Penn Wood Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Penn Wood Primary and Nursery School Penn Road, Slough, Berkshire SL2 1PH

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 15 and 16 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve exceptionally well at this inspirational school. Staff have the highest expectations for what pupils will learn. By the end of key stage 2, pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently high. Across core and wider curriculum subjects, pupils’ work in books is of the highest standard. Disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive the support they need and consistently achieve as well as their peers. There is no ceiling on pupils’ learning from the beginning of the early years and throughout all year groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and model the school’s values of community, kindness, respect and excellence well. They describe respect as, ‘respecting everyone, no matter who they are’. The school is a place where people are made to feel welcome, and difference and diversity are celebrated throughout the curriculum and through the school’s values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is wonderful. Pupils have very positive relationships with each other and with staff across the whole team. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils know what is expected of them, and how to respond to the school’s clear routines. Pupils attend school frequently. Any pupils at risk of lower attendance are supported well.

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

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. Thoughtful lessons build logically and help pupils strengthen their knowledge over time. For example, pupils’ artwork demonstrates skilful use of different materials alongside clear understanding of the processes and characteristics of famous artists. Pupils use vocabulary that demonstrates deep knowledge of their subjects, such as armature, negative space, relief and installation in art and design. Pupils’ written work is of an exceptionally high quality. The school often shares its expertise with other schools, for example in its approach to teaching and evaluating writing.

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

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified quickly. Staff adapt lessons and learning materials well to ensure that pupils with SEND access and succeed in building knowledge and understanding well.

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

The early years curriculum is ambitious for all children. There are no limits or barriers to children’s learning. Adults are very skilled in interacting, using songs, rhymes and purposeful play to create a sense of joy. Children grow in confidence through meaningful and connected learning experiences. They share, take turns and are respectful and polite towards each other and adults. By the end of Reception Year, children are very well prepared for their next stage of education.

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

Staff have strong subject knowledge. They present new curriculum content clearly. They use questioning effectively and check pupils’ errors and misconceptions, often exploring these misconceptions thoroughly to enable pupils to learn from each other. Staff have robust, effective systems to check how well pupils have learned the curriculum. 15 and 16 July 2025

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Reading is prioritised. Books that help pupils learn to read are matched closely to the sounds that pupils have learned. If any pupils have gaps in their phonics knowledge and understanding they receive specific support quickly to help them catch up to their peers., The school’s thoughtful reading curriculum helps pupils to develop a love of books and literature. Pupils learn to read confidently and fluently.

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The school’s programme of personal development is exceptional. Citizenship is taught profoundly well. This enables older pupils to teach and mentor younger pupils in subjects such as mathematics and in areas such as sports on the playground and reading in the library. Pupils learn how to manage challenge and risk effectively, and how to actively help each other. Sport and physical activity are emphasised greatly. Pupils take part in a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as football, cricket, violin, dance and inter-school games. These are made available to all pupils. Pupils learn about fundamental British values deeply. They become strong advocates for communities free from discrimination and where everyone respects each other. Pupils feel safe in school. They know that they have trusted adults who they can turn to if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils know how to respond appropriately if people are ever unkind.

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Leaders inspire, challenge and support the school team amazingly well. Staff learn from each other and model strong practice routinely. Governors understand their roles and responsibilities well. They are highly skilled, motivated and committed to achieving the best outcomes for pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Staff appreciate the ways the school helps them to manage their workload successfully, allowing them to focus on teaching and learning effectively.

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Parents and carers are very supportive. They appreciate the effort and commitment from the whole staff team. One parent summarised the thoughts of many others, saying, ‘My children feel safe, happy, and genuinely love coming to school every day.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 15 and 16 July 2025

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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). 15 and 16 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 30 and 31 January 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school has an on-site nursery that caters for children aged three and four.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 15 and 16 July 2025

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 The inspection team met with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector met with the chair of governors, members of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, music and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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 inspection team observed behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

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They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day. They considered the views expressed via Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Blackmore Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 July 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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