Cornwood Church of England Primary School

About Cornwood Church of England Primary School

Cornwood Church of England Primary School is a small state primary in South Hams, Devon, and the numbers tell a clear story about how local families view it. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 15 applications for 12 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.25, and all 12 first-preference applicants were offered a spot. That means while the school is technically oversubscribed, competition isn't fierce — every family who put it first got in. ParentView data isn't available here, so we can't draw on the usual recommendation percentages, but the admission figures suggest a steady, local demand rather than a scramble. With just 73 pupils on roll against a capacity of 105, there's also plenty of room to grow. The school is led by headteacher Leanne Penhallurick and has a Church of England character, which may appeal to families looking for a faith-based setting within the state system.

Academically, the picture is more mixed. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, just 29% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well below the Devon local authority average of 57%. The school's ranking reflects this: it sits at the very bottom of the 35 primary schools in South Hams, and in the bottom 4% nationally. Looking at individual subjects, 50% met the expected standard in writing, 43% in maths, and 36% in reading. No pupils achieved the higher standard in any of the three subjects. The most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, rated the school Requires Improvement overall, with leadership and management and quality of education both flagged as requiring improvement. On the positive side, behaviour and attitudes and personal development were both judged Good, and the previous inspection in 2012 had rated the school Good overall, so the drop is recent.

For families considering Cornwood, the practical offer is worth weighing up. The school provides a Forest School, art studios, playing fields, a chapel, and a dining hall, plus clubs including eco club, coding, science club, gardening, chess and art club. Sports on offer are tennis, football, athletics and rounders. SEND support is available for social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication, and other difficulties or disabilities. With a free school meal rate of 23.3%, the school serves a relatively mixed catchment. This is a small, community-focused primary that will suit families who value a personal, faith-linked environment and are comfortable with the current academic challenges. It's not a high-performing choice by the numbers, but for those who prioritise behaviour, personal development and a broad range of activities, it may still be a good fit.

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