Port Isaac Academy, Port Isaac

Ofsted's report card from its 21 April 2026 inspection grades Port Isaac Academy on 7 areas: 3 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have a robust and rigorous approach to attendance."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise children in the early years getting off to a secure start to their education."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school has a well-considered programme to support pupils' personal development and wellbeing."

Achievement - Needs attention. "There is too much variability in how well some pupils learn the curriculum."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Many pupils have gaps in their knowledge due to historic weaknesses in the teaching of the curriculum."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "The school has systems in place to identify barriers to learning that pupils may face."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Since the school joined the trust, leaders have guided the school through a period of change."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders, including the trust, need to continue to provide robust support and challenge of the school checking the impact of this work so that this leads to rapid and sustained improvements"; "Leaders should develop staff expertise in supporting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and check with rigour that curriculum adaptations and targeted support closely match what pupils need to learn the curriculum securely"; "Leaders should raise expectations further of what pupils can achieve and ensure staff check carefully how well pupils are learning the curriculum so that pupils build their knowledge securely across subjects"; "Leaders need to ensure that pupils with significant gaps in handwriting, spelling and punctuation are given the support they need to become accurate and fluent writers across the curriculum".

In 2024, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Port Isaac Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 44% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 70% in Cornwall and 76% and 74% across England.

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

For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Port Isaac Academy as their first choice and 7 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 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 Port Isaac Academy are St Kew Academy (2.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 70% maths); St Teath Community Primary School (3.9 miles, Good, 83% reading, 83% maths); St Minver School (4 miles, Good, 62% reading, 85% maths); and Delabole Primary School (4.6 miles, Good, 50% reading, 63% maths).

Port Isaac Academy is one of 16 schools run by Cornwall Education Learning Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 64% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 11 pupils (21.2%) received SEN support and 1 (1.9%) 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 a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

Port Isaac Academy had 4 teachers in 2026, one for every 12 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 Port Isaac Academy.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mayfield Road (nw-bound), 50 metres away.

In 2024/25, Port Isaac Academy issued 1 suspension, 1.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.