Community school · Plymouth

Pennycross Primary School

4–11Ages
402Pupils
PrimaryPhase
113297URN

Arden Grove, Pennycross, Plymouth, PL2 3RL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

0.3 above Plymouth median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Plymouth

108 applications for 52 places · 17th of 58 in Plymouth

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

82%met the expected standard

Plymouth 64% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 28 April 2026Published 9 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years		Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

28 April 2026
Report card · 7 Expected standard
18 November 2021
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.1applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Plymouth median (1.8) close to England median (2.2)

108 applications · 52 places offered · 50 named it first

2026 2.1; Plymouth median median 1.8
2025 2.2; Plymouth median median 1.9
2024 2.4; Plymouth median median 2.0
2023 2.3; Plymouth median median 2.1
2022 3.0; Plymouth median median 2.0
2021 2.1; Plymouth median median 1.9
2020 2.1; Plymouth median median 2.0
2019 2.1; Plymouth median median 2.1
2018 2.4; Plymouth median median 2.1
2017 2.1; Plymouth median median 2.2
2016 1.5; Plymouth median median 2.2
2015 1.8; Plymouth median median 2.4
2014 2.2; Plymouth median median 2.2

This school
Plymouth median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	52	108	2.1	50	0.96
Sep 2025	50	112	2.2	45	0.90
Sep 2024	60	143	2.4	58	0.97
Sep 2023	60	140	2.3	54	0.90
Sep 2022	38	113	3.0	33	0.87
Sep 2021	60	124	2.1	57	0.95
Sep 2020	57	120	2.1	55	0.96
Sep 2019	57	122	2.1	51	0.89
Sep 2018	39	94	2.4	34	0.87
Sep 2017	41	86	2.1	36	0.88
Sep 2016	57	86	1.5	29	0.51
Sep 2015	45	81	1.8	28	0.62
Sep 2014	45	97	2.2	36	0.80

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 87% · Writing 83% · Maths 88% → all three 82% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard82%7th of 65 in Plymouth

Plymouth 64% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard87%

Plymouth 76% England 78%

Higher standard52%

Plymouth 29% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard83%

Plymouth 74% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Plymouth 12% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard88%

Plymouth 75% England 77%

Higher standard47%

Plymouth 25% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Plymouth median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	82%	12%	108	108
2023/24	46%	4%	102	101
2022/23	55%	2%	102	103

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Pennycross Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.1applications per place 82%met the SATs standard
Montpelier Primary School
0.6 km · Plymouth

Standards maintained2024

1.9applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Mayflower Academy
1.1 km · Plymouth

Remains Outstanding2023

1.9applications per place 84%met the SATs standard
Manadon Vale Primary School
1.2 km · Plymouth

Standards maintained2024

2.8applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Shakespeare Primary School
1.4 km · Plymouth

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.4applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Ford Primary School
1.7 km · Plymouth

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Hyde Park Junior School
1.7 km · Plymouth

Good2023

62%met the SATs standard
Hyde Park Infants' School
1.7 km · Plymouth

Serious weaknesses 2026

1.6applications per place
Widey Court Primary School
1.8 km · Plymouth

Standards maintained2025

2.2applications per place 79%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 113297 · 879/2670
Capacity: 420 pupils · 402 on roll
Free school meals: 27.4% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Arden Grove, Pennycross, Plymouth, PL2 3RL
Local authority: Plymouth

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources