North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy, Bodmin
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy is an all-through school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Bodmin, part of Wave Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy in detail
Getting a place at North Cornwall 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).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy are Bodmin College (1.1 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 47.1); and Wadebridge School (5.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.5).
The trust
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy is one of 11 schools run by Wave Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 6 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 33% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college and 17% to an apprenticeship.
Who goes there
68.1% 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, 35 pupils (74.5%) received SEN support and 12 (25.5%) 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 tram or metro stop is Bodmin General (Bodmin & Wenford Railway), about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
25 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Barn Lane Flamank Park (e-bound), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 150 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. 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 North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy are St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bodmin (under 0.1 miles); Beacon Academy (0.2 miles); Berrycoombe School (0.2 miles); and St Petroc's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, BodminBeacon AcademyBerrycoombe SchoolSt Petroc's Church of England Voluntary Aided 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 · 5 months agoThis judgement is from April 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school excels at building trusted relationships with pupils who have experienced significant educational disruption and providing personalised support to help them re-engage with learning. Staff are trained in helping young people manage their emotions and behaviour, and the school works closely with families through flexible approaches like tailored timetables and outreach work. There are clear examples of pupils whose attendance has improved substantially, showing the positive impact of the school's consistent, understanding support.
Key Strengths
- Safeguarding practices are effective with clear policies and an open culture where safety is everyone's responsibility
- Leaders implement personalised approaches to support pupils' re-engagement, including flexible timetables and family partnerships
- Behaviour management is improving, with decreasing use of restrictive interventions and suspensions over time
- Trust-level governance provides strong oversight and decisive action to address weaknesses
- Staff receive ongoing training in helping pupils manage emotions and recognise their actions
Areas for Improvement
- School-level leadership responsibilities for attendance, behaviour and alternative provision are not yet secure across the team
- Strategic oversight of attendance patterns and trends needs to be sharper, with better evaluation of action impact
- Consistent application of policies and procedures across all staff needs strengthening
- Recording and analysis of behaviour incidents requires further refinement to support sustained improvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met, with leaders establishing appropriate practices, an open safety culture, and effective management of concerns.
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy is a specialist school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties. This focused monitoring inspection found that safeguarding standards are met, though concerns about leadership, governance, attendance and behaviour prompted the inspection.
At a Glance
68.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. North Cornwall 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
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 19 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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
63%
Available places
47 pupils
75 places
28 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bodmin
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bodmin
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(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
35
SEN Support
12
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
47
Total Pupils
34
Boys
13
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
3.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,738
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy
Questions parents ask about North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy
What is North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy's Ofsted rating?
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2026, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy?
No fixed boundary. When North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy is oversubscribed, Cornwall allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy?
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy has around 47 pupils on roll. 68% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy?
Apply through Cornwall's coordinated admissions process, naming North Cornwall 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.
How many road collisions happen near North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 19 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy?
North Cornwall Alternative Provision Academy is at 3-5 Barn Lane, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL31 1LZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)