Pennington CofE School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Pennington CofE School Pennington, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 0RR

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Outcome

Pennington CofE School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this welcoming school. Pupils live out the school motto of ‘together we can do great things’. Everyone gets along together and are happy to come to school. This is because pupils know they are well looked after by adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rise to the high expectations set for them. They take pride in their work. They focus well on their learning and listen to advice to help them deepen their knowledge. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive timely and effective support. Pupils progress through the curriculum and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. The varied activities offered to pupils at breaktimes and lunchtimes support their behaviour and interactions with each other. They are kind to one another and play well together. Pupils, including children in the early years, learn how to take risks in a safe and engaging environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school nurtures pupils’ talents through a diverse enrichment programme involving a vast array of sporting and creative activities. These include orienteering, chess and gardening club. Pupils benefit from a rich and varied set of experiences that broaden their horizons, such as residential trips and fundraising events. During their time at the school, pupils develop into responsible, mature and well-rounded citizens.

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

The school has continued to improve since the last inspection. The school has developed a broad, ambitious curriculum that successfully meets the needs of pupils, including those with SEND. In most subjects, the school has carefully considered what pupils should learn, starting from the early years. Teachers are well trained and have secure subject knowledge. They deliver the curriculum very effectively. They select interesting activities 29 and 30 April 2025

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that ignite pupils’ interest. Staff make regular checks on what pupils can do and remember. Gaps and misunderstandings are addressed promptly. This helps pupils develop a rich body of knowledge. For example, in the early years, pupils paint detailed pictures of spring flowers. However, in a small number of subjects, it is not clear exactly what key knowledge pupils should learn. This means that in these subjects, pupils do not remember the important information they need.

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The school prioritises reading. Staff introduce children to a wide range of stories, songs and rhymes in the Reception class. This supports children in developing strong listening, language and communication skills. Starting from the early years, staff foster pupils’ enjoyment of reading. Children follow a well-structured phonics programme. Pupils practise reading using books that contain the sounds they already know. Staff provide additional help should pupils find reading difficult. This enables pupils to develop into fluent readers.

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Pupils with SEND benefit from strong relationships with staff, who identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can thrive and achieve alongside their peers. Consequently, these pupils progress well through the curriculum and make a positive contribution to school life.

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Pupils are well mannered and welcoming towards each other, staff and visitors. Pupils are proud to be part of the Pennington community. They value the rewards that they receive for behaving well. For example, pupils enjoy being nominated for the ‘special mention’ assembly and receiving ‘family group tokens’. The school works in partnership with families to ensure that pupils’ attendance is consistently high.

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The school has put together a well-considered offer to support pupils’ personal development. It ensures pupils are prepared for life beyond the school by fostering high levels of respect. Pupils learn about different cultures and religions, helping them appreciate diversity. Pupils play an active role in their community. They actively improve the local area through their challenge action group and take part in community events such as ‘printfest’ and remembrance.

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Leaders engage well with staff to support their well-being and manage their workload effectively. Governors maintain effective oversight. They provide appropriate support and challenge when making sure the school meets its responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the important knowledge pupils should learn is not defined as clearly as it could be. This makes it more difficult for staff to check what pupils know and can 29 and 30 April 2025

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remember. The school should ensure that key learning is clearly identified in these subjects so teachers can check on pupils’ progress through the curriculum more effectively.

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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.

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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.

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Background

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

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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 inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Elisabeth Fenwick

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 March 2020, 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 Carlisle. The last section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in November 2017. The next scheduled inspection should take place in the 2025/26 academic year.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single 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 inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of 29 and 30 April 2025

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lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and teachers.  The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector spoke with a representative from the diocese.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Emma Jackson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 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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