Penwortham Priory Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Penwortham Priory Academy Crow Hills Road, Penwortham, Preston, Lancashire PR1 0JE

p.1

Outcome

Penwortham Priory Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The principal of this school is Matthew Eastham. This school is part of the Penwortham Priory Academy Trust. This single academy trust is run by the principal and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Dr Phillip Kenneth Range.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school creates an environment where pupils feel safe and happy. For example, staff foster respectful and caring relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to feel secure and valued. They express pride in attending this school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is typically positive. The school sets high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils demonstrate respect for these standards by adhering to the ‘Priory Standard’. During social times, pupils enjoy using the outdoor garden spaces and sporting facilities. They also value the ‘lunch and learn’ activities that nurture and develop their interests.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s expectations for pupils’ academic achievement are typically high. Pupils are motivated to reach their potential. For instance, carefully tailored support helps pupils to progress through the curriculum successfully. In most subjects, pupils achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a strong programme that promotes pupils' wider development. Pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles to develop their independence and confidence. For example, pupils lead eco projects and fundraise for charity. Clubs, trips, and visits enrich pupils' experiences and knowledge beyond the taught curriculum. For instance, pupils take part in sports, birdwatching and art clubs. Many pupils also relished visits to the theatre, museums and international trips. These opportunities ensure that pupils are prepared well for future challenges. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.1

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

In recent years, the school has broadened its curriculum. It has taken decisive and appropriate actions to improve the take up of the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects. Although older pupils have not benefited from these changes, the breadth of the curriculum for key stage 3 pupils is stronger than it was in the past.

p.2

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

In the 2024 national tests, Year 11 pupils did not attain as well as they could in a small number of subjects. This does not reflect the achievement of current pupils. Positive changes in leadership and curriculum mean that pupils are learning better than they did in the past. For instance, staff use their strong subject knowledge to explain subject content clearly. They identify and remedy gaps in pupils’ knowledge effectively. This stronger practice helps pupils to access the curriculum and learn new content well. Nevertheless, from time to time, learning activities do not help pupils to apply and develop their knowledge in sufficient depth. This limits how well some pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, achieve in some subjects.

p.2

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

The additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. This helps the school to offer tailored support so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum and achieve well.

p.2

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

Reading is a priority across school. Pupils are encouraged to develop a love for reading through a range of activities. For example, the school sets dedicated time to promote reading through the curriculum. It also uses well-established support programmes effectively for younger pupils who struggle to read. However, this practice is not fully developed for older pupils. This affects how well some older pupils build their confidence and fluency in reading.

p.2

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

The school has improved its approach to support pupils who struggle to regulate their behaviour. Consequently, the behaviour in classrooms is generally positive and suspension rates have declined. Additionally, the school’s actions to improve how it overcomes barriers to pupils’ attendance has begun to have a positive impact on overall attendance rates. Nevertheless, small groups of pupils, particularly those with SEND, miss school frequently. Occasionally, this negatively impacts how well these pupils learn.

p.2

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

The school offers a rich personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. Through this curriculum and ‘learning for life’ lessons, pupils develop a mature understanding of important topics such as relationships and healthy living. There are numerous opportunities for pupils to learn about different career pathways. For example, pupils enjoy visiting colleges and completing work experience. This helps pupils to plan for their next steps and prepare for adulthood.

p.2

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

Trustees provide effective oversight to ensure that the school meets its responsibilities. They support leaders while also holding them to account. Staff’s workload is managed well, and staff report feeling supported by the school. This helps the school to maintain a positive working environment when driving up standards. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some choices of learning activities do not support pupils to apply and develop their subject knowledge deeply enough. This limits how well pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, learn in some subjects. The school should ensure that teaching consistently uses learning activities that help pupils to achieve as well as they should.  The identification and support for weaker readers in key stage 4 is not fully developed. This hinders how well older pupils build on their reading knowledge and access the curriculum. The school should strengthen its approach to diagnosing reading needs for older pupils and ensure gaps in reading knowledge are addressed and evaluated systematically.  A small number of pupils are not in school as often as they should be. Consequently, they miss valuable opportunities to develop their learning. The school should strengthen its approach to support pupils, particularly pupils with SEND, so that their

p.3

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2020. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.3

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 inspection.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 March 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Penwortham Priory Academy Trust.  There have been some changes to the staffing and leadership of the school since the last inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that 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. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.5

6

 Inspectors held meetings with the principal and other school leaders. Inspectors also met with a range of other staff.  Inspectors spoke with members of the board of trustees, including the chair of trustees. They also spoke with representatives of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including at social times.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders and teachers, visited a sample of lessons, reviewed samples of pupils’ work and spoke with some pupils.  Inspectors met with leaders to review other areas of the curriculum.  Inspectors spoke with the leaders responsible for pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attendance, careers, the provision for SEND and reading.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and records relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

6

central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the responses of parents to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Amina Modan, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Jackie Cahalin Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7