Lanner Primary School Review 2026: A book-led curriculum with results to match

A primary school that sets its stall out clearly on two fronts, literacy and ambition. The curriculum is designed around books, and the tone is purposeful without being joyless, with pupils encouraged to “try their best” and meet high expectations.

The 2024 Key Stage 2 outcomes underline that approach. Nearly nine in ten pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average. The school also performs strongly at the higher standard, which matters for families with pupils who need more stretch than the basics.

Families should also note the structure. Nursery provision sits alongside Reception within an Early Years Foundation Stage unit, which can make the step into full time school feel more familiar for many children.

The school’s public messaging is direct about what it wants pupils to become, curious, confident learners with a strong language base, and the daily experience described in external evidence matches that. Pupils are expected to keep going with tricky tasks and aim for their best effort, and the atmosphere is described as calm and purposeful in classrooms.

There is also a clear emphasis on relationships and fairness. Pupils are taught what bullying looks like and report that it is rare, and they feel adults would act quickly if it did occur. Parents are described as valuing the relationships between staff and pupils, and pupils say behaviour expectations are clear and applied fairly.

Leadership is stable and visible. The headteacher is Kieran Walsh, named as headteacher in the most recent inspection documentation and across school communications. In an October 2022 newsletter, he notes that he was then in his fifth year as headteacher, which indicates continuity through the period when many primaries were still rebuilding routines after the pandemic.

The school is part of Crofty Education Trust and joined the trust in December 2017. For families, the practical implication is that policies, staff development, and safeguarding processes often follow trust-wide expectations, while day-to-day culture remains strongly shaped by the local team.

For a state primary, the 2024 Key Stage 2 profile is strikingly strong.

• Expected standard (reading, writing, maths combined): 89.33% in 2024, compared with an England average of 62%.

• Higher standard (reading, writing, maths combined): 34%, compared with an England average of 8%.

• Average scaled scores: 108 in reading, 108 in maths, and 107 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

These figures point to two things at once. First, a large majority of pupils are leaving Year 6 secure on the core curriculum. Second, a meaningful share are pushing into greater depth, which typically reflects teaching that does more than rehearse test technique.

Rankings add another angle for parents comparing local options. Ranked 2140th in England and 1st in the Redruth area for primary outcomes, this places the school above England average and within the top 25% of schools in England on FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings based on official data.

A practical takeaway is that the school’s strengths are not narrowly focused. High expected-standard rates, high science outcomes, and strong scaled scores together usually indicate consistent teaching across year groups rather than a single exceptional cohort.

If you are comparing local schools, the FindMySchool local hub pages and the Comparison Tool can help you line up outcomes and admissions patterns side by side, especially useful in areas where small cohort sizes can make individual years look unusually high or low.

The curriculum is explicitly designed to be language-rich. Leaders describe it as vocabulary-rich and knowledge-rich, and the inspection evidence gives a concrete example of how this looks in practice, with subjects planned carefully by year group and structured so pupils build knowledge over time.

Reading is treated as a central priority rather than an isolated subject. The inspection report describes a reading curriculum that is well organised, with pupils reading often, and with adults promoting a love of reading and a wide range of authors. Phonics teaching is described as high quality, with close monitoring and extra help for pupils who struggle, designed to help them catch up quickly.

Mathematics also comes through as a relative strength. Teachers are described as checking what pupils know and remember and using that to identify gaps, and this works particularly well in maths. The strong 2024 maths scaled score and high expected-standard rate in maths fit that picture.

For families, the key implication is that learning here is likely to suit pupils who respond well to clear routines, frequent reading, and a curriculum that links subjects through shared texts. Pupils who enjoy stories, explanation, and building knowledge systematically tend to thrive in a book-led model.

As a Cornwall primary, the main transition is into local secondary schools via the council-coordinated Year 7 process. The school states that pupils usually move on to Redruth School, with some choosing Pool School or Richard Lander School, and it highlights transition opportunities with local secondaries.

For families, it is worth thinking about transition early, not only in Year 6. If your child has additional needs, it is helpful to ask how information is shared with the receiving school and what enhanced transition looks like for pupils who may need extra visits or a phased start.

Reception entry is competitive on the available data. In the latest admissions snapshot provided, there were 57 applications for 23 offers, which equates to 2.48 applications per place, and the entry route is described as oversubscribed. That kind of ratio is often enough to make distance, designated area, and sibling criteria decisive for many families.

For September 2026 entry, Cornwall Council’s published timetable sets out the key dates clearly. The on-time application deadline for Reception is 15 January 2026, with National Offer Day on 16 April 2026, followed by later rounds for changes of preference and late applications.

Two practical points matter for parents of nursery children. First, the council notes that even if a child attends a school nursery, you still need to apply for a Reception place through the normal process. Second, if you are weighing multiple schools, Cornwall Council encourages naming more than one preference to reduce the risk of being allocated a place you did not expect, especially if you miss the deadline.

If you are trying to sense-check your chances, use the FindMySchool Map Search to understand your home-to-school distance precisely, then compare this with recent admissions patterns, bearing in mind that criteria and applicant distribution can shift year to year.

Nursery is integrated into the Early Years Foundation Stage unit alongside Reception, with nursery and Reception children working closely and sharing learning experiences indoors and outdoors. This structure can help children who benefit from a gradual increase in independence before Reception, particularly those who are still developing communication, turn-taking, or confidence with new adults.

The published early years approach is play-based and experiential, combined with focused teaching of basic skills. The emphasis is on planned adult-led moments as well as child-initiated learning, which is a sensible balance for three and four year olds.

On childcare funding, the school sets out how government-funded hours apply locally. It states that three and four year olds can access funded early education and childcare, and that extended 30 hours is available to eligible working families, with eligibility linked to earnings thresholds and certain benefits criteria.

Nursery fees and session costs change over time and are not best handled as a fixed figure in a review. For current nursery pricing, use the school’s own published information.

Pastoral support is described in both safeguarding and behaviour expectations. The school’s safeguarding statement emphasises partnership working with external agencies and staff training. The safeguarding page also names the safeguarding roles within the team, which is often helpful for parents who want clarity on reporting routes.

In day-to-day pupil experience, pupils who need help managing emotions are supported, and pupils are encouraged to reflect on choices and understand how actions affect others. That combination, clear standards plus structured support, often helps behaviour stay consistent across the school.

The latest Ofsted inspection (May 2022) confirmed that the school continues to be Good and that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Extracurricular life has two strands that matter for working families and for pupil development.

First is wraparound care. The school runs Breakfast and After School Clubs under the BLAST banner, based in the Children’s Centre building adjoining Nursery. It is staffed and structured as childcare rather than extra lessons, with activities such as games and arts and crafts, plus snacks provided. This matters because it signals a play-and-care focus, especially valuable for younger pupils after a long day.

Second is enrichment that broadens the curriculum beyond the classroom.

Residential trips

Year 4 has a one-night residential, with examples including YHA Eden Project and OA Surf Club in Bude, with activities that can include team building and surfing. Year 5 has a two-night camp, with examples including Porthpean and Wildwood Escot in Devon, with stays in yurts and activities such as swamp trailing, rope climbing, and orienteering.

Music

Instrumental tuition is available, with the school listing options such as violin, keyboard, drums, flute, and clarinet, supported via the local music service. The school’s music development plan also references a weekly after-school choir open to all year groups, plus performances across the year.

Pupil voice and responsibility

The School Council meets at least half-termly with the headteacher to discuss concerns, initiatives, plans, and safeguarding issues.

Taken together, these activities suggest a school that treats experience as part of learning, not an optional extra. Residentials in particular can be formative for independence and confidence, especially for pupils who have not yet spent time away from home.

The school day begins with doors opening at 8.40am, lessons start at 8.45am, and the day finishes at 3.15pm across early years, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2. Total weekly time is 32.5 hours.

Wraparound care is a clear feature. BLAST sessions run before school from 7.30am, and after school from 3.15pm, with a published price list for different session lengths.

For term dates, the school publishes the Cornwall Council 2025 to 2026 calendar, showing the Autumn, Spring, and Summer term ranges and inset day highlights.

Travel is largely car and bus-led in this area. For rail connections, Redruth station is the nearest mainline station for families travelling in from further afield. Local bus services run through Lanner village, and Transport for Cornwall publishes timetables for routes serving the area.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 57 applications for 23 offers in the available snapshot, competition for Reception places is real. Families should treat the 15 January 2026 deadline as non-negotiable for September 2026 entry.

• High expectations can feel demanding. The school culture emphasises trying your best and meeting ambitious standards, which suits many children well. Pupils who are anxious about performance may need careful reassurance and strong home-school communication.

• Curriculum implementation consistency. External evidence highlights that, at times, learning activities have not always been broken into small enough steps to help pupils remember the intended curriculum as well as possible. Parents may want to ask what has changed since 2022 to improve consistency.

• Nursery does not remove the need to apply. Even if your child attends the nursery, you still need to complete the Reception application through Cornwall’s coordinated system.

Lanner Primary School combines a strongly book-led curriculum with outcomes that sit comfortably above England averages, including at the higher standard. Wraparound care is well defined and integrated into the site, which is a practical strength for many families. Best suited to parents who want a structured, literacy-forward education, and who are ready to engage early with admissions in an oversubscribed market.