Fowey River Academy
66%
Capacity
661
Pupils
1.4x
Demand
About Fowey River Academy
Fowey River Academy’s headline Progress 8 score of -0.22 places it below the Cornwall local authority average of -0.12, meaning pupils here make less academic progress between Year 7 and Year 11 than their peers across the county. That gap is modest but consistent across most subject areas: the school’s Progress 8 score for English is exactly zero, in line with the national average, but maths sits at -0.29 and the EBacc subjects at -0.25. The Attainment 8 score of 39.8 reflects the average grade a pupil achieves across eight key GCSEs, and only 30.4% of pupils secured a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, compared with 55.9% achieving the lower grade 4 threshold. The school ranks 21st out of 31 secondary schools in Cornwall on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom half of the county and the bottom 50% nationally.
The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025 judged it Good across all four graded areas: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This marks a significant improvement from its previous inspection in February 2023, when the school was rated Requires Improvement across the board. The Ofsted report notes that the school is now on a stronger footing, though the exam data suggests there is still work to do in raising attainment. Parent feedback from the 2024/25 period is broadly positive: 81% of respondents would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreed that their child is happy (83% combined strongly agree and agree) and feels safe (84%). However, only 68% agreed that concerns are dealt with properly, and just 69% felt that SEND children receive the support they need, which may give pause to families with children who have additional needs.
Fowey River Academy is an 11-16 mixed state school with no sixth form, so pupils must move on elsewhere after Year 11. It has capacity for 1,000 pupils but currently enrols 661, so there is room to grow. The school was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry, receiving 171 applications for 120 places, with 119 first-preference offers made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 30.9%, well above the national average, reflecting the local demographic. Facilities are generous for a school of this size, including a theatre, swimming pool, astro turf, tennis courts, and a sports hall. The clubs programme is varied, with offerings such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, orchestra, gardening, and eco club. SEND provision covers a wide range of needs, including dyslexia, autism, speech and language difficulties, and physical disabilities. This school will suit families who value the improved Ofsted rating and the broad extracurricular offer, but who are comfortable with academic results that sit below the local average.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Windmill, Fowey, Cornwall, PL23 1HE |
| Headteacher | Ben Eddy |
| Local Authority | Cornwall |
| Number of Pupils | 661 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 30.9% |
| School Capacity | 661 / 1,000 (66% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Jun 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 5 Aug 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.22)
2065th of 3,141
Nationally
215th of 306
In South West
21st of 31
In Cornwall
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2356%
of GCSE leavers continue at FE college (cohort: 123 pupils).
- FE college56%
- Sixth form college28%
- Employment6%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained3%
95% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
84 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed120
171
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
119 families put this school as their 1st choice (70% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British88.8%
- White (other)3.8%
- Mixed2.4%
- Asian0.9%
- Black0.2%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
3
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
2
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Fowey River Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Windmill, Fowey
Cornwall, PL23 1HE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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