March 27, 2023 08:20am
We're delighted our infant school has received a prestigious award recognising excellence in its delivery of teaching.
Penbridge Infant School has been awarded Thinking Schools accreditation by the University of Exeter, joining other schools across the Thinking Schools Academy Trust to gain Thinking School status.
Penbridge Infant School, which is paired with Penbridge Junior School, is part of the high-performing Thinking Schools Academy Trust, which leads 21 successful primary and secondary schools in Medway, Kent, Portsmouth and the South West.
As part of the Trust, Penbridge Infant School has a unique and effective approach to learning and education. The Academy provides students with the skillset and tools needed to think in a variety of ways and become lifelong learners. These transferrable ‘Thinking Tools’ prepare children for a range of situations that they may face as part of modern society.
Thinking Schools at the University of Exeter leads the way in research in metacognition, thinking skills, creativity and dialogue in education, providing a structure for schools to become recognised Thinking Schools. Penbridge Infant has worked hard to weave this framework into everyday life, and this was recognised throughout the school’s assessment and subsequent accreditation.
The University of Exeter said in its report: “Pupils at Penbridge have an history of excellent pupil progress. This is extremely impressive given the high percentage of pupils beginning school with lower-than-average starting points. The school is relentless in pursuing high standards of achievement. However, it is lifelong holistic learning that is placed at the core of the educational provision at the school and not just the end result. Subject specific learning sits alongside wider dimensions such as the development of psychological wellbeing and dispositional growth.”
“Penbridge has a prominent and visible thinking culture and this is due to the excellent organisational structure and visual presentation. Regular newsletters to parents ensure that the thinking partnership between the school and parents is strong. Further communication avenues include a dedicated parent section on the school’s website, parents’ evenings and annual reports. Indeed, parents are invited to the innovative topic outcome sessions to actually see what their child has learned. The high premium placed on celebration assemblies and displays further strengthen the Thinking School ethos and culture. Of particular note is the highly impressive Ofsted parental feedback where 100% of parents say that they would recommend the Penbridge to another parent.”
Caroline Morris, the Head of School at Penbridge Infants, said: “I am so proud of the joint efforts of my staff and students, whose hard work over these last three years has resulted in us receiving this fantastic accolade. We have worked extremely hard to ensure that Thinking is a true part of life at Penbridge Infant School, and I look forward to working towards the advanced accreditation in the future.”