Penketh South Community Primary School

About Penketh South Community Primary School

Penketh South Community Primary School sits within Warrington local authority, a mixed state primary for ages 2 to 11. In the most recent local rankings of 55 similar schools, it placed 25th, putting it in the top half of the borough. The three highest-scoring peers in Warrington are Bruche Primary School Academy, Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School, and Chapelford Village Primary School, all of which outrank it on the same metric. The nearest school rated Outstanding by Ofsted is Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery, 2.6 kilometres away. Penketh South itself holds a Good rating from its most recent graded inspection in 2017, and an ungraded visit in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good. That marks a clear improvement from its previous inspection in 2015, when overall effectiveness was judged to require improvement. The early years provision, however, has been rated Outstanding since the 2017 inspection, and that grade was reaffirmed in the 2022 visit.

Academically, Penketh South performs above the Warrington average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 73% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 69%. The school’s score of 73 places it in the top 25% of primary schools nationally on this measure. Reading was a particular strength: 83% reached the expected standard and 40% achieved a higher standard, with an average scaled score of 108. In maths, 80% met the expected standard and 30% reached the higher standard, with an average score of 105. Writing saw 83% at the expected level and 10% at the higher level. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points, but the attainment figures are solidly above the local norm.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 54 applications for 29 places, with 31 first-preference applications and 29 offers made to first-preference families. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 1.86, so securing a place is competitive. Facilities include an ICT suite, art studios, a sports hall, playing fields, a sensory room and a chapel. Clubs on offer range from coding and chess to choir and film club, and sports include athletics, gymnastics, football and cricket. The school has a broad SEND offer, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, dyslexia, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With nursery provision on site and a capacity of 210 against a current roll of 250, the school is running above its official capacity, which families should factor in when considering applications.

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