Altarnun Primary School

About Altarnun Primary School

If you're looking for a small village primary where parents are overwhelmingly positive, Altarnun Primary School in Cornwall presents a compelling picture. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering the period up to September 2025, every single one of the 11 respondents said they would recommend the school. That's a 100% recommend rate, which is as good as it gets. The feedback on specific areas is equally strong: 100% of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy and feels safe, with 73% strongly agreeing on safety. The school was oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake, receiving 8 applications for its 6 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.33. All 6 first-preference applicants were offered a place, suggesting that while it's popular locally, it's not impossible to get into. Headteacher Lynsey Slater leads a school of just 51 pupils, well under its capacity of 84, which means class sizes are small and children are likely to get plenty of individual attention.

Academically, Altarnun has been on an upward trajectory. Its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2020, rated the school Good overall, with every category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and personal development all marked as Good. This is a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in September 2017, when the school was rated Requires Improvement. An ungraded inspection in June 2025 confirmed that standards have been maintained. While specific Key Stage 2 SATs results aren't available in the data, the local authority average for KS2 attainment in Cornwall is 58, and the school's strong Ofsted record suggests it is performing well. The school's small size means results can fluctuate year to year, but the consistent Good rating across recent inspections is a solid indicator of quality. With only 8 schools in Cornwall rated Outstanding out of 235 primary schools, a Good rating here puts Altarnun in a strong position.

For families, the practical setup is appealing. The school offers a range of facilities including a library, art studios, a sensory room, and a sports hall, plus clubs like chess, choir, science, book club, gardening, and drama. Sports on offer include cricket, athletics, netball, gymnastics, and swimming. The school has identified SEND provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health, and speech language and communication needs, though the Parent View data shows no responses from parents of SEND children, so it's hard to gauge how those provisions are working in practice. With 21.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed catchment. It's a non-religious, mixed state primary for ages 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form. This is a school that suits families who value a close-knit, rural setting where parents are highly engaged and the school has a track record of improvement.

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