Garras Community Primary School, Helston

Ofsted's report card from its 3 March 2026 inspection grades Garras Community Primary School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise ensuring pupils develop secure reading skills."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance rates are consistently above the national average."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "The curriculum is well designed."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children in the early years learn in a nurturing, happy environment."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have built a culture of inclusion through high‑quality teaching, thoughtful adjustments and well‑planned staff support."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have grown the school into a thriving, popular setting with stable pupil numbers."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have designed a comprehensive and well‑planned personal development and wellbeing programme."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to develop staff expertise to ensure teachers have the knowledge and skills necessary to teach all areas of the curriculum with the same level of skill and confidence"; "Leaders should ensure staff expectations of pupils' behaviour and what they can achieve are consistently high, so that pupils develop high levels of resilience and self-discipline, and achieve as well as possible across the curriculum".

In its own words: "A very warm welcome to Garras Community Primary School, part of the Crofty Education Trust. We are situated on the Lizard Peninsula, south of Helston. My name is Mr James Sturges, and I am proud to be the Headteacher of this wonderful school."

The school runs after-school care until 4:15pm.

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at Garras Community Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 92% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Cornwall and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 88% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 12 families put Garras Community Primary School as their first choice and 24 named it as one of their preferences, for 12 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Garras Community Primary School are Boskenwyn Community Primary School (2.8 miles, Good, 67% reading, 47% maths); Nansloe Academy (3 miles, Good, 75% reading, 75% maths); St Michael's Church of England Primary School (3 miles, Good, 74% reading, 65% maths); and Parc Eglos School (3.4 miles, Requires improvement, 67% reading, 67% maths).

Garras Community Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

Garras Community Primary School is one of 18 schools run by Crofty Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

38 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Garras Community Primary School (as of April 2026): 74% would recommend the school, 66% say their child is happy there and 8% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (79%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (8%).

8.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 7 pupils (11.3%) received SEN support and 4 (6.5%) 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.

Garras Community Primary School had 5 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Garras Community Primary School.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is War Memorial (s-bound), 190 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 2 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cornwall (14).

Garras Community Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.