St Mary's Catholic School, Penzance
Peverell Road, Penzance, TR18 2ATOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Mary's Catholic School, Penzance is a primary school in Penzance for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 295 schools in Cornwall. It ranks 13th of 18 primary schools in Penzance. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2018.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 2 October 2018, report published 1 November 2018
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 10 December 2024
Pupils know the school rules of 'be ready, respectful and safe' well. These thread through their actions and learning. Staff build warm and supportive relationships with pupils. The kindness and friendships that develop in the early years continue throughout the school. Consequently, pupils feel safe and valued. The school has high expectations of pupils' achievement. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils know what they need to learn and embrace mistakes as a learning opportunity. Pupils make rapid gains, often from very low starting points. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well. Most pupils behave sensibly in classrooms and around the school. Pupils who sometimes struggle to manage their feelings and behaviour receive individual help from staff. Playtimes are calm and safe. Pupils enjoy the range of equipment, such as basketballs and hula hoops, that they select from the 'huff puff' container. Pupils are proud of the positions of leadership they hold in the school. The GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) team take part in litter picks and make Christmas cards to send to members of the local residential care home.
What the school should improve
- The key knowledge the school wants pupils to learn in some wider curriculum subjects is not precisely identified. This means that, in those few subjects, some pupils have gaps in what they know and remember. The school needs to ensure that in all subjects, pupils have access to an ambitious curriculum that helps them to build a rich body of knowledge and achieve highly.
- In a few subjects, checks that staff make on pupils' learning do not identify whether pupils have learned the curriculum as intended. As a result, some pupils continue in their learning with gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that assessment is used consistently in order to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge and inform subsequent teaching.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
24 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
139 pupils on roll, with places for 210
Schools near St Mary's Catholic School, Penzance
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pensans Community Primary School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | 50% met the expected standard |
| Gulval School | 0.7 miles | Ofsted: Good | 75% met the expected standard |
| St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 40% met the expected standard |
| Heamoor Community Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 47% met the expected standard |
| Alverton Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Good | 77% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- PLYMOUTH CAST
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Miss Nichola Teixeira
- Phone
- 01736330005
- Address
- Peverell Road, Penzance, TR18 2AT
- Local authority
- Cornwall
- URN
- 140778
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.