Penrice Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils excel at Penrice Academy. Staff strive relentlessly to meet the school's extraordinarily high expectation to raise aspiration and enable pupils to realise their potential, regardless of background or need. The school's curriculum is especially well-planned to fulfil this ambition.

Staff teach this curriculum carefully, skilfully and highly effectively. As a result, pupils learn extremely well, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.

There are similarly high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils rise to this challenge... brilliantly. Staff ensure that positive relationships underpin this calm, happy and harmonious school.

Staff apply the school's behaviour policy consistently and fairly. Bullying is very rare and dealt with effectively. Pupils show very high levels of commitment to their learning and personal development.

Lessons are disruption free. Pupils embody the school's values of pride, respect and success.

Pupils thrive because of the richness of the school's offer, including how the curriculum is enhanced by trips and visits and the 'Penrice Plus' offer.

Equality of opportunity is promoted very well. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds are included fully in school life.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders' core moral purpose, to tackle social inequality, underpins the success of this highly effective school.

The school knows its provision and its community exceptionally well. It uses this knowledge to improve continuously, systematically and with high ambition. Governance arrangements are finely balanced and very effective.

The local governing board, trustees and executive leaders use the many strengths of provision to promote improvement within the school and for the wider system in the area selflessly. The school develops staff, using innovative approaches, to be exceedingly effective. Staff share in leaders' relentless focus to continually improve their impact on pupils' experiences and learning.

Consequently, the curriculum meets the needs of pupils with precision and delivers excellent outcomes for pupils consistently.

The school's offer is exceptional. Pupils' experiences are broadened deliberately, with great consideration of how to reduce barriers caused by disadvantage or individual need.

To do this, the school has established an ambitious curriculum that goes beyond the expectations of the national curriculum. Every subject, across the school's broad offer, is sequenced logically. Those with SEND, or at risk of falling behind, are identified early.

Lessons are adapted to meet their needs with a high degree of precision.

Skilled staff teach the curriculum very effectively. They have strong and deep subject knowledge.

Staff use regular and ongoing assessment to adapt lessons, provide feedback and amend the curriculum so that it continually adjusts to the changing needs of pupils. Consequently, pupils make rapid gains from sometimes low starting points. Gaps in knowledge are filled successfully.

Pupils remember the curriculum extremely well. They are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.Reading is prioritised.

Embedded approaches to teaching reading allow pupils to experience a wide array of interesting, ambitious and culturally diverse texts. For pupils who need it, a tailored early reading programme helps them to learn sounds and how to blend them systematically. This all means that pupils of all abilities learn to read rapidly.

They become skilled and passionate readers.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. The school's behaviour policy is widely understood and applied with a high degree of consistency.

Pupils know expectations are incredibly high and that this can be challenging. However, they conduct themselves in and around the school beautifully and attend regularly. Incidents of poor behaviour are exceptionally rare and declining.

Pupils are a credit to themselves, their school and their families.

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is nurtured with equal determination. For example, pupils develop socially through an array of extra-curricular clubs, assemblies and embedded routines that all contribute to the strong community of this school.

Pupils learn in detail about cultures and beliefs from around the world. They develop a mature understanding, appreciation and respect for difference. Carefully planned and ongoing careers advice starts early.

It links to pupils' personal interests and ambitions seamlessly. Pupils are very well prepared for their future lives in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.