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St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry | Ofsted Ratings, Reviews, Exam Results & Admission 2026
St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry
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St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry
- Primary
- Deviock PL11 3LF
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Ofsted report
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| The quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years provision | Outstanding |
| Previous inspection grade | Good |
Quick insights from ofsted Powered by AI
This insight was generated by AI, based on latest Ofsted report.
Foundational Skills: Reading is the centrepiece with high outcomes in phonics screening and national tests.
Success of the Curriculum: Curriculum typically implemented well; pupils enthusiastic about learning like the Mayans.
Areas Needing Improvement: In some subjects, expectations need to be higher to improve knowledge retention.
Performance in Maths & Reading: High outcomes in reading and adaptations made in maths to strengthen skills.
Support for Falling Behind: Quick help for those struggling in phonics; more needed on spelling and handwriting.
Behaviour and Attitudes: Culture of mutual respect; pupils self-motivated; bullying not an issue.
Support for SEND Pupils: Adapted well to increased SEND pupils; ensuring they access broad curriculum.
Managing Bullying and Pupil Safety: Bullying not an issue; pupils understand differences and support needs.
Promotion of Welfare and Safety: Safeguarding arrangements effective.
Parent Feedback: Majority praise school and head for approachability and outdoor learning.
Parental Involvement: Parents value support for families and children beyond academics.
Extracurricular Activities: Rich range including gardening, dance, beach club; enhances leadership and talent.
Outdoor Facilities: Beachfront extends classroom, used for extracurriculars.
Teacher Engagement: New leadership transition smooth; trust supports staff settling into roles.
Impact on Student Progress: Effective curriculum planning helps maintain high-quality education.
Assessment of Teaching Quality: Regular checks by governors ensure teaching quality.
Teaching Staff Challenges: Expectations in some subjects need raising for better long-term retention.
Historical Ofsted reports
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About Us
St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry is a Primary, Co-Ed, Church of England school located in Cornwall County, South West.
It has 105 students from age 3-11 yr with a student-teacher ratio of 25 : 1.
At this school, 45% of pupils achieved higher standard in reading, writing & maths at key stage 2.
This school rated Good by recent Ofsted inspection.
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St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry
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From the St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry
Each week, we focus on one of these 12 Christian Values during Collective Worship, listening to Bible stories while we discuss and consider how these tales remind and instruct us on how to coexist peacefully. The "Open the Book" team also teaches these Values to the kids by bringing Bible stories to life via theatre. Our JWT (Junior Worship Team) has been conducting a collective worship act and teaching us about these crucial Values more recently. For every Christian Value, kids have also invented a "superhero," along with tales of how these heroes live out their values.
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Compare with similar schools
| Phase of Education | Primary | Primary | Primary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Academies | Academies | Academies |
| Snobe grade |
C
|
-
|
B-
|
| Ofset report | Good | - | Good |
| Age range | 3-11 | 3-11 | 4-11 |
| Gender | Co-Ed | Co-Ed | Co-Ed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student teacher ratio | 25 | - | 16.4 |
| Proficient Math | 103 | - | 103 |
| Proficient Read | 109 | - | 103 |
| Grade 5 or above GCSE | - | - | - |
| Grade 5 or above A Level | - | - | - |
| Day Fees | - | - | - |
Primary Exam Result
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 103 | 94 | 97 |
| Reading | 109 | 96 | 98 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 45% | 52.78% | 55.96% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 9% | 6.36% | 7.42% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 4.3 | Well Above Average |
| Writing | 2 | Above Average |
| Maths | -1.5 | Below Average |
Exam Result Not Published
Due to the pandemic 2020, 2021 and 2022 Primary school exam
results were not published at school level.
Exam Result Not Published
Due to the pandemic 2020, 2021 and 2022 Primary school exam
results were not published at school level.
Exam Result Not Published
Due to the pandemic 2020, 2021 and 2022 Primary school exam
results were not published at school level.
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 105 4 | 94 | 96 |
| Reading | 108 1 | 95 | 95 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 71% 4 | 55.91% | 60.44% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 14% 5 | 7.9% | 9.72% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 3.0 | Above Average |
| Writing | 1.3 | Above Average |
| Maths | 0.1 | Average |
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 109 9 | 97 | 94 |
| Reading | 109 6 | 98 | 95 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 75% 58 | 56.91% | 59.51% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 19% | 8.93% | 9.16% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 2.4 | Above Average |
| Writing | -1.5 | Below Average |
| Maths | 2.8 | Above Average |
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 100 | 90 | 93 |
| Reading | 103 | 91 | 93 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 17% | 51.66% | 56.29% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 0% | 7.54% | 8.19% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | -1.1 | Below Average |
| Writing | -6.7 | Well Below Average |
| Maths | -3.9 | Below Average |
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St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry Rankings
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Admission
Holidays & terms
Holidays 2024/25
| Holidays | Date |
|---|---|
| Autumn Half Term Holidays | 28th Oct 2024 - 1st Nov 2024 |
| Winter Holidays | 23rd Dec 2024 - 3rd Jan 2025 |
| Spring Half Term Holidays | 17th Feb 2025 - 21st Feb 2025 |
| Spring Holidays | 7th Apr 2025 - 21st Apr 2025 |
| Summer Half Term Holidays | 26th May 2025 - 30th May 2025 |
| Summer Holidays | 24th Jul 2025 - 29th Aug 2025 |
Terms Dates 2024/25
| Terms | Dates |
|---|---|
| Autumn Term | 3rd Sep 2024 - 27th Oct 2024 |
| Autumn Term-2 | 2nd Nov 2024 - 22nd Dec 2024 |
| Spring Term | 4th Jan 2025 - 16th Feb 2025 |
| Spring Term-2 | 22nd Feb 2025 - 6th Apr 2025 |
| Summer Term | 22nd Apr 2025 - 25th May 2025 |
| Summer Term-2 | 31st May 2025 - 23rd Jul 2025 |
Students Teachers
25 : 1
Student teacher ratio at St Nicolas' CofE VA School, Downderry
Local authority ratio 18 : 1