News from Penrice.
Penrice Academy was transformed into a world of music and magic last week as our Performing Arts team proudly presented three spectacular evenings of Into the Woods. From the opening notes to the final curtain call, audiences were treated to a spellbinding production filled with energy.
Penrice Academy was proud to play its part in the Cornwall Youth Council Elections on Wednesday 5 February, as every student across the school had the opportunity to cast their vote and make their voice heard.
.jpg)
The wait is over! Tickets for Penrice Academy’s spectacular 2026 school production of Into The Woods go on sale on Friday 6th February at 8am.
Penrice Academy and Poltair School, are celebrating national recognition after both were ranked in the top 10% of secondary schools in England for student recommendation.
We are delighted to announce that from Monday 26th January, students at Penrice Academy will be able to access an upgraded Breakfast Club, delivered by our new canteen provider, Caterlink.
Penrice Academy is celebrating the incredible achievement of its Year 11 students, who have successfully completed the annual 24-Hour Challenge in support of Cornwall Air Ambulance.
A magnificent evening of performances at last night's Winter Concert!
Last night, over 25 incredible Penrice students took to the spotlight for our Level 2 HPQ Presentation Evening, sharing the results of months of research with live audiences, followed by question and answer sessions.
The Higher Project Qualification is a nationally recognised award that allows students to choose a topic they’re passionate about, conduct independent research, and present their findings. A great addition to students' CVs, the HPQ all about developing critical thinking, communication, and project management skills - key qualities for future success.
"Last night’s Level 2 HPQ Presentation Evening was a true celebration of curiosity and commitment. Our Year 11 students stood proudly before live audiences to share the results of months of independent research - and they were nothing short of inspiring. Their depth of knowledge and confidence in presenting complex ideas was a joy to witness. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of them."
Mr Toms
Head of Year 11
A big thank you to Dr Shamik Agashi, Acute and Urgent Treatment Centre GP, who visited Penrice on Friday last week to speak to our Future Medics students. Alongside Dr Agashi were Emily and Eleanor who are currently studying their final year of medicine at the University of Exeter Medical School.
24th September marked an exciting milestone for our CELT Music departments as five secondary schools came together to form a brand-new youth orchestra under the expert baton of conductor Patrick Bailey. This ambitious collaboration brought together over fifty talented young musicians, each contributing their unique strengths to create a vibrant and unified ensemble. It was also an opportunity for the music teachers from the participating schools to dust their instruments off and join in the music making with the students. Penrice Academy was proud to have almost thirty students representing the academy as part of this collaborative project.
What made this project particularly special was the way it allowed minority instruments - often under-represented in individual school ensembles - to come together and form full, balanced sections. From tubas and French horns to violins and timpani, students experienced the thrill of hearing their parts in full orchestral context, many for the very first time.
The first rehearsal was a resounding success, both musically and socially. It was a joy to see students - many meeting for the first time - bond over a shared love of music. The rehearsal space was alive with energy, enthusiasm, and a growing sense of camaraderie.
The orchestra will meet once every half term, offering students regular opportunities to rehearse, perform, and grow together as musicians. With such a promising start, we are incredibly excited about the journey ahead and the music this ensemble will create in the months to come.
Wales and West Utilities, in partnership with Cornwall Council, will be carrying out essential gas pipe replacement works on Polmear Road, St Austell, starting Wednesday 8th October through to Christmas.
The work will happen in two phases, each lasting about 6 weeks.
Phase One: Multiway traffic lights will be in place at the junction of Cromwell Road, Porthpean Road, and Polmear Road.
Phase Two: Multiway traffic lights will be installed around the roundabout at Polmear Road, Charlestown Road, Mount Charles Road, and Holmbush Road.
Further information is below from Wales and West Utilities.
The works will be carried out in two phases;
Traffic Management for Phase One will consist of multiway lights on the junction of Cromwell Road, Porthpean Road and Polmear Road. We will be there for roughly 6 weeks.
Traffic Management for Phase Two will consist of multiway lights on the roundabout of Polmear Road, Charlestown Road, Mount Charles Road and Holmbush Road. Again, this Phase will take roughly 6 weeks.
We will be working for approximately 12 weeks in total and we propose to start early October, taking us up to Christmas.
It’s part of our multi-million-pound, 30-year, gas pipe investment programme across Wales and the South West of England. As part of this programme, old metal gas pipes within 30 metres of buildings are being upgraded to new, long-lasting plastic ones. We replace over 400km of metallic gas mains each year, and we spend around £1.4 million on this programme every week.
Every day at Wales & West Utilities, our team of more than 1,300 skilled and dedicated colleagues do their very best to keep our 7.5 million customers safe and warm, with gas connections and a gas supply they can rely on combined with a level of service they can trust.
We don’t sell gas; instead, we use our extensive network of pipes to transport gas to homes and businesses throughout Wales and the south west of England. We respond to gas emergencies, and we invest £2m every week across our network, connecting new homes and businesses, and upgrading old metal gas pipes to new plastic ones so the communities we serve receive a safe and reliable gas supply for generations to come.
We launched Wales & West Utilities in 2005, and since then we have worked hard to build our impressive and established reputation for delivering excellent customer service with safety, reliability and value for money at the heart of everything we do.
We are there for our customers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – it’s a vital service and one that we are extremely proud to deliver.
We own and maintain more than 35,000 kilometres of gas pipes – enough to stretch from the UK to New Zealand and back again. Using those pipes – most of which lie hidden beneath your feet - we supply gas to around 2.5 million households and businesses, serving a population of 7.5 million people. We cover an area that stretches from Wrexham to Redruth, from the mountains of North Wales to the cliff tops of Cornwall, serving a mixture of cities, towns, villages and open countryside
We have planned these works in the winter months to avoid the summer embargoes. Due to the increase in gas demand in St Austell these work must be completed.
Installing new pipes in the area will also help us move towards net zero carbon emissions and improve our impact on the environment. It will also prepare the local gas network for the introduction of green gases in the future.
We always try to keep disruption to a minimum when we are working in local communities. If people need additional support during the time their gas supply is interrupted - such as alternative cooking and heating facilities, or any other assistance such as specific access requirements, we ask that they please contact us as soon as possible so we can put arrangements in place.
Penrice Academy in St Austell is proud to announce its newly appointed Head Students for the academic year 2025–2026. Reuben and Evie have been selected as Head Boy and Head Girl, representing the student body and embodying the school’s core values of Pride, Respect and Success.
Joining Reuben and Evie in the student leadership team are their Deputy Head Students: Connor, Jamie, Rosie, Maitilda, Levi, and Sophie. Together, this dynamic team will play a vital role in shaping student voice, leading initiatives, and representing Penrice Academy at key events throughout the year.
Mr Toms
Head of Year 11
“Within both the application process and interviews, Reuben and Evie laid out a very clear vision of how they could contribute to the school, focusing on the priorities of the school itself. They have identified areas for the school to improve, and I'm really excited to work with both of them.”
“I think they've shown maturity beyond their ages and they've certainly given a lot of food for thought for myself, Ms Coleman [Head of School] and Mrs Gurd [Deputy Head of School].”
Reuben steps up to the role of Head Boy having previously held the Senior MP role of Secretary of State for Year 10 in the school’s Student Parliament last academic year. His vision for the year ahead is for a more vibrant Penrice community where every year group feels connected, confident, and valued. He is placing particular emphasis on bridging the gap between different year groups.
Reuben explained:
“When we returned to school this September, the Year 11s and Year 7s shared a Community Lunch together. Events such as the Community Lunch really helped to boost the confidence of the Year 7s and made them feel welcome. I still see a couple of Year 7s I sat with around the school, and they'll come up to me and ask me how I am. I feel it is important that we hold more events and opportunities like this, across all year groups.”
Outside of school, Reuben is a keen swimmer and is a member of St Austell Swimming Club.
Evie steps into the role of Head Girl having played a pivotal role in the school’s Performing Arts, having featured in the last four annual Penrice Academy Productions which included Mary Poppins Jr, Matilda Jr, Oliver Jr, and Rock of Ages (Teen Edition).
Like Reuben, Evie also hopes to drive cross-year-group initiatives to help students feel more like part of a bigger community.
She explained: “In my interview, I pointed out that I would like younger people to have more of a role in their school. I spoke about a culture of older students helping younger students, like Year 7s having pen pals with incoming Year 6s. I think this could really help with the school culture and help younger people have more of a role in their education, making Penrice the best it can be.”
Outside of school, Evie does a lot of volunteering, has been involved in productions like pantomimes, and also has a keen interest in the fields of psychology and sociology.
Penrice Academy would like to formally congratulate the new Student Leadership team on their roles, and we look forward to working together throughout the academic year.