Connor Downs Academy, Hayle
Connor Downs Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Hayle, part of Aspire Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 88th-highest of the 209 schools in Cornwall with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cornwall (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Connor Downs Academy in detail
Connor Downs Academy in its own words
In its own words: "Connor Downs Academy creates a caring, nurturing and challenging environment in which all pupils are encouraged to fulfil their potential and are given opportunities to flourish in a wide variety of curricular and extra-curricular interests. We are a learning community that challenges pupils to discover their talents, developing academically, spiritually and socially."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at Connor Downs Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Cornwall and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (81% in reading, 75% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Connor Downs Academy
For September 2026 entry, 15 families put Connor Downs Academy as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 19 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Connor Downs Academy are Gwinear Community Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 63% reading, 69% maths); Bodriggy Academy (1.9 miles, Good, 68% reading, 66% maths); Penpol School (2.4 miles); and Kehelland Village School (2.4 miles, Good, 67% reading, 50% maths).
Connor Downs Academy's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Gwinear Community Primary SchoolBodriggy AcademyPenpol SchoolKehelland Village School
The trust
Connor Downs Academy is one of 38 schools run by Aspire Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Who goes there
3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 29 pupils (17.3%) received SEN support and 5 (3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hayle Rail Station, about 2.3 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Trevere Close (nw-bound), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cornwall (14).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Connor Downs Academy issued 5 suspensions, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from June 2011, 15 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its June 2011 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
19.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 81% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 75% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
24.0
Avg class size
19.0
Infant (KS1)
27.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Connor Downs Academy
Term dates
Connor Downs Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Cornwall's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Connor Downs Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Connor Downs Academy is in Cornwall; for families living there:
- Cornwall's school travel policy: Home to School Travel Assistance Policy 2026/27
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Cornwall is 3 (the median across 299 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Connor Downs Academy
Will you get a place at Connor Downs Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Connor Downs Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Connor Downs Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Connor Downs Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Cornwall, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Connor Downs Academy for 2016 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Cornwall got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
188 pupils
210 places
22 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Hayle
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Hayle
Across Cornwall council
Places available
6,475
Applications
4,732
Got 1st preference
95.9%
Got preferred school
99.6%
All primary applications across Cornwall council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
20.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
168
Total Pupils
101
Boys
67
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
18.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,053
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,330
Per pupil
£1109k
Total funding
£48k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.9%
Overall absence
12.0%
Persistent absence
175
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Connor Downs Academy
What are SATs results like at Connor Downs Academy?
Of the pupils at Connor Downs Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is Connor Downs Academy's Ofsted rating?
Connor Downs Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Connor Downs Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Connor Downs Academy is oversubscribed, Cornwall allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Connor Downs Academy?
Connor Downs Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Connor Downs Academy?
Classes at Connor Downs Academy average 24 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Connor Downs Academy?
Connor Downs Academy has around 168 pupils on roll. 20% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Connor Downs Academy?
4.9% of sessions were missed at Connor Downs Academy in 2024/25. 12% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Connor Downs Academy?
Apply through Cornwall's coordinated admissions process, naming Connor Downs Academy on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Connor Downs Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Cornwall is 3 (the median across 299 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Connor Downs Academy?
Connor Downs Academy is at Mutton Hill, Connor Downs, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 5DH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)