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Schools in Launceston

A town in Cornwall

  • Town
  • 8 schools and nurseries
  • 1,788 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were close to England in 2026. Attendance is close to the England figure.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Launceston at a glance

Behind England on results at 11

How Launceston's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries83 primary · 1 secondary · 3 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1156%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths63%Attainment 8 48.5, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary27%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Launceston

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Launceston primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Launceston

3 mainstream schools in Launceston, best first

St Stephens Community Academy

Launceston, PL15 8HL · Academy · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well below the England average.

19 first choices, 21 offers made

Met the standard at 1152%

England 62%

Days missed
6.6%
Pupils
199
Pupils per teacher
19.7
View school St Stephens Community Academy

Windmill Hill Academy

Launceston, PL15 9AE · Academy · Primary · Ages 2 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results well below the England average.

10 first choices, 10 offers made

Met the standard at 1152%

England 62%

Days missed
4.7%
Pupils
162
Pupils per teacher
21.6
View school Windmill Hill Academy

Top Secondary Schools in Launceston

1 mainstream schools in Launceston, best first

Launceston College

Launceston, PL15 9JR · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

209 first choices, 207 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1648.5

England 46.2

Days missed
7.1%
Pupils
1,205
Pupils per teacher
17.1
View school Launceston College

Nurseries in Launceston

3 in Launceston, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Launceston

1 in Launceston, by the school's Eduscope score

Launceston College

Launceston, PL15 9JR · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

209 first choices, 207 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1648.5

England 46.2

Days missed
7.1%
Pupils
1,205
Pupils per teacher
17.1
View school Launceston College

Private Schools in Launceston

1 in Launceston. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

St Josephs School

Cornwall, PL15 8HN · Independent · All-through · Ages 4 to 16

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
212
Pupils per teacher
–
View school St Josephs School
The map

Every school in Launceston, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
St Josephs School, InspectedLaunceston College, GoodSt Stephens Community Academy, GoodWindmill Hill Academy, GoodSt Catherine's CofE Primary School, GoodSmiley Happy People, GoodThe Long Garden Early Years Centre, GoodSmart Start Preschool, Good
  • Good7
  • Not graded yet1
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

By age

What's on offer for each age

Pick a stage to see every Launceston school for that age, with filters for type, faith and Ofsted grade.

More ways to narrow it down

Here's how Launceston's schools break down by type, faith and more.

Postcodes

Browse Launceston by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Launceston vs England

How good are Launceston's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Launceston

LauncestonEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 3 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    56%

    England 62%

    Below England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    63%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    17%

    England 18%

    Close to England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    27%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 4 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good4
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Launceston in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap40%55%70%20182019202320242025
56% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap20%45%70%2018201920222023202420252026
63% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%20%40%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Launceston has 8 schools and nurseries.

There are 7% fewer pupils than in 2018.

27% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Launceston's state schools each January.

Down 7% since 2018.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Launceston27%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Launceston

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Launceston

How many schools are in Launceston?

Launceston has 8 schools, including 4 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, 3 nurseries, 1 independent school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Launceston?

The highest-ranked schools in Launceston on Eduscope are Launceston College, St Catherine's CofE Primary School, St Stephens Community Academy. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Launceston are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Launceston hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 4 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Launceston perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Launceston, 56% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Launceston?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Launceston is 18.2:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Launceston schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Launceston is 17.2%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Launceston?

There are 1,788 pupils enrolled across schools in Launceston, with 583 in primary and 1,205 in secondary. 24.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Launceston?

There is 1 independent school in Launceston. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare it on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Launceston?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 8 schools in Launceston by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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