Knowle Primary School, Plymouth

Ofsted's report card from its 20 January 2026 inspection grades Knowle Primary School on 7 areas: 2 strong standard and 5 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Strong standard. "Staff know the children, and their needs, exceptionally well."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "Inclusion is central to all areas of the school's work."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders, including those responsible for governance, are relentless in their ambition to secure high attendance for all pupils."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Pupils learn a broad and balanced curriculum."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are determined that all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, are happy and successful, and that they can access all available opportunities at school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school's personal development programme is comprehensive."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "• Leaders should continue to develop the school's positive work around improving pupils' attendance, so that pupil absence from school continues to reduce. • Leaders should ensure that staff identify gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge with more consistency, particularly in handwriting and number formation, model their high expectations and provide frequent opportunities for practice, so that these gaps close quickly. • Leaders should support pupils to further deepen the knowledge they learn from the personal development curriculum and to retain this knowledge successfully over time".

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Knowle Primary School, ' every child matters, every moment counts. ' This is the philosophy that underpins every decision and action we take in school. We are passionate about creating the very best educational environment for every child so that they can achieve their potential."

The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at Knowle Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Plymouth and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 68% in reading and 72% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 32 families put Knowle Primary School as their first choice and 47 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 4 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to Knowle Primary School are Ernesettle Community School (0.3 miles, Outstanding, 85% reading, 82% maths); St Peter's RC Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 65% reading, 59% maths); Shakespeare Primary School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, 65% reading, 54% maths); and St Budeaux CofE Primary Academy (0.7 miles, 69% reading, 50% maths).

Knowle Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Knowle Primary School is one of 18 schools run by Learning Academies Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

32 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Knowle Primary School (as of April 2026): 88% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (94%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).

53.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 6.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 59 pupils (21.5%) received SEN support and 7 (2.5%) 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.

Knowle Primary School had 16 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is St Budeaux Victoria Road Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.

13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ringmore Way West (e-bound), 100 metres away.

In 2024/25, Knowle Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 3.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The secondary schools closest to Knowle Primary School are Marine Academy Plymouth (0.8 miles), Sir John Hunt Community Sports College (0.9 miles) and All Saints Church of England Academy (1 mile).