Petteril Bank School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 March 2026

Leaders work tirelessly to create a place in which pupils thrive. Although leaders’ whole-scale improvements are not reflected in national end of key stage 2 assessment results, pupils generally achieve well across much of the curriculum, including in the early years. They are now better prepared for their next steps in education. Pupils have dedicated attitudes to their learning. Their attendance has significantly improved in recent years. Very few pupils now miss out on their schooling. They are fully focused during their lessons. Pupils rise to leaders’ consistently high expectations of behaviour. They show high levels of self-discipline throughout the day. Pupils are also respectful towards others and get along harmoniously. This means that bullying is rare. When such concerns do arise, leaders are swift to deal with them. Pupils receive high levels of nurture and support while at school. They are safe in leaders’ care. Staff greet them with a warm welcome as soon as they arrive in the mornings. Throughout the day, pupils are looked after well by staff who understand their needs, strengths and interests. Pupils who are disadvantaged, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported effectively. Leaders ensure that their barriers to learning are quickly identified and reduced. This helps pupils from the nursery classes onwards to make positive progress through the curriculum from their individual starting points. Pupils contribute well to daily life at the school. For example, some pupils give up some of their social time to pick litter around the school while others help with the upkeep of the school library. Pupils also benefit from other personal development opportunities, such as the enhanced extra-curricular offer, which includes family baking, craft and sports clubs, as well as curriculum trips.

What the school should improve

• Leaders and staff should further develop their assessment strategies to swiftly identify and address pupils' misconceptions and knowledge gaps. This includes in the early years and aspects of the personal development programme.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils acquire the fundamental writing and spelling skills that they need to express their thinking well throughout the curriculum.
• Staff in the early years should maximise their opportunities to engage with children to deepen their learning and build their communication skills.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)