Pennington Church of England Primary School

About Pennington Church of England Primary School

Pennington Church of England Primary School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in January 2024, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2020. The school received Good across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This upward trajectory is reflected in the school’s academic outcomes, though the picture is mixed. At Key Stage 2, 51% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the Hampshire local authority average of 61%. The school ranks 26th out of 35 primary schools in the New Forest district on this measure, placing it in the bottom half locally and in the bottom 50% nationally. However, individual subject scores tell a more nuanced story: 68% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 65% in writing, while maths lagged at 59%.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 SATs results, the school’s average scaled scores were 103 in both reading and maths, exactly in line with the national average of 100. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard was low: just 3% reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with 16% in reading alone and 14% in maths. Writing saw only 8% at the higher level. These figures suggest that while most children are making solid progress to meet expected levels, fewer are stretching into the top tier. The school’s Ofsted report noted that behaviour and attitudes are Good, and the previous inspection had flagged personal development as a strength. With a small cohort of just 112 pupils, the school can offer a more individualised approach, though the data indicates that academic attainment remains an area for continued focus.

The school serves a community with significant disadvantage: 43.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. It has a range of SEND provisions, including support for moderate learning difficulties, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health, as well as a resourced provision. Facilities include a chapel, music rooms, a sports hall, gymnasium, library and ICT suite. Sports on offer include tennis, cross country, athletics and swimming, and clubs range from drama and film club to science and gardening. The school is oversubscribed, with a capacity of 210 but only 112 pupils on roll, suggesting it is not yet full. For families in the New Forest area seeking a Church of England primary with strong pastoral support and a broad range of facilities, Pennington offers a stable, improving environment, though those prioritising top-tier academic results may want to look at higher-performing local options such as Lymington Church of England Infant School, rated Outstanding and just a mile away.

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