Nancealverne School is a special academy in Penzance, Cornwall, for children and young people aged 2 to 19. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, vision, hearing and 8 other needs.
- Ages 2–19
- 138 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 138 (places for 83)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Ruth Carpenter (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Special Partnership Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2016
- Free school meals
- 45.8% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Cornwall
- School reference (URN)
- 143167
Needs it supports
12 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 10 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Cornwall (17)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Cornwall (12)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Cornwall (10)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Cornwall (13)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Cornwall (13)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Cornwall (7)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Cornwall (13)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Cornwall (8)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Cornwall (8)
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Cornwall (8)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Cornwall (10)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Cornwall council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, October 2014; improved significantly (January 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in October 2014. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- Sixth formGood
Since then: Improved significantly (ungraded inspection, January 2025).
Contact and getting there
Madron Road, Penzance, TR20 8TP
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Pensans Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Requires improvement 0.1 miles
- Penwith Alternative Provision Academy Alternative provision · Ages 3–16 0.5 miles
- Cape Cornwall School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 6.0 miles
By need in Cornwall: Autism (18) · SEMH (14) · Moderate learning (14) · Severe learning (14) · Speech and language (13) · Dyslexia and SpLD (11) · Physical (11) · Hearing (9) · Vision (9) · Multi-sensory (9) · PMLD (8)
Questions about Nancealverne School
How do I get a place at Nancealverne School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Nancealverne School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Nancealverne School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Nancealverne School take?
Aged 2 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Nancealverne School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Nancealverne School?
Madron Road, Penzance, TR20 8TP, in Cornwall.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.