Nine Maidens Alternative Provision Academy

Nine Maidens Alternative Provision Academy

Address: Nine Maidens, Four Lanes, Redruth, TR16 6ND Unique reference number (URN): 139758

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is the beating heart of this school. It underpins every aspect of its work. All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Most have been out of school for long periods of time previously and have significant gaps in their learning. Leaders ensure that no time is wasted. When pupils join the school, staff collect a wide range of information to gauge their needs, including any gaps in learning, alongside their emotional needs. This allows staff to identify barriers to learning early and provide support that ensures pupils achieve well from their starting points, including meeting their social, emotional and mental health needs.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff use this information to get to know pupils’ specific needs and individual personalities. Consequently, they can spot when pupils may need additional help. Staff make personalised adaptations to the curriculum. They use a variety of strategies, such as visual prompts, sensory resources and structured routines, to support pupils’ self-regulation, emotional management and readiness to learn. Pupils in receipt of additional funding benefit from effective guidance, particularly in reading. Over time, leaders and staff forensically track and maintain a sharp focus on each pupil’s journey so they achieve well.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The provision for pupils' personal development and wellbeing is a strength and meets the needs of all pupils. Through high-quality pastoral support and trusting relationships with adults, pupils increasingly improve their resilience and self-awareness to manage their emotions and the challenges they face. Consequently, pupils grow in confidence, independence and self-belief during their time here.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal, social, health and economic curriculum supports pupils to think carefully about their own beliefs, as well as those held by others. Staff deliver a suitable and age- appropriate relationships, sex and health education programme effectively, encouraging pupils to use correct terminology and deepening their understanding.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop an understanding of the fundamental British values, including respect and tolerance. Visits to places of worship, such as a mosque, help them appreciate cultures that are different from their own. Pupils learn how to maintain healthy relationships, understand risks such as substance abuse and recognise how mental health affects behaviour. Through working with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, pupils know how to keep themselves safe near the coast.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Strong community links enhance learning meaningfully. For example, members of the local football team deliver lessons and build self-esteem. Pupils also join the annual ‘culture camp’, learning new skills with artists from local galleries. They support local charities such as the food bank, donating Christmas food hampers. Last year, as part of the school's anniversary, older pupils collated memories and archives to celebrate 150 years of Nine Maidens.

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Expected standard

Pupils receive appropriate careers advice, including assistance with college interviews and applications. Hospitality and catering partnerships bring the world of work into school, framing food preparation and hospitality as potential career options. Where barriers exist, leaders work creatively to develop bespoke opportunities that reflect pupils' interests, aspirations and future goals, identifying additional guidance where needed. Staff help pupils access colleges, training providers, workplaces and other placements, ensuring bespoke transition arrangements to support next steps.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils attending the school often join with gaps in their learning and a history of disruption to their education. The longer pupils spend in the school, the more confident they become as learners. Regardless of their starting points, leaders and staff generally help pupils to achieve well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils gain confidence and feel positive about school. Their books show that they engage and build their knowledge and understanding in a range of subjects. For example, primary- aged pupils investigate the factors that affect plant growth in science or learn how to use historical sources when finding out about Ancient Egypt. Pupils in key stage 4 can take functional skills qualifications in Year 10 to prepare them for exams in Year 11. Generally, by the time they leave the school, pupils achieve formal qualifications such as GCSEs, while others gain awards that reflect their personal progress.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders recognise that attendance is a key focus. Many pupils arrive at the school having been out of education, sometimes for long periods. Most have been excluded from their previous schools. Leaders have rightly prioritised improving attendance and have established clear systems to monitor and track pupils' attendance. They plan and provide sensitive support to re-engage pupils who struggle to attend school. This helps them build a detailed picture of attendance trends and patterns. Leaders work effectively with families and other external agencies to break down the barriers that make it difficult for some pupils to come to school. As a result, pupils’ attendance is steadily improving.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Across the school, predictable routines and high expectations for behaviour prevail. Pupils benefit from nurturing relationships with staff. Many have previously struggled to manage their own behaviour. Through high-quality pastoral support, staff help pupils learn to recognise and express their feelings to make the right choices. If they become unsettled, staff encourage them to settle and return to learning as soon as possible. As a result, generally, both primary and secondary pupils behave well. Bullying is rare. If it does occur, leaders deal with it appropriately.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the curriculum and areas that need development. In the primary and secondary phases, the curriculum is engaging and ambitious. Ably supported by the trust, leaders have reviewed and redesigned the curriculum since the previous inspection. It focuses on what each pupil needs to learn and the skills they need to develop in readiness for reintegration into mainstream or on to their next appropriate setting. They recognise areas where it needs strengthening further.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, staff equip pupils with some of the fundamental knowledge and skills they need to be successful learners in the future. For example, pupils learn the sounds that make words in a specific order. Well-matched books help pupils build their confidence to blend letter sounds into words. Older pupils like visiting the library and enjoy reading and listening to stories staff read and recommend.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff receive appropriate training to deliver learning well. On the whole, teachers demonstrate effective subject knowledge. They know their pupils well, all of whom are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teachers adapt the curriculum, teaching, timetable and behaviour expectations as needed, so that all pupils can experience success.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand their pupils and school context thoroughly. Decisions consistently put pupils' best interests first. Leaders hold a deep knowledge of their individual circumstances. They recognise the challenges facing pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, along with those who are disadvantaged or known to social care. They work continuously to lower these barriers while enhancing provision for all pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

High expectations pervade the school. Leaders strive to ensure that there is a culture based on positive relationships. This deepens pupils’ sense of belonging in the school community. Leaders engage productively with families, outside agencies and trust representatives. Parents, carers and other professionals acknowledge leaders' dedication to pupils and their readiness to collaborate in tackling obstacles to success. Staff feel that leaders help them manage their workload well. Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing. Well-planned professional development and training equip staff to carry out their roles effectively. Recent efforts to sharpen the curriculum, improve adaptive teaching and further improve the school have brought positive results.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance fulfil their statutory duties. Governors, trustees and trust leaders provide increasingly effective support and challenge. Trustees bring a range of experience and expertise that strengthens their work. They have a clear understanding of the school's performance. In some areas, leaders recognise the need to evaluate their work more rigorously to ensure that strategies achieve the desired impact.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils recognise Nine Maidens as a place for a fresh start, and they want to do well. Most understand the school's expectations, move around the school sensibly and start their work in lessons. The school's values of ‘be positive, have empathy, show respect, work as one team and be inclusive’ help them do the right thing.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Prior to joining, many pupils have not had a positive experience of school. Nevertheless, they settle quickly. Pupils establish strong relationships and rapport with staff. This helps them to build a sense of belonging and feel appreciated.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Older pupils support the younger ones and form strong bonds with them as they travel to school together. Pupils receive a warm welcome as they arrive each morning. There is a real sense of excitement as they make their way into school. As a result, many pupils are happy here. Bullying is rare. If concerns arise, staff deal with these swiftly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff commit to helping every pupil thrive, whatever their circumstances. Many pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Others face additional vulnerabilities or disadvantage. Over time, they receive the support to regain their self-confidence and re- engage with education. They feel included and participate fully in all aspects of school life. Their attendance improves throughout their time in the school, often from a very low starting point.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school weaves pupils’ personal development, particularly the skills needed to build pupils’ self-esteem, as a golden thread through all that it does. Staff use their thorough knowledge of each pupil to tailor experiences that nurture their talents and interests. Pupils enjoy enrichment activities such as swimming and football tournaments. They can learn to surf, paddle board and play sport, and they visit local galleries and museums.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen the evaluation of their work so that they can identify the impact of strategies more precisely and refine provision where necessary.

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About this inspection

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), Helen Casson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lisa Mannall.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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Lead inspector:

Gavin Summerfield, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 15 September 2026

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70

Inspectors spoke with the head of school, vice principal, the special educational needs coordinator, the CEO, the trust's director of education and other trust leaders during the inspection. Inspectors met with staff and pupils across the 2 days. The lead inspector spoke with trustees and members of the monitoring hub, including the independent chair. The lead inspector spoke with the local authority education inclusion advocate. Discussions took place with representatives of the dual registration providers, as some pupils are dually registered at these settings and the school.

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70

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.

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70

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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70

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The head of school and vice principal started in post in September 2026.

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70

The school supports pupils who have been permanently excluded or who are at risk of permanent exclusion from their previous school. Pupils can join the school at any point during the academic year. The school is commissioned to help these pupils re-engage with education and works towards a range of outcomes, including reintegration into mainstream provision, a move to a specialist setting, or progression into education, employment or training by the end of Year 11. Most pupils are registered solely at the school. A small number are dual-registered and remain on the roll of their referring school.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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