St Francis CofE Primary School, Falmouth

Ofsted's report card from its 12 May 2026 inspection grades St Francis CofE Primary School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard, 5 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Early years - Strong standard. "Children get off to a highly positive start to their education."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils typically learn the curriculum well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching across the school."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "The school has effective systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "The trust, including those responsible for governance, has supported the school well to navigate a period of turbulence that involved staffing and leadership instability."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have developed a broad personal development and wellbeing programme."

Attendance and behaviour - Needs attention. "Leaders have a detailed understanding of attendance trends and patterns, including for those pupils who are persistently absent."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff consistently uphold high expectations for behaviour and address any remaining concerns about bullying promptly and effectively"; "Leaders should continue to strengthen relationships with parents and carers, ensuring that concerns are addressed promptly to support effective partnership working"; "Leaders should continue to develop staff expertise in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that the curriculum and support is consistently matched well to what pupils know and can do".

Coming up: an open day on Wednesday 25 November 2026 at 9.30am and an open day on Wednesday 2 December 2026 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at St Francis CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 74% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Cornwall and 77% and 75% across England.

Results fell from 73% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 32 families put St Francis CofE Primary School as their first choice and 89 named it as one of their preferences, for 36 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Francis CofE Primary School are St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth (0.2 miles, Requires improvement, 70% reading, 70% maths); Marlborough School (0.7 miles, Good, 83% reading, 80% maths); Falmouth Primary Academy (0.8 miles, Good, 81% reading, 78% maths); and King Charles Church of England Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 80% reading, 83% maths).

St Francis CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

St Francis CofE Primary School is one of 21 schools run by Kernow Learning Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

13.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 86 pupils (21.7%) received SEN support and 5 (1.3%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Penmere Rail Station, about 820 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Poolfield Way (outside), 80 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 101 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cornwall (14), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St Francis CofE Primary School issued 30 suspensions, 7.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to St Francis CofE Primary School are Falmouth School (0.5 miles) and Penryn College (1.5 miles).