West Pennard Church of England Primary School

Inspection of West Pennard Church of England Primary School Church Lane, West Pennard, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8NT

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since July 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 25 and 26 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely proud of their school. They describe it as a school where there are ‘always smiley pupils and smiley staff’. Staff know and understand pupils’ needs well. As a result, pupils are happy and safe and attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during social times is exemplary. They demonstrate high levels of respect and kindness towards one another. Pupils are exceptionally polite and well mannered. They go out of their way to help and support each other. This reflects the school’s values, which include being respectful, compassionate and truthful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for its pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and achieve well. In most subjects, the school checks to find out what pupils know and can do. This supports pupils to build on their previous learning. However, in a few subjects, this is not as well developed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The provision for pupils’ wider development is exceptional. Pupils take pleasure in the rich opportunities on offer such as music, dance and sports. These activities develop pupils’ interests and talents. The school provides significant pastoral support to pupils and their families. Parents are delighted with ‘this most welcoming and supportive’ school and appreciate all it does for them.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. The key knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need to know and remember across all subjects has been identified. This supports pupils in building their knowledge well over time in most subjects. For example, in art, younger pupils were looking at camouflage and how to hide a lizard in their work. In most subjects, teachers check pupils’ understanding well and have a clear picture of what pupils know and can do. However, in a few subjects, the checks on pupils’ understanding do not provide teachers with the information they need about gaps or misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge. In these subjects, it is difficult for teachers to provide pupils with opportunities to build on what they already know. When this is the case, pupils do not develop their knowledge as well as they could.

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

The school aspires for pupils to develop a love of books and become fluent readers. Children begin their reading journey from the moment they start in the early years. Staff are skilled in the teaching of phonics and early reading. They carefully select books to ensure they precisely match pupils’ phonics knowledge. Those pupils at risk of falling behind are supported well to quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers. Story time is a firm favourite.

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

Learning in the early years provides children with a firm foundation on which to build. Children learn how to socialise and to work independently. They start to build their early reading, writing and mathematical knowledge well and understand how these skills link to other areas of learning. For example, children use their reading skills when carrying out map work and looking at different types of houses. Behaviour and personal development 25 and 26 February 2025

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in the early years are very strong. This is because staff form strong relationships with children, and their parents, prior to them starting school. Once in school, children settle quickly. They rapidly learn the behaviours expected of them. This means children are well prepared for Year 1.

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The school has robust and clear processes for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school monitors, evaluates and reviews interventions to check they meet pupils’ needs. Other agencies, such as speech and language therapists and educational psychologists, are utilised to make sure pupils with SEND receive the right support. This ensures equal opportunity to enable all pupils to develop a broad body of knowledge.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes and commitment to their education. They demonstrate high levels of motivation. The school motto ‘to try is to triumph’ is known and understood by pupils. They show resilience and determination when they face challenge and persevere until they achieve success.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. It sits at the heart of the school’s values and its mission to develop pupils as responsible citizens. The school provides pupils with rich developmental experiences such as residential trips to Dartmoor. Such opportunities develop pupils’ perseverance, resilience and leadership skills. Pupils relish the roles and responsibilities afforded to them. These include being house captains and playground leaders. Pupils learn how to become thoughtful and caring young people who respect and appreciate the diversity of the world in which they live.

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Governors have a detailed knowledge of the effectiveness of the school’s work. Governors hold the school to account for the quality of education and care pupils receive. Staff are extremely proud to work at the school. They feel valued and respected.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not as effective in some subjects as in others. In these subjects, some pupils are not moved on quickly enough in their learning to really deepen their knowledge. The school needs to ensure assessment is equally effective in all subjects.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their 25 and 26 February 2025

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 and 4 July 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The school received its section 48 inspection under the Education Act 2005 for schools of a religious character in June 2019, when it was judged to be excellent. The next section 48 inspection is likely to take place during the next academic year.  The school uses no alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 25 and 26 February 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and staff.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a member of staff. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 were also listened to reading. Story time was visited in the Reception Year.  Inspectors sampled pupils’ work in history and geography.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered key documentation, including the school development plan and minutes of governors’ meetings.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Inspectors met with school leaders to discuss and review how they respond to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. They considered the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments. An inspector also spoke to parents on the morning of the first day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Lovett Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 February 2025

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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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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