Pensans Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils make good progress in English and mathematics and achieve well.

Pupils' achievement in reading is a particular strength of the school. By Year 3, most read widely. Children make outstanding progress in the Nursery and Reception classes.

The quality of teaching is consistently good. The curriculum provides many rich and varied opportunities so that pupils enjoy their learning. Partnerships, such as that with the Eden Project, further extend the wide range of opportunities that the school offers its pupils.

Pupils behave extremely well, both in and out of lessons. They are polite, thoughtful and care for each other. Arrange...ments for keeping pupils safe at all times and in all areas of the school are exemplary.

The headteacher provides determined and strong leadership. Staff share his vision to ensure that the school is an excellent place for learning, at the heart of the community. Governors are supportive and challenge school leaders well.

They bring a wide range of expertise to the school and hold leaders to account for improving the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Pupils' progress in mathematics in Years 1 and 2 is not as good as in reading and writing, so their attainment by the end of Year 2 in mathematics remains well below the national average. Too few pupils, including the most able, make outstanding progress in English and mathematics.

Information about this school

This is larger than the average size primary school. The school includes a nursery which has 26 places for each half-day session. The proportion of pupils supported by school action is broadly average, while the proportion supported by school action plus or who have statements of special educational needs is well above average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and supported by pupil premium funding is well above the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils in receipt of free school meals, in the care of the local authority, or whose parents or carers serve in the armed services. The school meets the government's current floor standards.

This is the minimum expectation for pupils' attainment and progress in both English and mathematics at the end of Year 6. The headteacher has provided support for another local primary school since September 2013. The school is a member of a cooperative trust, the Penwith Education Trust.