School admissions in Penzance
How heavily each school was applied to for September 2026 entry, from the applications and offers every admissions authority reports to the DfE. 4 of these schools also have a published admissions cutoff distance. Sorted by first preferences per place. We don't invent rankings: the order is arithmetic on a published figure, not a view about which school is better.
Penzance in figures
For Reception places in September 2026, families named the 19 schools in Penzance first 308 times for 307 places: 1.00 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the Cornwall authority's 227 schools. 4 of the 19 had more first choices than places. For 2026 entry, 4 schools here gave their last places on distance, from 1.37 miles (Ludgvan School) to 4.62 miles (Heamoor Community Primary School).
For Year 7 places in September 2026, families named the 3 schools in Penzance first 342 times for 347 places: 0.99 first choices per place, against 1.00 across the Cornwall authority's 31 schools. 0 of the 3 had more first choices than places.
Totals for the schools listed on this page. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE; last-offer distances as the council published them.
Reception places, September 2026
19 schools. 4 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places | Cutoff distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ludgvan School | 1.45 | 29 | 1.367 miles |
| Gulval School | 1.07 | 30 | 2.14 miles |
| Nancledra School | 1.07 | 15 | 2.404 miles |
| Heamoor Community Primary School | 1.03 | 30 | 4.615 miles |
| Madron Daniel CofE (VA) School | 1.00 | 4 | not published |
| Newlyn School | 1.00 | 23 | not published |
| Pendeen School | 1.00 | 6 | not published |
| Pensans Community Primary School | 1.00 | 9 | not published |
| Sennen Community Primary Academy | 1.00 | 14 | not published |
| St Just Primary School | 1.00 | 13 | not published |
| St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance | 1.00 | 10 | not published |
| Trythall Community Primary School | 1.00 | 10 | not published |
| St Mary's Catholic School, Penzance | 0.93 | 14 | not published |
| Germoe Community Primary School | 0.91 | 11 | not published |
| Alverton Primary School | 0.89 | 37 | not published |
| St Buryan Primary School | 0.86 | 7 | not published |
| St Hilary School | 0.81 | 27 | not published |
| Mousehole School | 0.79 | 14 | not published |
| St Levan Primary School | 0.75 | 4 | not published |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.
Year 7 places, September 2026
3 schools. 0 received more first preferences than they had places.
| School | First preferences per place | Places |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Cornwall School | 1.00 | 62 |
| Humphry Davy School | 0.99 | 166 |
| Mounts Bay Academy | 0.97 | 119 |
First preferences per place is the number of families naming the school first, divided by its published admission number. Above 1.00 means more first choices than places. It is not a ranking and not a measure of quality: a popular school can be easy to get into and a quiet one hard, because places are allocated by each school's own criteria, siblings and faith and banding first, with distance often the last tie-breaker. Applications and offers on national offer day, DfE.