St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth, Falmouth
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Falmouth, part of Plymouth Cast. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 9 schools in Falmouth with published results, and 10,359th of 14,452 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cornwall (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth in detail
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth in its own words
In its own words: "“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds.”"
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Cornwall and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 88% in reading and 97% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth
For September 2026 entry, 29 families put St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth as their first choice and 68 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth are St Francis CofE Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 67% reading, 74% maths); Marlborough School (0.5 miles, Good, 83% reading, 80% maths); Falmouth Primary Academy (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 78% maths); and King Charles Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 80% reading, 83% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth.
St Francis CofE Primary SchoolMarlborough SchoolFalmouth Primary AcademyKing Charles Church of England Primary School
The trust
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth is one of 34 schools run by Plymouth Cast, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 51% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
60 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 46% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (46%).
Who goes there
8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Penmere Rail Station, about 520 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Mongleath Avenue (s-bound), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 147 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cornwall (14), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth are Falmouth School (0.6 miles) and Penryn College (1.6 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Mary's is a wonderfully inclusive school where every child feels valued and safe. Reading is a real strength, with skilled staff helping all pupils become fluent readers who love books. The school balances excellent academic results with enriching experiences that build children's independence, resilience and personal development.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes - pupils are kind, respectful and show impeccable manners
- Strong reading provision at the heart of the curriculum - children learn to read early and develop a love of reading
- Broad and rich curriculum with high expectations - pupils build knowledge year on year in core subjects
- Inclusive culture where all pupils, including those with SEND, thrive and feel they can be themselves
- Excellent pupil attendance and strong friendships through the school buddy system
Areas for Improvement
- Some learning activities, including in early years, do not deepen pupils' understanding sufficiently - staff need better guidance on designing activities that enable pupils to know, remember and do more
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff demonstrating a strong commitment to keeping pupils safe and pupils feeling confident that trusted adults will support them.
Extracurricular Activities
Tag rugby, running, art, netball, residential visits, London trip
St Mary's Catholic Primary School is an inclusive school where kindness and high expectations thrive. Published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics exceed national averages, and pupils display exemplary behaviour and attitudes.
At a Glance
8.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
60 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 88% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 97% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 91% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.2
Avg class size
22.5
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth
Term dates
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth 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
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
1 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 St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth
Will you get a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Cornwall, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth for 2015 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
183 pupils
210 places
27 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Falmouth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Falmouth
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
16.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
187
Total Pupils
101
Boys
86
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
20.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,588
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,173
Per pupil
£1053k
Total funding
£26k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.6%
Overall absence
13.4%
Persistent absence
172
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth
Questions parents ask about St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth
What are SATs results like at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
Of the pupils at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 70% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% did so in maths.
What is St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth's Ofsted rating?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
No fixed boundary. When St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth is oversubscribed, Cornwall allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
Classes at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth average 26.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth has around 187 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
4.6% of sessions were missed at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth in 2024/25. 13.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
Apply through Cornwall's coordinated admissions process, naming St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth 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 St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 1 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 St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth?
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Falmouth is at Mongleath Road, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4PW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)