Caradon Alternative Provision Academy, Liskeard
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy is an all-through school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Liskeard, part of Wave Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy in detail
Getting a place at Caradon Alternative Provision Academy
Across Cornwall, 97% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Cornwall lodged 65 appeals against secondary school offers; 46 reached a hearing and 19 succeeded (41.3% of those heard).
The trust
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy is one of 11 schools run by Wave Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 11 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 55% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 55% to a further education college and 9% to an apprenticeship.
Who goes there
75% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 25 pupils (69.4%) received SEN support and 11 (30.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Liskeard Rail Station, about 990 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Dean Street (se-bound), 170 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 140 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cornwall (14), as is usual near a town centre.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Caradon Alternative Provision Academy are Liskeard Hillfort Primary School (0.4 miles) and St Martin's CofE Primary School (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Liskeard Hillfort Primary SchoolSt Martin's CofE Primary School
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at helping pupils who have struggled in mainstream education to rebuild their confidence and love of learning. Staff form genuinely supportive relationships that enable pupils to move forward from difficult past experiences. The school offers a rich, thoughtfully planned programme that combines strong academics with excellent support for pupils' emotional wellbeing and personal growth.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour and personal development - pupils transform from disengaged learners into calm, well-motivated students with clear future aspirations
- Strong nurturing relationships between staff and pupils that enable repair from previous negative school experiences
- Well-designed curriculum that fosters re-engagement with learning, with particular strength in English and reading across the whole school
- Comprehensive assessment systems that identify pupils' needs and inform personalised learning offers
- Carefully structured personal development programme that supports academic progress and builds resilience
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistency in curriculum implementation across some subjects - they lack the quality and consistency evident in stronger areas, affecting pupil recall and learning progress
- School evaluation systems lack sufficient depth and rigour, limiting the school's ability to demonstrate the full impact of its work and identify areas for adjustment
- Some subjects are less well established than others and need to benefit from examples of strong practice in more embedded curriculum areas
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating a safe environment where pupils feel valued and supported by staff they trust.
Extracurricular Activities
Enrichment activities, trips out, work experience, community involvement
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy supports pupils at risk of permanent exclusion or who have been permanently excluded from other schools. The school has improved significantly from its previous 'Requires improvement' rating, with pupils flourishing through strong staff relationships and ambitious teaching.
At a Glance
75.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Caradon Alternative Provision Academy
Before and after school care
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Cornwall
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Caradon Alternative Provision Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Caradon Alternative Provision Academy is in Cornwall; for families living there:
- Cornwall's school travel policy: Home to School Travel Assistance Policy 2026/27
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 21
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 15 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Cornwall is 3 (the median across 299 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
80%
Available places
36 pupils
45 places
9 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Liskeard
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Liskeard
Across Cornwall council
Places available
6,387
Applications
5,542
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All secondary applications across Cornwall council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
25
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
36
Total Pupils
22
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
3.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,989
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy
Questions parents ask about Caradon Alternative Provision Academy
What is Caradon Alternative Provision Academy's Ofsted rating?
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Caradon Alternative Provision Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Caradon Alternative Provision Academy is oversubscribed, Cornwall allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Caradon Alternative Provision Academy?
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy has around 36 pupils on roll. 75% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Caradon Alternative Provision Academy?
Apply through Cornwall's coordinated admissions process, naming Caradon Alternative Provision Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Caradon Alternative Provision Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Caradon Alternative Provision Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 21 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 15 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Cornwall is 3 (the median across 299 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Caradon Alternative Provision Academy?
Caradon Alternative Provision Academy is at West Street, Liskeard, PL14 6BS.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)