The community is understandably upset by the DfE’s decision to cancel the proposed new Perranporth Academy. This little school was meant to educate the kids of St Agnes, Perranporth, Goonhavern and Cubert. The new school was initially granted approval to open no later than September 2025. Even before the recent announcement that it had been cancelled, it had its opening date moved to 2026. Local residents and leaders are up in arms over the decision. They’re concerned that the absence of a secondary school will have permanent, detrimental impacts on their community.
Residents such as Terry Williams, who lives in nearby Perranporth, told of their anger that the government had scrapped the much-needed project. Williams envisions a school that can very much enrich the lives of hundreds of children throughout the community. He stated, “There’s over 300, 400, 500 children that need a school in Perranporth,” emphasizing the urgent need for educational facilities in the area.
Dr. Jennifer Blunden, chief executive of Truro and Penwith Academy Trust, spoke enthusiastically about the academy. She described it as a “school of hope and ambition.” She emphasized that it was the founding institution’s intention to offer a strong, well-rounded curriculum that included science, liberal arts and cutting-edge technology. Dr. Blunden observed that this kind of curriculum might have provided a useful skills pipeline for the kind of economic investment that Cornwall has been trying to attract.
Perranporth and St Agnes are the only remaining communities in all of Cornwall with a secondary school. This continued absence takes a severe toll on education opportunities locally. Local families have repeatedly expressed how hard it is when they have long commutes just to access an education. Ken Colwell drilled down into a big challenge children face in this space—transportation. For those with more complex needs, not being able to access the latest technology due to cost can exacerbate feelings of loneliness.
Another community member, sophie o’shea, delivered tearful, personal testimony expressing why cancellation mattered. “We’ve got three children that are coming through and we feel it’s needed, otherwise they’re going into Truro and other places,” she said. O’Shea thinks the academy would still have been an incredible resource to the neighborhood.
The Department for Education (DfE) defended its decision, stating that there is “not sufficient need for additional places to justify building a whole new school.” Local leaders are pushing back against this claim. They contend that the ruling short-circuits the educational opportunities of Cornish children. The DfE spokesperson assured that “the government is committed to making sure there are enough school places in Perranporth.”
Perran Moon, the Conservative MP for Camborne, Redruth, and Hayle, said he was ‘extremely disappointed that this decision has been made’. He called on the administration to reverse course. He said it was “extremely regrettable” that Cornish families and communities will continue to pay the price. He blamed their misfortune on what he described as “short-term decision making.”
Speaking against the decision to remove the high school, Dr. Blunden expressed how this choice will impede educational equity for Cornwall. She stated, “Education shouldn’t depend on your postcode,” highlighting that local children face significant challenges in accessing education close to home.
In reaction to the persistent demand for school places, the government will re-assess all in-development free school projects. This review is scheduled to occur in October 2024. Overall, this review leaves us wondering about future opportunities for schools in communities such as Perranporth and St Agnes.
