Sole Deputy Headteacher

Why work at Pensby High School?

Pensby High School is a school with strong foundations and values. We have inspirational teachers and pupils who love learning and have a desire to contribute to a community where everyone is encouraged to be a creative, independent thinker and learner. We understand the importance of routines and behaviours for effective study and academic success, and we ask everyone to show consideration for others. We strive to do our best for everyone in school, every day.

The school is a ‘foundation maintained’ school. That means in practical terms that the governors and charitable trust employ the staff at the school, but that the local authority maintains the responsibility to ensure that the site remains fit for purpose. Having said that, the school has itself embarked on a series of developments, funded via revenue that the school itself has raised.

Pupils at Pensby High School enjoy academic success and are taught in a caring environment, where pastoral support for learning and life are at the heart of the school. We are over-subscribed and the school population is above the published admission number of 900. We are a good school, but we need to do more and we are embracing challenge and change to better serve our community. At Pensby High School we have a focus on the wider curriculum, careers, opportunities such as chess and maths competitions, Brilliant Club and beyond. We offer a huge range of extra-curricular activities; we are determined that our focus goes way beyond examinations. Pupils at our school routinely say please and thank you, that speaks volumes about who we are.

The PTA is also active and supportive, arranging social events and raising money to provide additional support for learning and the pupils’ environment. The Governing Body comprises a group of individuals drawn from the local community, as well as staff and parents. It shares a single aim, to make the school the best it can be, for all of the young people who study here and the staff who work here. The passionate staff and pupils alike feel respected and their opinions are valued.

There are currently over 900 pupils on roll and we expect to stable at this figure for the foreseeable future.  Progress 8 for 2022 was +0.19 and the indicative Progress 8 for 2023 is +0.27. This puts the school in the top 30% of schools nationally and the top 10% of similar non-selective schools. With all four the baskets that make up Progress 8 positive, we are rightly proud of the breadth of our curriculum offer.

As a school we are mindful of work/life balance and we try to create opportunities for CPD, moderation, joint marking and development of schemes of learning within the school day. Pupils finish early on a Wednesday to allow staff to work within their subject areas, to collectively develop their subject area. We are also part of Challenge Partners and the Prince’s Teaching Institute and rightly proud of the time, and investment put into developing our staff. The school is resolute in refusing change for changes sake and we are clear about the role that each member of staff has in the school’s ongoing success. In addition, all staff benefit from Benenden health care and current staff also receive additional support for the rise in the cost of living. Staff turnover is low and around 1 in 10 members of staff have a child or relative attending school.

Kevin Flanagan, Headteacher, January 2024

View Pensby High School's Ofsted notes

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/105101