School Chooser

Garras Community Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademy62 pupilsHelstonCornwall
School Chooser Score
41
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 12 to 79, so it could be “below”
Out of 100. Better than 55% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedAs expected teachingOfsted report card, March 2026
Reached the expected level at 1167%England 63%
Attendance96.0%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families8%Far fewer than most schools
Parents would recommend74%38 Parent View responses
Places1 spare62 pupils, 63 places

Garras Community Primary School is a converter academy in Helston for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 62 pupils and room for 63. About 8 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 41 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 55% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted visited in March 2026 and gave it a report card, which is below.

St Keverne Road, Mawgan, Helston, TR12 6AY01326 221653garras.croftymat.orgMr James Sturges executive headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted visited on 3 March 2026. Instead of one overall word, it now gives a grade for each part of school life. Read the full report on Ofsted's website.

TeachingOfsted calls this “curriculum and teaching”
As expected
Achievement
As expected
Behaviour and attendanceOfsted calls this “attendance and behaviour”
As expected
Support for every childOfsted calls this “inclusion”
As expected
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development and wellbeing”
As expected
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and governance”
As expected
Early years
As expected
SafeguardingAre pupils kept safe?
Pupils are kept safe
Met
Ofsted's scale:ExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement

Ofsted says these new grades can't be lined up against the old one-word grades.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
29 September 2021UngradedSchool remains Good

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

12 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.

Reached the expected level at 1167%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score107.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 88%88%20172018: 50%50%20182019: 75%75%20192023: 33%33%20232024: 63%63%20242025: 67%67%2025
Since 2017: -21%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017†CornwallEngland
Pupils tested1289888
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths67%63%33%75%50%88%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%13%11%25%13%0%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0107.0106.0108.0104.0105.0105.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score107.0100.098.0105.0100.0103.0103.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score105.0101.099.0104.0102.0107.0103.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard75%88%89%88%88%100%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard92%63%44%88%63%88%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)75%63%56%75%75%88%
Reading progressReading progress score+2.0-1.4-1.6-2.3
Maths progressMaths progress score-5.2-0.9-4.1-3.6
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged88%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

† These results are for Garras Community Primary School, the school this one replaced in June 2017. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Nearly full66 pupils for 67 places, 2024/25
99% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have grown by 6% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Cornwall council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school74%England 87%
My child is happy here66%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe79%
Positive overall68%
My child is happy at this school
66%England 89%
My child feels safe at this school
79%England 90%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
74%England 83%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
34% yesEngland 18%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
8%England 50%
My child gets the right support to learn well
71%England 85%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
37% yesEngland 26%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
57%England 71%
The school communicates well with me
74%England 80%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
61%England 69%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
66%England 82%
I would recommend this school
74%England 87%
Overall view of the school is positive
68%England 82%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 38 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for primary schools with enough answers to publish.

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll62Census January 2026
Places6398% full
Pupils from low-income families8%8% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English2%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support11%7 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan7%4 pupils with a plan
Average class size20.73 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)8%£7,750 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls36 / 26
White British pupils90%

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (6), Autistic spectrum disorder (1), Hearing impairment (1), Other difficulty or disability (1), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (1), emotional and mental health (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll626663656462
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals8%8%8%11%9%10%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language2%2%2%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support9%5%9%6%5%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans8%5%3%3%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.0% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.0%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school1.8%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.0%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.0%3.8%3.5%5.2%2.8%4.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.0%2.7%2.6%3.8%2.6%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.0%1.1%0.9%1.4%0.2%1.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence1.8%1.8%1.9%10.5%3.6%10.0%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers4.0full-time equivalent, 5 people
Pupils per teacher15.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants3.6full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,724
Teachers who left in the year26%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.02024/25

Money

From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£8,576England £7,128. Total £566k
Income per pupil£9,742England £7,587. Total £643k
Spent on teachers per pupil£6,045England £3,405
Money in reserve5%Not much put by: £31k, £472 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£77kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£8,576spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate47 per 1,000 people49% lower than the England average
Typical house price£289,950Cornwall
Nearest bus stop180 mWar Memorial, 6 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Boskenwyn Community Primary SchoolFoundation2.9 miles102Good 202213Compare
Nansloe AcademyAcademy3.0 miles233Report card 202644Compare
St Michael's Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy3.0 miles330Not inspected22Compare
Parc Eglos SchoolAcademy3.4 miles398Requires improvement 20247Compare
Mullion Primary SchoolAcademy3.5 miles132No overall grade 202528Compare
Constantine Primary SchoolAcademy3.6 miles155Good 202469Compare
Manaccan Primary SchoolAcademy3.9 miles32Requires improvement 20244Compare
Wendron Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy4.4 miles105No overall grade 202589Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares Garras Community Primary School with the 40 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 40 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats55%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the upper half of its group. Its score of 41 is about the same as the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 3 · middle 39 · highest 100100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 41 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 41% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 12 to 79. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%in line
-0.07
2025 results; 12 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%below
-0.12
Ofsted report card, 0.5 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.03
Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 12 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
0.00
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.09
2024/25; 57 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
+0.01
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 12 pupils
What parents say5%below
-0.05
Ofsted's Parent View survey, allowing for how many parents replied; 38 responses

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is Garras Community Primary School a good school?

It is about average. Garras Community Primary School scores 41 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 55% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 12 to 79, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is Garras Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted no longer gives schools one overall grade. When it visited on 3 March 2026 it rated teaching as as expected, achievement as as expected, behaviour and attendance as as expected, leadership as as expected.

How good are Garras Community Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 67% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.

How many pupils does Garras Community Primary School have?

62 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 63 places, so it is 98% full.

Is Garras Community Primary School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at Garras Community Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.0% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 2% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

What do parents say about Garras Community Primary School?

74% of the 38 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 66% say their child is happy there. Across England, 87% of parents would recommend their child's school.

How big are the classes at Garras Community Primary School?

The average class had 20.7 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
St Keverne Road, Mawgan, Helston, TR12 6AY
Telephone
01326 221653
Website
garras.croftymat.org
Executive Headteacher
Mr James Sturges
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
Crofty Education Trust (18 schools)
Local authority
Cornwall
Ward
Helston South & Meneage
Constituency
St Ives
Setting
Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 June 2017 (academy converter)
URN
143975 · LAESTAB 9082114 · UKPRN 10062524
Formerly
Garras Community Primary School

Where these figures come from