Cubert Primary School

About Cubert Primary School

Cubert Primary School is a state primary in Cornwall that clearly appeals to local families, with 35 applications for 25 places in the 2025/26 admissions round — an oversubscription ratio of 1.4. Of those 35 applicants, 24 put the school as their first preference, and 24 first-preference offers were made, meaning every family who wanted it most got a spot. That level of demand is a strong signal from the community, especially given the school's current Ofsted rating. There is no parent-view survey data available to back that up further, but the numbers speak for themselves: parents are actively choosing Cubert. The school is led by interim head Francesca Humberstone and serves 173 pupils against a capacity of 210, so there is some room to grow. It is a mixed, non-religious primary for ages 4 to 11, with no nursery or sixth form provision.

Academically, the picture is more mixed. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, Cubert was rated Requires Improvement overall, a drop from its previous Good rating in 2013. The inspection found that quality of education, early years provision, personal development, and leadership and management all require improvement, while behaviour and attitudes were rated Good. No specific exam results — such as Key Stage 2 SATs scores or a Progress 8 figure — are available in the data, so it is not possible to compare directly against the Cornwall local authority average of 58% for KS2 attainment. However, the Ofsted breakdown suggests that while behaviour is a strength, the school is still working on the core teaching and curriculum areas. For context, only 8 out of 235 primary schools in Cornwall are rated Outstanding, and the nearest one, Trenance Learning Academy, is 4.1 km away.

On the practical side, Cubert offers a decent range of facilities including a forest school, sports hall, playing fields, and a chapel, plus clubs like drama, science club, and choir. Sports on offer include dance, netball, gymnastics, rounders, and swimming. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder — so it is set up to support a range of additional needs. With 11% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the intake is slightly below the national average for primary schools. This is a school that local families clearly want, despite its current Ofsted rating, and it may suit those who value the forest school and outdoor play opportunities, as well as a strong behaviour culture. The interim leadership suggests a period of transition, so it is worth keeping an eye on how the school develops.

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