Penwortham Broad Oak Primary School

Penwortham Broad Oak Primary School

Address: Pope Lane, Penwortham, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 9DE Unique reference number (URN): 119337

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve well at this school. They often achieve in line with national averages in end of key stage assessments. Similarly, most Year 1 pupils meet the standard of the phonics screening check each year. In subjects beyond mathematics and English, pupils’ recall of previous learning has improved. They show a fair recollection of knowledge taught in several subjects. Overall, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education as a result.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils typically gain the crucial basic skills that they need to read, write, calculate and communicate. Leaders usually ensure that effective, additional support is provided to help pupils who still have gaps in these areas. However, in some cases, this support is not as precise as it could be at targeting and closing pupils’ remaining gaps. Consequently, some pupils’ number fluency and handwriting skills are less well developed.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Over time, pupils typically attend well at the school. Although there was a marginal decline in the whole-school attendance average last year, there were several circumstances that contributed to this. More positively, leaders have successfully reduced the number of pupils who are persistently absent. Leaders have sufficient oversight of attendance information and are refining how they analyse data to further sharpen their strategic insight into the attendance patterns of particular cohorts and pupil groups. For pupils experiencing attendance issues, leaders are quick to provide individualised support to their families, which often leads to a reduction in their absences.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave excellently around the school. This includes children in the early years who have settled into school life well, rising to classroom expectations incredibly quickly. Pupils are friendly, kind and respectful towards their teachers and classmates. They play together nicely during social times, inviting each other to join in with group games on the playground. Pupils experience very little bullying at the school, and staff deal with it swiftly when it occurs. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They engage well in their lessons and respond positively to teachers’ instructions.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have made positive improvements to the school’s curriculum in recent years. They have adopted new schemes of work to ensure that pupils are taught knowledge in a logical order, through suitable teaching activities and helpful classroom resources. Lessons are generally well taught, which has led to pupils developing a larger body of knowledge overall. However, there are occasions when staff do not adapt learning as well as they could. This is mainly the case for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for those who need more tailored teaching when they first move to a new year group. This sometimes slows down the rate of progress that these pupils make through the curriculum. Leaders have increased their focus on ensuring pupils swiftly learn the fundamental skills needed in English and mathematics. This has paid dividends in pupils’ phonics knowledge and, more recently, their recall of multiplication facts. Leaders have recently introduced new

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

initiatives, including a whole-school handwriting programme, to address where pupils’ skills remain less secure. These new approaches are starting to have a positive impact, but leaders are still working to embed them consistently across the school. Consequently, some pupils’ handwriting skills and aspects of numeracy knowledge are not fully developed.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have recently expanded the early years to include a nursery provision for 3-year- olds. Even though this provision had only been open a few days at the time of the inspection, children have already settled in well. Leaders have developed suitable curriculum expectations for their learning this year. Leaders and staff are also in the process of tailoring this curriculum further to pinpoint the knowledge children will learn and to respond to the cohort’s emerging needs and abilities.

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Early years Expected standard

Teachers deliver the early years curriculum content well, including phonics. Staff have high- quality interactions with children. They model language effectively and help children to deepen their learning through play. Leaders and staff work well with other early years settings to identify when children may have barriers to their learning. They are quick to implement additional support where necessary so that these children successfully access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

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Early years Expected standard

In recent years the number of children achieving good levels of development in the early years has not been consistently high. However, this is partly because some children join the school with barriers to their learning. Despite this, staff still meet children’s different learning needs well and support them effectively to make progress through the curriculum from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders are adept at quickly identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils who might be otherwise vulnerable. They work quickly to assess the needs of these pupils, including engaging the services of external specialists where required. As a result, pupils with more significant needs quickly get the support that they need to access their learning successfully.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional premium funding effectively, particularly to meet the welfare needs of vulnerable pupils and their families. For instance, staff provide bespoke emotional support to those who might be dealing with difficult situations. Leaders also take considerate actions to remove financial barriers that may otherwise prevent disadvantaged pupils from accessing wider opportunities. These types of help enable such pupils to thrive while at school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff typically make suitable adjustments to their delivery of the curriculum to support pupils with SEND to access their classroom learning. This sometimes takes the form of tailored resources and tasks. However, at other times, staff do not make adaptations that are as sharply focused and effective as they could be. When this is the case, pupils are sometimes left with more learning to catch up on later in their schooling.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an appropriate insight into the school’s strengths and development priorities. They take appropriate strategic actions to ensure that the school functions effectively. For instance, since the previous inspection, a change in leaders' choice of phonics programme has helped to ensure that the proportion of pupils in Year 1 that meet the standard of the phonics screening check has been consistently at or above the national average. That said, leaders’ insight into the quality and effectiveness of curriculum delivery in some subjects is not as rigorous as it is in others. This sometimes results in leaders taking strategic actions that are not as sharply focused and impactful as they are elsewhere.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders look after the wellbeing of staff. They have recently adopted a range of curriculum materials that have led to a reduction in staff workload. Staff are very happy at the school and value the conscientious support that leaders provide. Leaders also facilitate various professional development opportunities that help staff to grow. These range from individuals accessing national professional qualifications to whole-school training that is linked to school improvement priorities. Staff value and benefit from these.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage well with the school community and the network of local schools. For example, leaders work together with partner organisations to peer review the school’s curriculum delivery and share professional development opportunities to learn from each other.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively. They understand their core functions and provide appropriate challenge and support to school leaders. They have a close eye on pupils’ achievement and a secure rationale for the strategic priorities they have set.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have implemented a well-designed personal development programme. They continually refine the taught content of this programme to ensure it reflects changes in legislation and in the general community. For instance, leaders have ensured that this year’s content includes an increased focus on pupil safety when sending electronic messages and images. Leaders also make appropriate adjustments to the extra-curricular offer when they notice that some groups of pupils are struggling to access them. For instance, leaders have recently set up additional lunchtime clubs for those who are unable to attend activities held after school. This has resulted in an increase in club attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff are particularly effective in providing high levels of emotional care and practical support to vulnerable pupils and their families. This support is often bespoke and ranges from talking therapies for pupils to housing support for families. As a result, disadvantaged pupils, including those in care, are supported to stay focused in their learning and to succeed at school. Pupils develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values. Through a weekly values assembly, and personal, social and health education lessons, pupils learn how laws are debated and made in England, the underpinnings of democracy and the right to freedom of choice. They also learn about concepts such as discrimination, differences of others and the importance of treating others with respect. They develop a basic insight into world religions.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. For example, they learn road safety through cycling awareness lessons in key stage 2. They also develop an understanding of how to look after their physical and mental health. For instance, leaders arrange for dental students from a nearby university to speak to pupils about the importance of dental hygiene.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are well supported and cared for at this warm and welcoming school. They have excellent relationships with their teachers that are based on trust and mutual respect. Staff are highly attuned to times when pupils may need extra help to manage their emotions or individual circumstances. In these instances, they provide pupils with effective, nurturing support that helps pupils to feel safe, supported and secure at school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a balanced curriculum that is delivered well by staff. They enjoy their learning, especially their outdoor woodland skills lesson each week that helps them to develop their confidence, independence and teamwork. Pupils are attentive in their lessons and achieve well across the curriculum as well as in national end of key stage assessments. Typically, leaders ensure that pupils with barriers to learning are well supported, and, as a result, these pupils generally make appropriate progress from their varied starting points.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils conduct themselves well throughout the school day. Children in the early years settle in to school life and classroom routines remarkably well. The way that pupils behave during social times is impressive. They play together harmoniously and move around the premises calmly and sensibly. Leaders are quick to stamp out any forms of discrimination. That said, pupils are kind and courteous towards their classmates, meaning that unkindness or bullying is very rare. Pupils attend well at the school, typically close to national averages.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a range of broader experiences at school. They access extra-curricular clubs such as football, netball, choir and baking. Pupils also experience numerous trips and residential visits during their time at school. These include visits to a museum and a zoo, a fishing trip and a day trip to the Houses of Parliament to talk about democracy. Pupils can undertake different responsibilities around the school, such as on the school council and librarian team.

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Team inspectors:

Sharon Cowey, Ofsted Inspector Cath Cooke, Ofsted Inspector

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff strengthen the adaptations made to meet the individual needs of pupils who face barriers to their learning, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders should refine the school's approaches to support pupils to make a smooth and effective transition from the early years foundation stage into key stage 1. Leaders should sharpen how the gaps that some pupils have in fundamental knowledge and skills are identified and support teachers to close these gaps as swiftly as possible. School leaders should further develop subject leaders’ insight into the quality of curriculum delivery and its impact on pupils’ learning so that more responsive strategic improvement actions can be made.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Vicky Fellows-Molyneux.

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About this inspection

The school is a foundation school that is part of a small cooperative of schools called Axia Learning Alliance.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other key leaders and staff during the inspection. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school has recently opened a nursery provision for 3-year-olds. It had only been open for several days at the time of the inspection. Inspectors considered this provision as part of the inspection.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 8 September 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. National average: 26.5%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 80% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 78% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 67% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 67% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 58% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 4.6% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.1% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 14.4% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 12.0% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.4% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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