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.
Big ambitions in a small setting is the through-line here. St Mellion Church of England Primary School is a village primary with places for ages 3 to 11 and a published capacity of 70, with two class groups spanning Early Years and Key Stage 1, then Key Stage 2.
The school’s public-facing identity is consistent across its website, with a named vision, Bring It!, and explicit Church of England framing. The outdoor nursery offer, led by a dedicated nursery manager, gives families a nursery-to-Reception pathway within the same community.
The most recent inspection confirms the fundamentals are secure, with the school continuing to be judged Good following the May 2023 inspection.
This is a small school by design, and the organisation of daily life reflects that. With only two main class groupings, pupils spend their primary years in a setting where adults and children quickly know one another well, and where older and younger pupils regularly share routines and expectations. The website describes a rural village school with “BIG ambitions”, which is the right lens for parents to use: you are not choosing a large, multi-form campus with year-group scale, you are choosing tight community and high visibility.
The school’s Church of England character is not a badge kept for admissions paperwork, it is used as a guiding framework for what education is for. The site explicitly references the Church of England vision for education and the idea of “life in all its fullness”, so families should expect faith language to appear naturally in assemblies, values work, and wider school culture, while day-to-day teaching remains broad and curriculum-led.
Leadership and staffing are presented in a slightly trust-shaped way. The school website names JJ Wilson as headteacher, and also lists an executive headteacher role within the wider hub structure. For parents, the practical implication is that strategic leadership may be shared across the trust, while day-to-day school life is anchored by the on-site teaching team and the lead teacher role.
Nursery is a meaningful part of the school’s offer, with an outdoor nursery available from age three. The school presents this as an “ambitious and engaging curriculum” for early years, led by the nursery manager, which signals a structured approach rather than childcare-only provision. Nursery fee details should be checked on the nursery website, and eligible families may be able to access government-funded early education hours.
If you are comparing schools locally using FindMySchool tools, treat this as a “look deeper” profile. Visit-day questions matter more than league-table scanning here because the cohort sizes are likely to be small, and small cohorts can make year-to-year performance measures volatile even when teaching is steady.
The school is unusually explicit about its teaching approach for a small primary. The teaching and learning page states that early years uses continuous provision with enhancements alongside focused teaching, and that Key Stage 1 and 2 practice is aligned to Rosenshine’s Principles. That combination points to a structured classroom model: clear explanations, guided practice, retrieval, and routine.
In early years, the Early Years Foundation Stage page describes a Reggio Emilia-inspired environment with zoned areas of learning and carefully chosen resources, alongside a strong emphasis on reading, stories, rhyme, and vocabulary. It also lists concrete elements such as Curiosity Cubes, transient art, and free-flow outdoor play, which helps parents picture the day as practical and hands-on, not screen-led.
A sensible implication for families is that this should suit children who respond well to predictable routines and clear teaching sequences, while still getting play-based early years provision and outdoor learning. If your child needs a very large peer group or lots of parallel classes for social breadth, the small-school model may feel limiting.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
As a primary school, the key transition is into Year 7. The school’s small size means Year 6 cohorts may be modest, so transition work typically focuses on readiness, independence, and confidence, rather than running a large internal “feeder pipeline” to a single destination.
For families planning ahead, the practical route is Cornwall’s coordinated admissions system for secondary transfer, and visiting likely local secondaries early so you understand transport and pastoral fit. If you are considering alternatives outside your nearest options, factor in daily travel time and wraparound logistics, especially for working families.
Admissions for Reception are coordinated by Cornwall Council, not directly by the school. indicates the school was oversubscribed on the primary entry route in the most recent admissions cycle recorded here, with 15 applications for 6 offers, and 2.5 applications per place applications per place.
For September 2026 Reception entry in Cornwall, the published application deadline is 15 January 2026, with national offer day outcomes on 2 March 2026.
Open events are not clearly listed in the accessible pages captured here. If you are applying for 2026 entry, assume open days typically run during the autumn term and confirm dates directly with the school.
Applications
15
Total received
Places Offered
6
Subscription Rate
2.5x
Apps per place
The school’s website places safeguarding front and centre and describes a culture of vigilance, reporting, and trained staff. That is the right emphasis, and parents should expect safeguarding procedures to be clearly explained on request.
The staff list indicates a Designated Safeguarding Lead, a SENDCo, and a specific wraparound care assistant role, which suggests support functions are not treated as an afterthought even in a small setting. In practical terms, that usually means quicker communication loops and fewer layers between families and decision-makers, although capacity can be stretched when staffing is lean.
In a small primary, enrichment often looks different from a large-school menu of dozens of clubs. Here, the distinctive “beyond lessons” picture is strongest in early years and in the school’s emphasis on structured curriculum enrichment.
In EYFS, the school describes hands-on learning structures such as Curiosity Cubes and transient art, plus free-flow outdoor play. The implication is a day that mixes adult-guided teaching with purposeful exploration, which tends to suit children who learn best through talk, making, building, and role play rather than worksheets alone.
Nursery is explicitly positioned as outdoor-led, with a dedicated nursery manager and an “ambitious and engaging curriculum” from age three. For families choosing nursery now with Reception in mind, the continuity of environment and staff familiarity can make the move into Reception feel smoother.
For Key Stage 1 and 2, the curriculum page signposts subject areas including computing, music, physical education, and modern foreign languages through the trust’s shared curriculum resources. In a small school, this kind of trust-backed structure can widen opportunity beyond what a single small staff team could otherwise offer.
This is a state school with no tuition fees.
The accessible pages captured here do not clearly publish the daily start and finish times for the main school day, or confirmed breakfast and after-school club hours. However, a wraparound care assistant role is listed in staffing, suggesting wraparound provision exists in some form. Parents should ask directly about session times, booking patterns, and whether wraparound operates daily or on specific days.
Transport is typically car-based in a rural village context, and families should factor in winter travel and narrow-lane access. If you are commuting into Saltash or Plymouth, test the journey at peak drop-off time before committing.
Small cohort size. The close-knit feel can be a strength, but it also means fewer peers per year group and less social breadth. Children who need a larger friendship pool may find this limiting.
Oversubscription risk. The most recent admissions snapshot provided shows more applicants than offers on the primary entry route. If you are set on this option, understand the published criteria and apply on time.
Leadership structure across the trust. The school presents leadership within a trust and hub model. This can bring shared expertise, but families who prefer a fully standalone local school identity should check how decisions are made and who leads day to day.
Wraparound specifics need confirming. A wraparound role is listed, but hours and availability are not clearly published in the pages captured here. Working families should verify the practicalities early.
St Mellion Church of England Primary School will suit families who value a small village setting, clear Christian framing, and an early years offer that leans into outdoor learning and purposeful play. The school’s teaching approach is described in structured terms, and the latest inspection confirms a secure baseline.
Best suited to pupils who thrive in a close community with consistent routines, and to families who want nursery-to-primary continuity in a rural setting. The main hurdle for some will be admissions competitiveness and the practicalities of wraparound and transport, which are worth checking early.
The latest inspection confirmed the school continues to be good. For parents, that typically indicates a school where safeguarding, teaching expectations, and day-to-day routines are working reliably.
Primary admissions are coordinated by Cornwall Council and places are allocated using published oversubscription criteria.
Yes. The school offers an outdoor nursery from age three, led by a nursery manager. Nursery fee details should be checked on the nursery website, and eligible families may be able to use government-funded early education hours.
Applications are made through Cornwall Council. For September 2026 entry, the published deadline is 15 January 2026, with outcomes on 2 March 2026.
A wraparound care assistant role is listed on the school’s staffing page, which indicates wraparound provision exists in some form. The exact hours and days are not clearly published in the pages captured here, so families should confirm availability directly with the school.
Get in touch with the school directly
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