Penzance, England

By Joshua Wood, LPC

Last updated on Sep 24, 2021

Summary: Expats, digital nomads and retirees discuss what it is like to live in Penzance, UK: Cost of living, Finding a home, Meeting People and more.

What are the schools in Penzance like?

"It is a small school that should be really good, but is owned by GEMS who do not understand what parents want or expect.. The curriculum is not appropriate, the 6th form facilities are a joke compared to what they were, and the pupils do not have the opportunities which similar schools elsewhere in the country have. The teachers are quite narrow-minded without a sense of the realities of a competitive environment, and pupils ill-prepared for the real world when they leave cosy Penzance. It is not really good enough, and school leadership is pretty non-existent. School comes high in the league tables because the competition is so poor," commented one expat when asked about Gems Bolitho School as of January 2011 in Penzance.

"It is slowly winding down. Reception and leadership in early years is non-existent. 6th form is now a rump. Truro is by far a better option," remarked another expat living in Penzance with children attending Gems Bolitho School.

"Think very carefully and look at excellent choice in Truro - many pupils have now left, the brilliant new head was also pushed out, so we feel the school will stumble on for a bit and then most likely close. No 6th form now to speak of, and the early years is still very much in the dark ages," said another expat in Penzance with children at Gems Bolitho.

"This used to be a lovely school, but since the takeover there is clearly a different atmosphere - some staff have been treated badly, and we feel the school is not the same. it really has gone corporate, and lots of broken promises. previous entries here were when the school was truly independent. No longer the case. very sad," remarked another parent with kids at Gems Bolitho school in Penzance.

"The school used to be a small friendly place to help children do really well. the school had a lot of financial problems, and the school has now been bought by Gems Uk, which is making it more "corporate" - so the family atmosphere is gone, and the teachers who made a difference will leave very soon. We had been told via a parental forum previous "form" that GEMS had shown in getting rid of people they don't like but this was taken off. The school is not what it was, and with no viable 6th form next year there is a real feeling that the school will quietly close. We are moving to Truro School, which is a great relief," explained one expat living in Penzance, UK.

"Definitely come here - small classes and no one slips throught the net. 3 pupils got into cambridge this year so it meets the academic demands of all abilities," said another parent with children at Bolitho School in Penzance.