School Chooser

St Stephen Churchtown Academy

Primary · ages 2-11MixedAcademy284 pupilsNurserySt AustellCornwall
School Chooser Score
43
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 22 to 67
Out of 100. Better than 35% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodConfirmed by Ofsted, July 2024
Reached the expected level at 1158%England 63%
Attendance94.4%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families18%A bit fewer than most schools
Places45 spare284 pupils, 329 places
Pupils per teacher31.7School workforce census

St Stephen Churchtown Academy is a sponsored academy in St Austell for boys and girls aged 2 to 11. It has 284 pupils and room for 329. About 18 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, a bit fewer than at most schools. We give it 43 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 35% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2024.

Creakavose, St Stephen, St Austell, PL26 7NZ01726 822568ststephenchurchtown.org.ukMrs Lisa McGinty head teacherAll details

What Ofsted found

A shorter visit on 17 July 2024 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

36 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1158%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level6%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score103.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score103.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 54%54%20172018: 57%57%20182019: 58%58%20192023: 68%68%20232024: 52%52%20242025: 58%58%2025
Since 2017: +4%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017CornwallEngland
Pupils tested364231364246
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths58%52%68%58%57%54%60%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths6%5%3%6%17%4%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score103.0105.0103.0103.0106.0102.0105.4105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score103.0103.0104.0105.0104.0105.0103.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score103.0106.0105.0105.0106.0106.0103.8105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard78%67%77%69%76%63%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard69%76%84%89%67%80%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)75%74%74%81%81%83%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.5-1.0+0.2-0.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.4+0.1-0.4+2.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged55%47%67%33%56%55%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged60%56%68%71%58%54%

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.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 2 of the 3 gaps are smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
55%60%
Gap 5 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
58%59%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%6%
Gap 6 ptsEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Plenty of spare places249 pupils for 315 places, 2024/25
79% full

66 places were empty (21% of the total), so almost everyone who applies gets in. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

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.

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 roll284Census January 2026
Places32986% full
Pupils from low-income families18%18% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English1%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support25%72 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan6%16 pupils with a plan
Average class size26.19 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils22%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)19%£69,750 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls149 / 135
White British pupils97%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 21.8 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 29.6 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (35), Specific learning difficulty (28), emotional and mental health (18), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (2), Hearing impairment (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll284299297292293290
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals18%19%22%24%28%26%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language1%0%0%0%0%0%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support22%29%27%25%23%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans6%6%5%4%3%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 94.4% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance94.4%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school12.6%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils4.02024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission1.7%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence5.6%5.9%6.1%7.6%4.4%3.6%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence4.0%3.6%4.0%6.1%3.3%2.8%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.7%2.3%2.0%1.5%1.1%0.8%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence12.6%14.4%17.5%25.7%10.0%4.8%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate4.04.40.72.11.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions10000

Staff and money

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

Teachers9.0full-time equivalent, 12 people
Pupils per teacher31.7Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants19.4full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£48,857
Teachers who left in the year0%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher10.42024/25

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£6,032England £7,128. Total £1.7m
Income per pupil£7,230England £7,587. Total £2.0m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,011England £3,405
Money in reserve4%Not much put by: £83k, £294 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£338kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,032spent 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 m12412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate52 per 1,000 people43% lower than the England average
Typical house price£289,950Cornwall
Nearest bus stop90 mGlen Vue, 13 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
Foxhole Learning AcademyAcademy1.6 miles83Good 202415Compare
Nanpean Community Primary SchoolAcademy1.9 miles105Report card 20265Compare
Grampound Road Village CofE SchoolAcademy2.7 miles95Good 202317Compare
St Dennis Primary AcademyAcademy2.7 miles187Good 202330Compare
Whitemoor AcademyAcademy2.9 miles108Not inspected41Compare
Grampound-With-Creed CofE Primary SchoolAcademy3.4 miles41Report card 202628Compare
Ladock C of E SchoolAcademy3.4 miles78Not inspected69Compare
Summercourt AcademyAcademy3.5 miles100No overall grade 202568Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Stephen Churchtown Academy with the 48 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 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats35%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 43 is 16 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 1 · middle 59 · highest 98100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 43 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 43% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 22 to 67. 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
-0.06
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 36 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.2 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
+0.07
DfE progress measure; 36 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.03
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%in line
-0.01
2024/25; 238 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%below
-0.07
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 36 pupils
What parents say0%no data

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 St Stephen Churchtown Academy a good school?

It is about average. St Stephen Churchtown Academy scores 43 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 35% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 22 to 67, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Stephen Churchtown Academy's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Stephen Churchtown Academy good at its last full inspection on 17 July 2024.

How good are St Stephen Churchtown Academy's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 58% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 6% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Stephen Churchtown Academy have?

284 pupils aged 2 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 329 places, so it is 86% full.

Is St Stephen Churchtown Academy oversubscribed?

Probably not. 66 places were empty in 2024/25 (21% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

What is attendance like at St Stephen Churchtown Academy?

Pupils were in school 94.4% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 13% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Stephen Churchtown Academy?

The average class had 26.1 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 22% of classes 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
Creakavose, St Stephen, St Austell, PL26 7NZ
Telephone
01726 822568
Website
www.ststephenchurchtown.org.uk
Head Teacher
Mrs Lisa McGinty
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 2-11, with nursery
Gender
Mixed
Multi-academy trust
ASPIRE Academy Trust (38 schools)
Local authority
Cornwall
Ward
St Stephen-in-Brannel
Constituency
St Austell and Newquay
Setting
Larger rural: Further from a major town or city
Opened
1 November 2015 (new provision)
URN
142389 · LAESTAB 9082043 · UKPRN 10054146
Formerly
St Stephen Churchtown Community Primary School

Where these figures come from