a readathon to raise money for books. For parents, this is a strong indicator of reading being embedded as a daily habit, not confined to guided reading slots.
Where families are comparing local options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can still be useful for side-by-side context, but for this school the most robust evidence base is inspection detail and the way the curriculum is structured for mixed-age classes.
The headline here is intentional design for a two-class model, not “making do”. The school states that its curriculum is carefully planned to support progress for all pupils across two mixed-age classes, acknowledging the challenge of within-subject progression and describing development of a pedagogy tailored to the setting.
Mixed-age classes can work brilliantly when teaching is organised around precise learning steps and targeted scaffolding. The SHINE framework provides the operational blueprint, but the 2024 inspection adds the external corroboration: knowledge is sequenced progressively in mathematics, and regular retrieval practice supports pupils to remember more. It also flags one area for improvement: in a small minority of subjects, the precision of the identified knowledge is not yet as strong, making it harder for some pupils to build knowledge as securely as in other subjects. That is a useful “watch this space” point for parents: the direction of travel is clear, but consistency across all subjects matters.
Outdoor learning is described as happening two days each week across the year, delivered in small-group sessions of up to 10 children. The school frames this as child-centred, with play, exploration, and supported risk-taking in a natural setting. For many children, that kind of structured outdoor learning strengthens confidence and self-management, especially when classroom learning is demanding.
The school site also describes making maximum use of the grounds, greenhouse and garden as learning resources, plus managing two National Trust quillets at Penberth Cove. That is unusually specific for a small primary and suggests meaningful, repeated use rather than one-off projects.
The school has published information about support structures that go beyond “we are inclusive”. Its SEND information describes work with an Educational Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) on site weekly, plus Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) interventions and collaboration with wider support services. It also references targeted transition support, and structured liaison with feeder secondary schools for pupils with additional needs.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
For primary families, the “next step” question is usually: which secondary schools are realistic, and how well does the school manage transition at 11?
The school’s published SEND information is unusually explicit about feeder relationships, naming Humphry Davy School, Mounts Bay Academy, and Cape Cornwall School, and describing dedicated transition programmes for identified children. It also notes that, in the referenced year, all pupils were moving to Cape Cornwall School, with staff liaison supporting handover.
That matters because transition is not only about open evenings. It is also about consistent information-sharing on learning needs, routines that help children feel secure, and a clear plan for pupils who find change difficult. The school references support through PSHE (Jigsaw) and wellbeing-focused transition input, which should reassure parents whose children are anxious about the move.
This is a state-funded primary, so admissions are coordinated by the local authority rather than via a school-run registration system.
For September 2026 Reception entry in Cornwall Council, the published deadline for applications is 15 January 2026, with outcomes sent on National Offer Day, 16 April 2026. Late and subsequent rounds are also set out by the council.
The most recent admissions snapshot indicates that the Reception entry route is oversubscribed, with around two applications for each place offered. In a small school, that kind of demand can fluctuate year to year, but it does underline the importance of applying on time and listing realistic preferences.
Two practical tips for families:
If you are deciding between nearby primaries, use FindMySchool’s Map Search to compare travel time and day-to-day logistics, not just postcode distance.
If you are moving into the area, check Cornwall’s admissions guidance early, because late applications follow specific rounds and deadlines.
The school’s own admissions page links families back to Cornwall’s arrangements and publishes admission arrangements by academic year.
Applications
10
Total received
Places Offered
5
Subscription Rate
2.0x
Apps per place
Personal development was the standout judgement in the latest inspection, and the detail supports why. Pupils are described as having highly positive attitudes to learning, following routines well, and benefiting from a strong set of opportunities that develop interests and confidence. The school also references elected pupil leadership roles such as school councillors and wellbeing ambassadors, which are practical ways to give children voice and responsibility in a small setting.
Wellbeing support is also described in concrete terms. The school’s SEND information and wellbeing pages reference EMHP support weekly and structured interventions such as ELSA for targeted pupil support. For parents, this suggests a proactive approach where emotional needs are treated as part of learning readiness, consistent with the SHINE “supportive learning” strand.
Safeguarding arrangements are recorded as effective in the most recent inspection.
Small schools sometimes struggle to offer variety, so it is helpful that this school publishes a clear clubs programme that changes termly. The named clubs are specific and often skills-based, including:
Reading club
Capoeira
Ukulele and ocarina
Drama
Gardening
Code Club
Theatre skills and dance
First aid
Sewing, including an advanced sewing option
Cooking club
Outdoor art club
Running club
The practical implication is that enrichment is not limited to sport and craft. There is a balance of performance, wellbeing, practical skills, and digital learning, which suits a broad spread of children, including those who might not thrive in purely competitive activities.
Trips and local engagement are also part of the picture. The inspection references visits and activities such as local beach cleans, and the wider school site references community-linked events that bring families together. These are especially valuable in a small school because they broaden children’s experiences beyond a tiny cohort.
The school day is published as 8:45am to 3:15pm, with a 32.5-hour school week. Breakfast club is available from 8:15am and there are optional before-school and after-school clubs that change termly.
In travel terms, the school’s directions describe approach routes via local roads from St Buryan and from the Land’s End direction, with the school situated down School Hill in the Bottoms area. That “valley bottom” setting can be charming, but it also means families should consider winter travel and parking or drop-off practicalities as part of the decision.
Very small cohorts. With around 35 pupils on roll at the time of the last inspection, friendships, classroom dynamics, and staff support are tightly connected. That can be excellent for children who value familiarity, but it can feel limiting for those who want a larger peer group.
Mixed-age classes. The model is intentional and supported by a clear teaching framework, but it does mean children share a classroom with a wider age span. Some pupils thrive with the stretch and role-modelling; others prefer a single-year-class structure.
Curriculum precision is still being refined in places. The latest inspection highlights strong sequencing in most subjects, but notes that a small minority of subjects need clearer definition of precise knowledge to strengthen progression. Parents who care about curriculum structure should ask how that work is being implemented.
Leadership transition is recent. The current head teacher took up post from 01 September 2025. With any leadership change, it is sensible to ask what has stayed the same, what has been prioritised, and how those decisions affect daily routines.
This is a small, rural primary where the scale is a feature, not a limitation. The latest official evaluation shows a good standard of education and a notably strong personal development picture, supported by specific practices like pupil leadership roles, a structured reading culture, and a clear model for learning routines. Outdoor learning is not an add-on, it is organised and frequent, with real local specificity.
Who it suits: families who want a close-knit primary with mixed-age teaching, strong reading emphasis, and regular outdoor learning in a rural West Penwith context, and who are comfortable with a small cohort where everyone knows everyone.
The most recent inspection (February 2024) judged the school Good overall, with Outstanding for personal development. The report highlights an inclusive culture, strong reading priorities, and clear routines that support learning and behaviour.
Applications are made through Cornwall Council’s coordinated admissions process. For September 2026 entry, the deadline for Reception applications is 15 January 2026, with outcomes issued on 16 April 2026.
Breakfast club is available from 8:15am. The school also runs optional before-school and after-school clubs that change termly, so families should check current availability and timings.
Outdoor learning is scheduled two days a week across the year, usually delivered in small groups. The school also describes use of its grounds, greenhouse and garden as learning resources, and it manages two National Trust quillets at Penberth Cove.
The school’s published transition information references links with local secondary schools including Humphry Davy School, Mounts Bay Academy, and Cape Cornwall School. Transition support includes liaison between staff and dedicated programmes for pupils who need extra support.
Get in touch with the school directly
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