Caradon Alternative Provision Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 1 July 2025

Pupils flourish at Caradon Alternative Provision Academy. They feel valued and understood by staff. Pupils recognise that their time at this school leads to a transformation in themselves. Staff form strong and nurturing relationships with pupils. These crucial partnerships enable pupils to repair and move on from their previous experiences of education. This provides the firm foundation for a culture of high ambition of what pupils can achieve and for how they conduct themselves. Pupils strive to meet and exceed the expectations that staff have of them. They achieve well. Pupils transform from disengaged individuals into calm, well-motivated learners who have clear aspirations for the future. The school, as a result, is a highly respectful and welcoming place to learn where pupils feel that they belong. The school's approach to pupils' personal development is crafted meticulously. Consequently, pupils experience new-found success, academically, socially and emotionally, in this educational setting. Pupils enthuse about their daily enrichment opportunities and the extensive range of well-considered visitors into the school. These experiences broaden pupils' horizons and increase their awareness of the world around them. Pupils are prepared exceptionally well to fulfil the school's aims for successful re- integration into an appropriate longer-term education setting or post-16 option.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum in some subjects is not established as well and implemented as effectively as it is in others. These subjects lack some of the quality and consistency in implementation which is evident in more embedded curriculum areas. As a result, pupils do not recall previous learning and secure new learning as well as they do where the curriculum is at its most effective. The school should use the examples of strong practice and highly effective collaborative working to inform and strengthen the curriculum across all subjects so that pupils learn as well as they can.
• Some school systems to evaluate what is working well, or not, lack depth and rigour. This means that, on occasion, the school is not able to demonstrate the full impact of its work and identify where this needs to be adjusted. The school should ensure that it has mechanisms in place to review and gain the assurances that it needs about the impact of its actions and decision making to fully develop the strategic oversight of its work so that pupils achieve the best possible outcomes.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)