It's GOOD to finally celebrate

At last, we can celebrate our ‘Good’ all-round grading from our Ofsted inspection in March. 

The week after the inspection, we went into lockdown. Covid-19 meant that everyone at Priory couldn’t properly celebrate the grading that staff, pupils and the governors worked so hard for. 

Now Headteacher Mr Eastham feels we can finally give ourselves a pat on the back – although he does say there is more to come!

“We didn’t get the opportunity to celebrate our Ofsted grading as Covid suddenly took up all our attention and school shut down. Now though we can reflect on what was a significant and great outcome for the school and we can now celebrate with pupils and staff.” 

The quality of education, behaviour of attitudes, personal development and leadership and management were all marked as good, meaning the school has an overall Ofsted grading of ‘Good.’ 

Mr Eastham continued: “What we are especially proud of is that we are at the top end of 'Good.'  That’s really encouraging for us but we are not going to stop there, we won’t get complacent, we will push on to be even better.” 

Of the report Mr Eastham said: “I am proud to be the headteacher of a firmly good school in all areas of the inspection framework. I am very pleased that inspectors recognised that our pupils are typically happy and feel safe at school.  

They saw pupils behaving sensibly in lessons and around the school, they said pupils are polite and considerate towards others and that pupils get on well with each other and their teachers. 

"I am equally pleased that inspectors recognised our pupil’s ‘wider personal development’, their Character development, as being very important to us as a school too, as well as their academic progress. 

“We all remain firmly committed, as always, to providing a quality education for every one of our pupils, and whilst remaining caring, we will continue to be progressive with high academic standards, to ensure we continue being a firmly good school where individual pupils learn to succeed.  

“Of course, we will not be complacent following this positive inspection, with Priory continuing to be ‘a rapidly improving school’ as we move forward from here.” 

In their report the Ofsted inspectors stated: “Penwortham Priory Academy is a rapidly improving school. Pupils are typically happy and feel safe. We saw pupils behaving sensibly in lessons and around the school. 

“Pupils are now learning more than in the past. This is because of the widespread improvements that have been made to the quality of education. Leaders have made sure that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged. This is helping to transform the learning of these pupils. 

“Leaders think that pupils’ wider personal development is very important. They have planned opportunities carefully to help pupils become healthy, responsible and moral citizens. 

Leaders have skilfully overseen the improvements made. The staff are extremely motivated and keen to improve the school further.”