Pencombe CofE Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 2 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Pencombe, Bromyard, HR7 4SHOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Pencombe CofE Primary School is a primary school in Bromyard for ages 2 to 11. It is one of the 112 schools in Herefordshire. It ranks 11th of 71 primary schools in Herefordshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2013.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 2 October 2013, report published 21 October 2013

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 April 2024

The pupils, their parents and the staff agree that Pencombe Church of England Primary School is like one big family. There is a strong sense of community and belonging here; pupils don't just attend 'this' school, they attend 'their' school. Pupils behave well in class and during playtimes. They are kind and considerate towards others and social times are harmonious. Pupils of all ages play nicely together and older pupils relish helping their younger friends. Pupils say that incidences of unkindness or poor behaviour are very rare. They have complete trust in the adults to sort out any issues and to keep them safe. This is a very happy, inclusive place to learn. Pupils are rarely absent because the school works hard to encourage high attendance. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils work hard to meet these, enjoying their learning along the way. Despite the school being very small and geographically isolated, pupils receive a wealth of opportunities and cultural experiences in this outward-looking school. They are well prepared for their next school and for later life.

What the school should improve

  • The way in which adults listen to pupils read is inconsistent and does not always focus closely enough on pupils' decoding, blending and comprehension. As a result, pupils who struggle with early reading are not developing fluency as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that there is a consistent effective approach to hearing pupils read so that they develop into fluent readers as soon as they can.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

11 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths82%

82%, 20 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths9%

9%, 1 percentage points above the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score109

109, 3 above the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score108

108, 3 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score109

109, 4 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

61 pupils on roll, with places for 56

Eligible for free school meals19.7%

19.7%, 6.8 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language6.6%

6.6%, 15 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support18%

18%, 3.2 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan1.6%

1.6%, 4.4 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Pencombe CofE Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Bredenbury Primary School2 milesOfsted judgements: Good78% met the expected standard
St Peter's Primary School3 milesOfsted: Good77% met the expected standard
Burley Gate CofE Primary School3 milesOfsted: Good67% met the expected standard
St Michael's CofE Primary School4 milesOfsted: Good78% met the expected standard
Brockhampton Primary School5 milesOfsted: Good68% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
2 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mrs Elizabeth Orton
Address
Pencombe, Bromyard, HR7 4SH
Local authority
Herefordshire
URN
116907

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.