Caradon Alternative Provision Academy

Inspection of Caradon Alternative Provision Academy West Street, Liskeard PL14 6BS

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The principal of this school is Haydn Pearse. This school is part of Wave Multi-Academy Trust which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Robert Gasson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Justin Day. 1 and 2 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

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.

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What is it like to attend this school?

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.

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What is it like to attend this school?

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.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school and the trust have worked effectively and cohesively to design a curriculum which fosters pupils’ re-engagement with learning. This results in an academic offer where pupils achieve ambitious outcomes, from the primary phase through to Year 11. There is a tangible buzz from pupils and staff in some subjects and phases of the school because of the successful design of the curriculum and the expertise with which it is delivered. Some subjects are not as far along in this journey. They lack some aspects of the consistency and skilful way in which other subjects are delivered. This hinders some pupils’ recall and the success with which they build new learning.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school places high importance on reading. The English curriculum fosters a love of reading, alongside skills development. The school has woven reading through the whole curriculum. As a result, pupils have access to a rich and diverse range of texts throughout the school. Pupils read with confidence and enjoyment. Those pupils that need it, appreciate and benefit from the well-targeted and skilled support that the school provides so that they can read with increasing fluency.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school checks on what pupils know and can do when they start, and as part of a continuous cycle of assessment. This provides crucial information to inform each pupil’s bespoke learning offer. It is also powerful in the accurate identification of pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use this in-depth information, alongside their secure subject knowledge, to adapt and flex teaching so that it meets any 1 and 2 July 2025

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SEND and additional needs. This creates a highly positive and inclusive school which successfully impacts on pupils’ attendance. Pupils embrace learning in lessons because they see value in what the school is helping them to achieve. They reflect on their actions and fully engage with strategies that will help them in their next stage in education and prepare them for adulthood.

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Pupils’ academic development and attitudes to learning are exceptionally well supported by the personal development programme. This is truly at the heart of the school’s work. Each element, from primary through to Year 11, is thought through with precision and clear intent. Each part of the school day, from the morning meet and greet and tutor time, to the end of day enrichment, is carefully considered. This gives each pupil the safe space, access to trusted staff and confidence that they need to practise and test out their developing resilience and independence. This is enhanced with a rich range of other opportunities, including but not limited to, trips out, work experience and community involvement. Pupils learn to embody important values, such as respect and tolerance. They do so with integrity and increasing self-confidence. Pupils learn the value of healthy living, taking care of their mental health and forging positive relationships. Pupils get what

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they need to thrive, now and in the future.

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The trust provides important support and challenge to the school. Staff feel well supported and invested in, so that they can fulfil their roles to secure the possible futures for pupils. However, some aspects of challenge around the information that the school holds are not as refined and rigorous as they could be. Occasionally, information is not evaluated effectively. This lessens the strength and depth of assurances that the school gains about the quality of some aspects of its provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 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 1 and 2 July 2025

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 1 and 2 July 2025

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School details

School category Academy alternative provision converter

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School details

Website www.wavemat.org/our-academies/caradon- academy-liskeard Dates of previous inspection 28 February and 1 March 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Caradon Alternative Provision Academy provides education for pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion or who have been permanently excluded from other schools.  The school does not currently have any pupils on roll in early years or key stage 1. Year 11 pupils came off roll the day before the inspection started.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and 1 and 2 July 2025

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management) and for any relevant provision judgement. Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, including early reading, mathematics and personal, social and health education. In each subject, inspectors met with curriculum leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at examples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at the curriculum design and pupils’ learning in some other subjects.  Inspectors held discussions with the principal, the vice principal, the pastoral support manager, who is also the designated safeguarding lead, and subject leaders.  The lead inspector held discussions with members of the governor monitoring hub, a member of the board of trustees, the director of education and the deputy CEO of the

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trust.  An inspector held a telephone discussion with a representative from the local authority.  An inspector spoke with a representative from a secondary school to discuss the success of the re-integration of Caradon pupils into their school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. An inspector also spoke with a sample of parents, on the telephone, to gather further views on the school. Inspectors evaluated the views of staff from the Ofsted online questionnaire.  Inspectors met with staff and pupils to consider their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Leanne Thirlby, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Burgess Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 July 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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