Penwith Alternative Provision Academy, Penzance
Penwith Alternative Provision Academy is an all-through school for pupils aged 3 to 16 in Penzance, part of Wave Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Inadequate at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2022. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Inadequate (2022)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Penwith Alternative Provision Academy in detail
Getting a place at Penwith 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 Penwith Alternative Provision Academy are Humphry Davy School (0.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.7); and Mounts Bay Academy (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 44.1).
The trust
Penwith 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, 50% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college, 17% to an apprenticeship and 17% into work.
Who goes there
70.5% 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, 39 pupils (88.6%) received SEN support and 5 (11.4%) 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 Penzance Rail Station, about 670 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
23 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Lower Peveril Road (w-bound), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Penwith Alternative Provision Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 167 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 Penwith Alternative Provision Academy are St Mary's Catholic School, Penzance (under 0.1 miles); Pensans Community Primary School (0.5 miles); Gulval School (0.7 miles); and St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance (0.9 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
St Mary's Catholic School, PenzancePensans Community Primary SchoolGulval SchoolSt Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance
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 · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school transforms the lives of pupils who have struggled in mainstream education. Staff create a nurturing environment where pupils rediscover their love of learning, build confidence and see a positive future for themselves. The school balances academic learning with vocational opportunities and personal development, ensuring each pupil's individual needs are met.
Key Strengths
- Staff build strong, trusting relationships quickly and create a calm, friendly atmosphere where pupils feel they belong
- Pupils achieve well with carefully planned curricula adapted to their individual needs, with strong outcomes in primary, mathematics and science
- Reading is transformed for pupils who previously disliked it, with targeted support and appropriate books matched to their ability
- Behaviour improves significantly over time thanks to skilled staff who manage complex needs effectively
- Personal development is woven throughout school life with extensive trips, visits and careers advice
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils' learning remains isolated within individual subjects, limiting their ability to apply knowledge across different areas
- Attendance remains a challenge and policies for helping pupils catch up on missed learning are not applied consistently
- Implementation of the curriculum in some subjects is not as secure and consistent as in others
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with clear policies and diligent implementation by well-trained staff.
Extracurricular Activities
Extensive trips and visits, careers advice and opportunities to explore and build on individual interests
Penwith Alternative Provision Academy is a specialist school for pupils aged 3-16 who have been excluded or are at risk of exclusion from mainstream education. The school has improved significantly from its previous inadequate rating and now provides good quality education with strong staff relationships and a calm learning environment.
At a Glance
70.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby all-through school
Keep up with Penwith Alternative Provision Academy
Before and after school care
Penwith 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 Penwith Alternative Provision Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Penwith 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 5 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
2 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
81%
Available places
44 pupils
54 places
10 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Penzance
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Penzance
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(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
39
SEN Support
5
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
44
Total Pupils
25
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
3.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,750
Mean salary
2026 data
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Penwith Alternative Provision Academy
Questions parents ask about Penwith Alternative Provision Academy
What is Penwith Alternative Provision Academy's Ofsted rating?
Penwith Alternative Provision Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2022, it was rated Inadequate.
What is the catchment area for Penwith Alternative Provision Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Penwith Alternative Provision Academy is oversubscribed, Cornwall allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Penwith Alternative Provision Academy?
Penwith Alternative Provision Academy has around 44 pupils on roll. 71% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Penwith Alternative Provision Academy?
Apply through Cornwall's coordinated admissions process, naming Penwith 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 Penwith Alternative Provision Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Penwith 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 Penwith Alternative Provision Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 5 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 2 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 Penwith Alternative Provision Academy?
Penwith Alternative Provision Academy is at Penbrea Road, Penzance, TR18 3NX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)