Pennyman Primary Academy

Pennyman Primary Academy Fullbeck Road, Middlesbrough, Teesside, TS3 0QS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. Their attainment is typically above average by the end of Year 6 and they make outstanding progress from their individual starting points.  Children make rapid progress in the vibrant Early Years Foundation Stage.  All groups of pupils make outstanding progress, including those known to be eligible for the pupil premium, disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and the most able.  Highly effective support ensures that pupils who are taught in the specialist unit provision make rapid progress and achieve very well.  Pupils’ achievement in music and the performing arts is outstanding.  Teaching is outstanding. Teachers have high expectations and they plan work skilfully to ensure that all pupils are clear about what is expected of them. Occasionally, marking and feedback do not give pupils clear guidance on what they need to do to improve, particularly

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

in mathematics.  Behaviour is outstanding. Expectations of pupils’ behaviour are high and result in pupils showing high levels of trust and respect to each other and to adults in the academy.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school. Excellent pastoral care creates a warm and secure environment where excellent relationships flourish. Pupils very much enjoy school. This is reflected in their rapidly improving attendance and their eagerness to learn.  The excellent curriculum provides many exciting and memorable experiences, which spark pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. This contributes very well to their outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The inspirational leadership by the headteacher, ably supported by a talented deputy headteacher and skilled senior leadership team, motivates all staff to give of their best for the benefit of the children. The headteacher’s passion for learning has ensured

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

achievement and teaching have continued to improve and leaders are consistently eager to move the school forward.  The three academies within the trust work very effectively together. Through the trust, staff have many opportunities to share expertise and learn from each other.  The governing body are exceptionally well informed and very effectively challenge all aspects of the school’s work, while remaining highly supportive.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 28 lessons or parts of lessons. The inspectors also observed pupils taught in small groups and listened to pupils from Year 1 and Year 4 read. In addition, inspectors reviewed a sample pupils’ written work with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with different groups of pupils, the headteacher and deputy headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders and members of the governing body. Inspectors also held a discussion with a representative of the Navigate Academies Trust.  Inspectors observed the overall work of the academy and looked at a number of documents, including the academy’s data about pupils’ current progress. In addition, the inspectors reviewed documents relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors took account of the 24 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and 36 staff questionnaires.  Inspectors looked at a range of other evidence, including displays and evidence relating to the

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Information about this inspection

academy’s wider achievements beyond the classroom. The academy’s website was reviewed.

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Inspection team

Margaret Armstrong, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Patrick Hargreaves Additional Inspector Pauline Piddington Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school became part of the Navigate Academies Trust in September 2012 and became known as Pennyman Primary Academy.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above average  The school has a large specialist resourced provision for pupils with physical disabilities, severe and moderate learning difficulties and medical needs. There are currently 51 pupils who attend. A high proportion of specialist unit provision pupils are taught in inclusive resource bases. Some are integrated into lessons across the academy. Most of these pupils have a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is well above average.

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Information about this school

The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The academy has a breakfast club managed by the governing body.  The academy provides outreach support to a number of local schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of marking by ensuring that pupils are consistently given sufficient guidance on how to improve the quality of their work, particularly in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start in the nursery with skills that are well below those typical for their age. A significant proportion has complex physical, medical needs and learning difficulties. Children make outstanding progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and achieve very well. This is because staff work exceptionally well together to make sure all children’s needs are met and the very wide range of interesting and engaging activities capture children’s curiosity.  In Key Stage 1, pupils continue to make outstanding progress. Pupils receive extra challenge in creative and inventive ways, such as in Year 1 where pupils dipped excitedly into the ‘Magic Bean Bag’ when investigating what plants need to grow. Even though pupils made rapid progress from their exceptionally low starting points, standards at the end of Year 2 in 2013 were significantly below the national average. Work in pupils’ books and the academy’s records

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

indicate that standards this year have risen swiftly and are close to the national average.  In 2013, Key Stage 2 pupils attained below the national average in reading and writing, reflecting the very low starting points of a significant proportion of this cohort. Nevertheless, they reached average standards in mathematics. The standards achieved in 2013 by those Year 6 pupils who did not have identified disabilities and special educational needs were much closer to average. Standards are rising and pupils currently in Year 6 are on track to attain above average standards, illustrating the outstanding progress they have made during their time in Key Stage 2.  Inspection evidence shows that pupils’ progress in reading is excellent. This is because reading skills are promoted well. Pupils of all ages speak enthusiastically about the books and authors they enjoy when reading in school and at home. The teaching of phonics (linking of letters and

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

the sounds they make) is excellent and ensures children make rapid progress in the development of their literacy skills.  Improvements in the way writing is taught have been very effective and, as a result, pupils make rapid progress from their starting points. This is because the teaching of writing is now excellent and pupils have extensive opportunities to write at length across a range of subjects.  The progress pupils make in mathematics is outstanding. This as result of teachers planning excellent opportunities for pupils to work on tasks which challenge their thinking.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those taught in the specialist unit provision, have their needs addressed very well. Highly-skilled teaching assistants provide excellent support for pupils across the school. These pupils make outstanding progress because staff have high expectations and work is tailored to their very specific needs.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The most able pupils are well challenged in all aspects of their learning. They thrive on doing higher-level work. They are highly motivated to do their very best because of the teachers’ high expectations and their own delight in seeing how well they can do.  The school continues to successfully narrow the gap in attainment between pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals. Last year those pupils in Year 6 who were known to be eligible for free school meals were over a year behind their peers in reading and two terms behind in writing and mathematics. Extra provision, funded by the pupil premium, has provided more staff and this has enabled more effective support. This group of pupils currently in Year 6 are now less than one term behind that of other pupils in the school in reading, writing and mathematics. This demonstrates the school’s outstanding success in promoting equality of opportunity and tackling

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching over time is outstanding because staff are determined to ensure that no pupil is at risk of falling behind. All staff are ambitious for pupils to do their very best. This is reflected in the very high expectations and aura of challenge seen in every classroom in the school.  In the Nursery and Reception classes, staff are very accomplished in providing imaginative activities which foster curiosity and excitement in learning. This was apparent in the Reception class, where children were observed working very productively to write sentences about their favourite animal. Adults used carefully crafted questions to successfully increase the range of words that the children had to use and this raised children’s understanding and rate of progress.  Tasks are carefully planned and organised to encourage pupils to think critically and to find solutions to problems.  Excellent relationships and the expert way in which teachers organise their classrooms, helps

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

pupils to make outstanding progress. Teachers use an extensive range of approaches to engross pupils in learning. This was seen in Year 4 writing session where pupils listened very carefully to the teacher and then worked conscientiously to edit their work to include interesting adverbs, such as ‘ferociously’ and ‘mercilessly’. This improved the quality of their writing tremendously.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy their lessons. They listen very carefully and demonstrate very high levels of interest and motivation.  Teaching is outstanding in the specialist unit provision. As a result, the progress of pupils with complex needs speeds up and they achieve very well. Teachers work very closely with teaching assistants to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning and provide plenty of activities that provide extra challenges. In the specialist unit in Years 5 and 6, for example, pupils tasted a wide range of different fruits and this helped them confidently choose adventurous vocabulary to improve

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

their writing.  Pupils’ work is diligently marked and feedback is always provided for pupils on the quality of their work. However, on a small number of occasions, marking does not give pupils sufficient guidance on how to improve, particularly in mathematics.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Staff set very high standards and pupils respond very well. Pupils and staff show high levels of respect for each other. This ensures a happy, welcoming and harmonious place where pupils thoroughly enjoy learning. In the words of one pupil, ‘There’s nothing that could be improved in our school. It’s brilliant here’.  Behaviour is exemplary both in and out of lessons because the school promotes pupils’ personal development exceptionally well throughout its curriculum. Pupils are most pleasant, very polite and exceptionally well mannered and act very maturely as ‘Pennyman Citizens’. They welcome visitors warmly to the school, open doors for them and are delighted to show them their work.  Pupils have a very clear understanding of the school’s system to manage behaviour. They very much appreciate the rewards they receive, particularly recognition as ‘Stars of the Week’ and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

through the use of the prestigious ‘Penny Points’.  Pupils are cared for exceptionally well and there is very effective support for their families. This has ensured pupils’ attendance has improved rapidly over time and is now average Excellent support is provided to those pupils who miss school sessions owing to their medical conditions.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils report that they feel very safe in school and know how to manage unsafe situations. Pupils also have regular updates on how to stay safe on the internet and from regular visitors to school who talk to them about keeping safe.  Pupils have an exceptionally strong awareness of the dangers of bullying and of how bullying can be stopped. They know about internet safety, cyber-bullying and also bullying based on prejudice. Their view is that bullying is rare and that, if it occurs, it is dealt with immediately.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are clearly very proud of their school, and value highly the opportunities they have to take responsibility including acting as academy councillors, playground buddies and reading monitors. They move around the school impeccably, and show tremendous care for the school environment.  Parents are very positive about pupils’ behaviour, indicating that their children feel particularly safe in school and that they are cared for very well.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher provides very strong and highly effective leadership that ensures all pupils achieve exceptionally well. She is extremely well supported by the skilled deputy headteacher, senior leaders and a very dedicated team of staff. All are very ambitious for the academy and pursue excellence in everything they do to support pupils’ learning and progress.  Teaching is exceptionally well managed. Regular checks of the quality of teaching, by senior and middle leaders, make it clear to staff what their strengths are and how they improve even more. Highly effective performance management closely links the outcomes for pupils to staff salary progression.  There are excellent procedures for checking on the progress of individuals and groups of pupils. Leaders and managers use the information skilfully to eliminate any inconsistencies in pupils’ performance and sustain high achievement. Support and intervention are very quickly put in

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The leadership and management are outstanding

place if any individual is not making better than the national expected progress from their starting points.  The curriculum is lively and varied and ensures pupils make rapid progress in developing the essential skills of reading, writing and mathematics so they they are very well prepared for the next stage in their education. There is a wealth of after-school clubs, which pupils very much enjoy, including fencing, choir, chess, football and tennis. The breakfast club also contributes very effectively to pupils’ well-being. The curriculum provides ample opportunities for pupils to excel in music and the performing arts. During the inspection, pupils were observed singing beautifully when rehearing for their production of ‘The Lion King’. These contribute to pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The new primary school sports funding is well used to increase teachers’ expertise and to

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The leadership and management are outstanding

provide pupils with opportunities to take part in a wide range of physical activities. The provision is enabling pupils to develop their personal interests and potential in a variety of sports.  The academy has benefited tremendously from being part of the Navigate Academies Trust. Staff have been able to share expertise across the three academies and this has helped to quickly improve the quality of teaching and develop the skills and expertise of middle leaders.  The school has been very successful in establishing highly effective partnership work with Priory Woods School, a community special school. As a result, pupils with complex physical, medical and learning needs are supported very well when they move into secondary education.  Safeguarding policies and procedures meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors are actively involved in all aspects of school life and visit the school to check on the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

progress pupils are making. They have an excellent understanding of performance data and keep themselves fully informed about pupils’ progress and attainment. Governors take a special interest in the progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those taught in the specialist unit provision, and liaise regularly with the highly effective Special Educational Needs and Disability Team. They also meet with senior leaders to check on the impact of the spending of the pupil premium funding. Consequently, they are fully aware that pupils eligible for such funding are making the same outstanding progress as others in the academy.  Governors know the school exceptionally well, including how good teaching is. They ask leaders searching questions about all aspects of performance and make sure that staff only receive financial reward if they meet their targets in relation to pupils’ progress. Governors are

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The leadership and management are outstanding

very proud to serve the school and have a very ambitious plans for its future development.

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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 138560 Local authority Middlesbrough Inspection number 440100

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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 Primary School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 441 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair K Morris Headteacher Katrina Morley Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01642 341750 Fax number 01642 341750 Email address katrina_morley@middlesbrough.gov.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 and 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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