Pennington Church of England Primary School

Pennington Church of England Junior School Priestlands Road, Pennington, Lymington, Hants, SO41 8HX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pennington is an improving school. The headteacher, with the support of the deputy headteacher, has brought a significant transformation to the school’s work since the last inspection.  As a result, the overall quality of teaching and learning has improved well. The speed of pupils’ progress has increased significantly. Most are now working at expected levels or higher.  Achievement is good. By the end of Year 6, many pupils reach broadly average standards in reading and mathematics from their well below average starting points.  Those pupils who are most disadvantaged make especially good progress.  Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.  Pupils’ behaviour is typically good and mostly outstanding.  Pupils are extremely well cared for. The values of mutual respect and consideration are ingrained in a learning environment where most flourish.  The curriculum effectively promotes pupils’

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by offering a good range of well- planned experiences.  The headteacher gives a strong direction to the work of the school and is working hard to lift the quality of teaching to outstanding.  Governors are very knowledgeable about the school’s work. They visit regularly and monitor all aspects of its work closely. They provide effective support and hold leaders to account for pupils’ achievements.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Pupils’ achievement is not outstanding, because there is not yet sufficient outstanding teaching.  Teachers do not always give pupils helpful feedback on their work.  Some lessons are not taught with activities relevant to pupils’ needs and interests.  Teachers’ expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work are not always high enough.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 17 lessons and a number of these were jointly seen with the senior leaders. In addition, the inspection team made shorter visits to lessons to focus on specific aspects such the teaching of reading and the nurture group.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior staff, teachers and a representative from the local authority. The lead inspector met with a group of governors including the vice-chair of the governing body.  Inspectors took account of 29 responses to the online questionnaire for parents and carers, Parent View, as well as 14 responses to a survey for school staff, in informing the inspection findings. Inspectors also spoke to a number of parents and carers to gather their views about the school.  The inspection team looked closely at a range of documentation, including information on pupils’ performance, their individual education plans, the school improvement plan, safeguarding and

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Information about this inspection

behaviour policies as well as policies on teaching and learning, and documents relating to the targets set for teachers to improve their work.

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Inspection team

David Marshall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jameel Hassan Additional Inspector Philip Mann Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Pennington is a smaller than average size junior school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and almost all speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families, is well above average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well above average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The number of pupils who join and leave the school at other than the usual times is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress, in one aspect.  No pupils at this school attend alternative off-site provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by ensuring that:  all lessons consistently offer pupils the most exciting and relevant activities and are at the right level to move their learning on  teachers’ written comments provide clear guidance to pupils on how to improve their work and enable them to make quicker progress and that pupils act on this advice?  more priority is given to improving the quality of presentation in pupils’ books.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The detailed and comprehensive school and local authority information over the last two years shows that pupils start in Year 3 with attainment levels well below those expected for their age, and often very low in their language skills. They make good progress immediately because of good teaching and a broad range of interesting activities.  Pupils work hard and make good progress so that by the end of Year 6, those pupils who have been in the school from Year 3 achieve standards in English and mathematics in line with the national average.  Work seen in lessons, pupils’ books and the school’s evidence show that progress has accelerated well since the previous inspection. It is improving each year because of better teaching and a well-planned curriculum.  Those pupils who enter the school other than at the usual time, often after significant problems at other schools, are enabled to readily engage in their learning. They settle down rapidly and

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The achievement of pupils is good

begin to fill the many gaps in their learning and develop new knowledge quickly.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because they receive effective support and work is set at the right level for them. Their attainment compares well with that of pupils in other schools who need help.  Pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium funding are also making good progress. The school has used its funding to provide these pupils with extra support in lessons by appointing additional members of staff to work with them individually and in groups. Based on expectations for their age, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals are making better progress overall than their peers, performing at the same level as other pupils in the school and pupils nationally by the time they leave the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Very good monitoring and support have improved the quality of teaching well over the last two years. Weaker teaching has been eradicated and it is uniformly good, with the proportion of outstanding lessons rising well. The good quality teaching and learning is praised by pupils and their parents and carers.  Good subject knowledge helps teachers and classroom assistants explain and demonstrate things clearly; for example when wearing woolly socks to collect seeds for a lesson on dispersal, focusing on different aspects of beautiful paintings to use adjectives and using the pentatonic scale to explore sounds and rhythm.  Resources are very carefully chosen and used effectively to support learning, most notably in the quality of reading material that motivates pupils particularly well. This, together with good teaching of reading, helps pupils to achieve very well in this subject.  Lessons are planned so that pupils working at different levels are provided with activities that

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The quality of teaching is good

help them to progress well. Skilled classroom assistants often provide extra support for pupils who require it. In the best lessons activities are highly challenging which, together with clear explanations and good support, ensures pupils do really well.  Learning is not yet outstanding as there are occasions when the plans are not focused sufficiently on what is most relevant for the needs of individual pupils within the lesson and are too concerned about general progress in literacy or numeracy. The opportunities to use pupils’ own interests to enhance their progress are sometimes missed.  The individual programmes for pupils who need extra help, such as in the excellent nurture group, are taught especially well so that disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those in receipt of pupil premium funding not only achieve well, but are successfully closing the gap on their peers.  Staff lead good discussions to help pupils clarify their learning and capitalise well on pupils’ good

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The quality of teaching is good

relationships with each other by encouraging them to test out ideas or evaluate each other’s work. Pupils are fully involved in helping to judge their success in each lesson and setting targets to help them improve. Pupils value this process saying it provides them with a very good idea of how they can achieve well.  Staff are good at checking how well pupils are doing throughout lessons, but only in the outstanding lessons do teachers constantly adjust activities when pupils are learning quickly to extend their learning even further.  Most marking of recorded work clearly indicates what has been achieved and how to improve, but too often teachers do not check that pupils are aware of how to correct their mistakes which then sometimes reoccur, limiting their progress. Also at times teachers too readily accept poorly presented work.  Management of behaviour is very good so that, despite a few pupils finding good behaviour

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The quality of teaching is good

difficult, lessons are rarely interrupted and consistently proceed at a good pace.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 There are consistent and good improvements in behaviour over time across the school. Pupils are polite, enjoy coming to school and are considerate towards one another and to staff and visitors.  Exceptionally skilful behaviour management systems are in place. Pupils are very familiar with these systems and work well within them.  Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is typically good because of the effective relationships that exist between adults and pupils. In most lessons pupils sustain their concentration and are motivated to succeed. Behaviour is not yet outstanding because in some lessons pupils lose their concentration as the planning is not always focused on their specific next steps and they become restless.  Pupils are positive about the standards of behaviour at the school. They say that bullying is very rare. One boy said, ‘I can’t remember the last time it happened.’ They were very clear that if it

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

did occur prompt action by adults would sort it out.  Pupils have a clear understanding of what constitutes bullying and aware of some of the different forms this can take such as cyber bullying and homophobic bullying.  Pupils report that they feel very safe in school and this gives them the confidence try out new experiences, for example new sports in extra-curricular activities.  The emotional well-being of pupils whose circumstances may mean they are vulnerable is very well provided for, and staff demonstrate exceptional care and patience with older pupils with particular needs. This consideration is mirrored by pupils who extend the same care for their classmates with specific difficulties or needs.  Every parent and carer who responded to the online questionnaire and all the parents and carers who wrote and spoke to the inspector said their children were very happy at the school and very well looked after.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is above average and punctuality is good as pupils enjoy school and appreciate what it has to offer.

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The leadership and management are good

 Through rigorous self-evaluation the headteacher has provided leaders and governors with a clear picture of what the school does well and where further improvements are needed. He is ambitious for the school and has established a culture of high expectations for staff and pupils.  There is a strong focus on improving the quality of teaching so that most is good with an increasing proportion that is outstanding. Senior leaders check the work of teachers regularly and set targets for improvement. Close links between the management of the performance of teachers and their training ensures that all staff have opportunities for career progression and these systems ensure that only the best teaching is accepted and rewarded.  There is an expectation that all pupils will succeed, reflecting the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity. Senior leaders frequently check pupils’ progress to identify those at risk

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The leadership and management are good

of falling behind so that additional support can be provided. Consequently there are very few gaps in the progress made by different groups of pupils. Discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.  The role of staff responsible for subjects in checking the quality of work in their areas is being developed well. The extent to which they understand, and use, the school's information on pupils’ performance to set up high enough expectations and drive up standards is now consistent.  Although the curriculum is good and often exciting, there are limitations sometimes in the range of opportunities for pupils in some lessons. Topics are planned to teach different subjects such as science, history and art, but some openings are missed to enhance individual learning.  The school works hard to strengthen community and home links and parents and carers are wholeheartedly behind everything the school asks of them. The role of PTA is much appreciated

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has responded well to the effective support provided by the local authority and appreciates the additional help given whenever it is required.  The governance of the school: − Governors have a good balance of skills that they use to monitor and challenge school leaders. They visit school regularly so they understand how well pupils achieve in comparison with other schools locally and nationally. Governors talk confidently about the quality of teaching and ensure that systems for performance management are robust, particularly in regard to the link between performance and teachers’ salary progression. They ensure that the pupil premium funding is spent to provide enrichment activities for those pupils as well as to support them to access the curriculum. Governors undertake relevant training to equip them for their roles. For example, training on child protection procedures has enabled them to

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The leadership and management are good

ensure that the school complies with all requirements for safeguarding pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 116307 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 411997

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 163 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Martina Humber Headteacher Paul Street Date of previous school inspection 6 May 2010 Telephone number 01590 672104 Fax number 01590 672719 Email address paul.street@pennington-jun.hants.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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