Mounts Bay Academy
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Boscathnoe Lane Heamoor Penzance Cornwall TR18 3JT |
| Phone | 01736363240 |
| Reference Number | 136873 |
Mounts Bay Academy is performing with strong standards, demonstrating effective leadership and a commitment to creating an inclusive school environment. The safeguarding practices are robust, ensuring that students feel safe and valued. The school has established supportive relationships with the community, which has facilitated improvements in attendance and behavior, despite challenges with persistent absence among certain student groups. The leadership team is proactive in addressing historical issues related to student achievement and is supported by a new multi-academy trust, ensuring a structured approach to continual improvement. However, some areas require attention, particularly regarding the achievement levels, as the outcomes for students have been below national averages for an extended period. While the curriculum is broad and well-structured, inconsistencies in teaching quality and assessment practices mean not all students are achieving their potential. Leaders are aware of these challenges and are implementing strategies to enhance teaching quality and learning outcomes.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 975 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 48.51%
Girls: 51.49% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 21.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 2.2% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 25.7 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 75 | 96 | 171 |
| 8 | 89 | 100 | 189 |
| 9 | 134 | 98 | 232 |
| 10 | 93 | 98 | 191 |
| 11 | 82 | 110 | 192 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 91.4% |
| White, Other | 2.5% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.8% |
| White & Asian | 1.2% |
| Unclassified | 0.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.7% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.6% |
| Chinese | 0.2% |
| African | 0.1% |
| Pakistani | 0.1% |
| Asian, Other | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Needs attention |
| > Leadership & Governance | Expected standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Expected standard |
| > Achievement | Needs attention |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Needs attention |
| > Inclusion | Expected standard |
| Last Report Date | 24 Mar 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 24 Mar 2026 | School inspection |
| 01 Dec 2021 | School inspection |
| 08 Nov 2017 | Monitoring visit |
| 27 Jun 2012 | Full inspection |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 30 Jun 2010 | Interim assessment |
| Previously as Mounts Bay School | |
| 30 Jun 2010 | Interim assessment |
| 24 Jan 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 24 Jan 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 14 May 2001 | Full inspection |
| 14 May 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Effective safeguarding practices ensuring students feel safe and valued.
- Proactive leadership that focuses on inclusive education.
- Strong relationships with students, parents, and carers.
- Extensive extra-curricular offerings that promote student engagement.
- Comprehensive personal development and wellbeing curriculum.
- Successful use of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils.
Areas for Improvement
- Disadvantaged pupils' achievement is significantly below national averages.
- Inconsistent teaching quality across the school.
- Variable progress from students' starting points.
- High rates of persistent absence among vulnerable pupils.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 43.7 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 37.7% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 60.7% |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 117 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 32 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 1 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Heamoor Community Primary School
Bosvenna Way, Heamoor, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 3JZ |
0.29 miles |
|
Madron Daniel CofE (VA) School
Bellair Road, Madron, Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8SP |
0.4 miles |
|
Madron Daniel Church of England School
Bellair Road, Penzance, TR20 8SP |
0.4 miles |
|
Pensans Community Primary School
Madron Road, Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8UH |
0.5 miles |
|
St Mary's Catholic School, Penzance
Peverell Road, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 2AT |
0.88 miles |
|
Alverton Primary School
Toltuff Crescent, Alverton, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 4QD |
1.06 miles |
|
St Mary's CofE Primary School, Penzance
Redinnick Place, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 4HP |
1.24 miles |
|
Newlyn School
Carne Road, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 5QA |
1.36 miles |
|
Gulval School
School Lane, Gulval, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 3BJ |
1.43 miles |
|
Trythall Community Primary School
New Mill, Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8XR |
1.77 miles |
|
Mousehole School
Foxes Lane, Mousehole, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 6QQ |
3.05 miles |
|
Ludgvan School
Lower Quarter, Ludgvan, Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8EX |
3.52 miles |
|
Nancledra School
Nancledra, Penzance, Cornwall, TR20 8NB |
3.91 miles |
|
Marazion School
School Lane, Marazion, Cornwall, TR17 0DG |
4.04 miles |
|
St Buryan Primary School
Rectory Road, St Buryan, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 6BB |
4.71 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Nancealverne School
Madron Road, Penzance, TR20 8TP |
0.43 miles |
|
Humphry Davy School
Coombe Road, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 2TG |
0.73 miles |