Our Unique Location

"As parents we want to give our children the gift of a safe, happy childhood filled with fun, adventure and wonder. We want them to feel they belong. At Newquay Primary Academy we provide children with inspirational opportunities to connect not only with Cornwall’s beautiful natural environment, but with our proud heritage and culture. Our pupils are confident and grounded, with a strong sense of place – and a lifelong sense of curiosity about the world around them.
A sense of place

At Newquay Primary Academy we are lucky to be situated on Cornwall’s Atlantic coast. Newquay has been at the heart of UK surfing for half a century. Right on our doorstep we have the unspoilt beaches of Porth, Lusty Glaze, Tolcarne, Great Western, Fistral and Crantock. A stone’s throw away is Newquay’s medieval harbour with its Huer’s Hut, originally built for fishing and rebuilt as a mineral port in the mining boom of the 18th and 19th centuries. Just down the road are the salt marshes of the Gannel estuary which is an important habitat area earmarked for protection within a Marine Conservation Zone. We are also located within walking distance of Newquay Sports Centre, Newquay Zoo, the Blue Reef Aquarium, the Celtic Barrowfields and Trenance Botanical Gardens.

We value our unique location, heritage and culture. We believe that Newquay Primary Academy pupils should be proud ambassadors for our school and our values, both historic and present. Our pupils are given a strong moral compass. They are taught to understand the importance of community cohesion and making a positive contribution to the community in which we live.

Outdoor learning

With so many opportunities for outdoor learning, nature play and physical activity, at Newquay Primary Academy our curriculum is not only enriched with experiences to deepen each child’s world understanding, but also to promote healthy living for life.

Outdoor learning includes discovery, experimentation, learning about and connecting to the natural world, and engaging in environmental and adventure activities. It is catching tiny critters and counting bugs; it is collecting rocks and shells, lying in tall grass, digging for buried treasure and looking for fossils, splashing in rock pools, and climbing a tree as high as you dare.

Outdoor learning is a defining part of childhood. It has powerful and positive impacts on children’s healthy growth and development. It provides opportunities for children to develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them. It also provides opportunities for us to teach them about environmental issues on local and global scales and in meaningful ways.

At Newquay Primary Academy we make the most of our beautiful and unique location. Our pupils take part in a wide range of multi-day expeditions, woodland and coastal learning, youth and community activity courses, school residential trips, outdoor and adventure sports coaching, and sail training experiences.

Watch a short Learning Through Landscapes film in which Sir David Attenborough explains why outdoor learning, play and connection with nature needs to recognised as a fundamental part of education, at every stage, for every child and young person.

Sport, healthy living & wellbeing

At Newquay Primary Academy we strive for the best for each of our pupils. We know that children cannot achieve their best without feeling their best. This is why our curriculum has a clear focus on sport, healthy living and wellbeing. This includes participation in a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Our targets for these areas are:

  • 90% of all pupils will be achieving or surpassing age-related expectation in Physical Education.
  • 100% of pupils will participate in two hours of extra-curricular activity per week.
  • 100% of pupils will eat a healthy lunch (either as a packed or school lunch).
  • Using the responses to pupil and parent questionnaires and interviews, all pupils and parents will respond positively to questions regarding their emotional health and wellbeing.
  • By the end of Year 3, all pupils will have participated in three adventurous outdoor learning activities, working with Newquay Tretherras Duke of Edinburgh Leaders.
  • By the end of Year 6, all pupils will have participated in a residential activity (e.g. school camp) and have acted as a Junior Sports Leader, Outdoor Explorer and/or Healthy Living Ambassador