News

Our latest Ofsted report: inspectors delighted with progress, safeguarding and pupil involvement

They came, they saw, they were impressed

We were visited by Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools on 9th February 2017.  It’s been five years since they were here last. Inspectors visited classes, spoke to students and staff, looked at exercise books, and studied the exam results. They also viewed the results of the Ofsted Parent View online.  The comments helped the inspectors form an accurate and very positive impression of the school. Mr Walker said that our students were an absolute credit to the school, speaking to the team with honesty and confidence about their experience at Penryn College. We also know they had a read of our newsletter and website.  

The report

The full report is here. It says that our school continues to be a ‘good’ school and that we have definitely improved since the last inspection. The report was shorter than the last one – inspections themselves have changed in style since 2012. The team visited for a day, so there was a lot of school life we didn’t have a chance to show off! However, we were really pleased that they noted our strengths, namely the progress of all students and the support given to individual students. The inspection found that ‘pupils in all years make strong progress in English and mathematics and across a wide range of subjects’.  They particularly praised the strong progress of both our most able students and those with special needs, the impressive achievement of boys and the way disadvantaged pupils now do so well at school.  Finally, the actions they have outlined will help us to improve the already high quality of teaching and learning so that all students make the best progress and leave school ready for the challenges of further studies and future careers.

Pupils ‘at the heart of everything’ we do

We were delighted they saw ‘so many pupils and teachers smiling and clearly enjoying themselves in lessons’. Importantly, the inspectors noted that “ensuring that pupils are safe and well looked after is at the heart of everything the school does.”  This is something we are proud to see acknowledged. They liked the fact that we have ‘a clear focus on the all-round development of pupils.’  And they commented on the school’s ‘calm atmosphere’ and the ‘strong leadership’ which ‘sustains the school’s strengths and values’.

Henry Preston, chair of the school’s governing body said: ‘The governors are extremely proud of the students and staff of Penryn College.  The school is going from strength to strength, and the commitment we all share to its continued success has been recognised in this report.’  The inspectors said that governors know the school ‘inside out’ – a great accolade for a group of people who give their time so generously to support us.

It’s true staff always give a big sigh of relief when the inspectors leave, but it’s brilliant to have an Ofsted report that confirms what we know – Penryn College is a great school at which to study and work!