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Sandy Hill Academy

Cornwall, PL25 3ATPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Outstanding
Jan 2023
KS2 Results
71%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
68 1st-choice / 59 places
Ranking
#3,998
of 13,686 nationally

About Sandy Hill Academy

Sandy Hill Academy is a state primary school in Cornwall that is significantly oversubscribed, a clear signal of its local reputation. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, the school received 165 applications for just 59 places, with 68 of those applicants listing it as their first preference. This demand is particularly striking given the school’s capacity of 252 pupils, yet it currently has 459 on roll — a figure that suggests it is operating well beyond its official capacity, likely due to its nursery provision and popularity across year groups. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 18.5%, which is above the national average for primary schools and indicates a genuinely mixed intake. The school is non-denominational, with no religious character, and is led by headteacher Jack Walker. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in 2023, confirmed that the school remains Outstanding, a rating it has held since at least its last graded inspection in 2017.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterDoes not apply
AddressSandy Hill, St Austell, Cornwall, PL25 3AT
HeadteacherJack Walker
Local AuthorityCornwall
Number of Pupils459
Free School Meals (FSM)18.5%
School Capacity459 / 252 (182% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

18 Jan 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

Latest monitoring visit (18 Jan 2023): School remains Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 23 Mar 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
LibraryPlaying FieldsArt StudiosDining HallSensory RoomICT SuiteOutdoor PlaygroundChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

9

Sports

AthleticsSwimmingRoundersCricketDance

Clubs & Activities

DramaEco ClubFilm ClubChoir

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:15

After-school care

15:00-17:30

Source: sandyhill.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sandy Hill Academy

Sandy Hill Academy has been rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted. This means the school provides an exceptional quality of education, and pupils thrive both academically and personally.