Schools by area › Cornwall › St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry
St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Sponsored academy
Downderry, Torpoint PL11 3LF · st-nicolas.cornwall.sch.uk · 01503 250565
On the mapSearch near PL11 3LF
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jul 2024
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 38%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Cornwall 60%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 109
- 4 over 105 places · 104%
- Local authority
- Cornwall
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 8.3%
- First language not English
- 0%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 14 families put the school first and 14 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 15 | 15 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 5 | 4 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 15 | 16 | 1.1▲ | 94% |
Results
In 2024/25, 38% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 8% the higher standard. Across Cornwall it was 60%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼38% | 62% | ||
| ●8% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●106 | 106 | ||
| ●104 | 105 | ||
| ▼100 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 9 July 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 9 Jul 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Improving, ungraded inspection, May 2023
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
May 2023Ungraded inspectionImproving
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Nov 2016Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
What parents said
100% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (12 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 100%
- Replies
- 12
- 11% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 75% who raised concerns
based on 1 parent (8%) whose child was bullied
based on 2 parents (17%) with SEND