Penns Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key findings

This is a good school.

Children begin school with skills that broadly meet national expectations. They make good progress and leave with attainment that is significantly above national expectations in English and mathematics. Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Pupils make consistently good progress in English in Years 1 to 6. In mathematics, while they make good progress in Years 1 and 2, some pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 3 to 6 because the quality of teaching is inconsistent. Teaching is good.

Pupils have excellent relationships with teachers and enjoy their learning. Lessons are interesting and engaging. The curriculum is creative and prov...ides particularly good chances for pupils to practise their literacy skills, but fewer planned opportunities to practise numeracy in Years 3 to 6.

Teaching assistants are not always used effectively in some lessons and teachers do not consistently use focused questions to challenge pupils' thinking further. The quality of pupils' behaviour and safety is outstanding because of the strong nurturing ethos that is promoted by school leaders and all staff and is clearly demonstrated throughout the school. Leaders and managers lead the school well and are outstanding in their engagement with parents and carers.

They monitor teaching effectively and ensure improvements are made, with notable success in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Middle managers are keen to work together to extend the monitoring of lessons. However, interventions to support pupils at risk of underachievement are not yet rigorously monitored and evaluated.

Pupils who are on track to meet expected targets are not always challenged enough to make accelerated progress.

Information about the school

Penns Primary is a smaller-than-average primary school. The large majority of pupils are of White British origin.

A small minority are from a range of different ethnic backgrounds, the largest group being of Asian heritage. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is lower than the national average, as are the proportion who speak English as an additional language and the proportion known to be eligible for free school meals. The school has before- and after-school care managed by an external provider.

This provision is subject to a separate inspection. The school has achieved the Quality Mark Basic Skills Award and Healthy Schools status. The school meets the current government floor standard.

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