Best Secondary Schools in Cornwall 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 31 schools across Cornwall. Updated with 2025–26 data.

How many schools?
31
Open secondary schools in Cornwall
Closed schools excluded
Inspection picture
25 Good or better
of 31 with a historic Ofsted grade
Historic single-word grades · pre-Nov-2025
How is this list ordered?
SNM score
Penrice Academy currently leads
Methodology

Cornwall has 31 open secondary schools. Of the 31 with a published Ofsted inspection, 2 (6%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 81% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Penrice Academy currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Cornwall follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score Profile
1. Penrice Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 70 View school
2. The Roseland Academy
Secondary
 Outstanding 65 View school
3. Richard Lander School
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
4. Camborne Science and International Academy
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
5. Penair School
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
6. Launceston College
Secondary
 Good 59 View school
7. Poltair School
Secondary
 Good 58 View school
8. Redruth School
Secondary
 Good 55 View school
9. Newquay Tretherras
Secondary
 Good 54 View school
10. Penryn College
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
11. Wadebridge School
Secondary
 Good 53 View school
12. St Ives School
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
13. Helston Community College
Secondary
 Good 51 View school
14. Brannel School
Secondary
 Good 50 View school
15. Mullion School
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
16. Torpoint Community College
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
17. Humphry Davy School
Secondary
 Good 49 View school
18. Liskeard School and Community College
Secondary
 Good 48 View school
19. Cape Cornwall School
Secondary
 Good 48 View school
20. Bodmin College
Secondary
 Requires Improvement 46 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Cornwall

Best primary schools in CornwallTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in CornwallTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in CornwallPrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in CornwallReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in PlymouthCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in DevonCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in TorbayCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Isles Of ScillyCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Cornwall

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

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Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Cornwall?
There are 31 open secondary schools in Cornwall (closed schools are excluded). 2 of the 31 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Cornwall?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Cornwall is Penrice Academy. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Cornwall?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Cornwall?
Primary and secondary applications in Cornwall are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Cornwall council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.