Park Brow Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Park Brow Community Primary School Broad Lane, Southdene, Kirkby, Liverpool, Merseyside L32 6QH

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Outcome

Park Brow Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that everyone in their school is ‘MAD’, which means that they are all ‘making a difference’. Pupils recognise that all adults in school want them to become ‘their greatest self’. Pupils try their best to achieve these high expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, pupils listen attentively and follow instructions. They are keen to share their learning with visitors and they show pride in their achievements. They are enthusiastic about their learning in a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value their friends. They said that there is always a helping hand, and no one is left out. Pupils typically behave well. They understand about different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. Pupils said that bullying occasionally happens but that the adults in school quickly help to sort out any incidents of unkindness. Pupils feel safe, cared for and well supported.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At lunchtime, pupils are active and play cooperatively. Sports coaches support younger pupils to keep them focused on positive play. Older pupils access a range of activities in the well-equipped playground and grassed areas. They enjoy the fitness trails, exercise equipment and the multi-use games area. They look joyful and have a lot of fun.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and carers would happily recommend Park Brow to others. They are immensely proud of their school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well. They lead with vision and determination. Leaders have carefully planned the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Curriculum leaders are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their subjects. Their plans enable pupils to learn in a logical way. However, some of these plans are more 13 and 14 July 2021

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recent than others. The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has affected the pace at which they can be fully introduced.

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Leaders are keenly aware of the impact of the pandemic on what pupils know and can remember. They have a good understanding of the gaps in pupils’ knowledge in all subjects. Teachers carefully consider these gaps when they introduce new learning. Pupils display a good understanding of their current topics. For example, in design and technology, pupils in Year 2 talked with confidence and understanding about their pouch designs. They demonstrated different techniques for fastening materials. However, in some subjects, some pupils are less able to recall their previous learning.

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Leaders have a clear ambition for all pupils to become skilled readers. Children take the first steps towards learning to read as soon as they enter their Nursery Year. Skilled staff interact well with the children to develop their language and vocabulary. These positive experiences continue throughout the early years. By the time they leave Reception, the children are well prepared for the reading curriculum in Year 1.

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Many, though not all, pupils show a real love of reading. They are enthusiastic about the books that they read and the books that teachers read to them. They describe reading books that capture their interest in subjects such as history. This helps pupils to learn across the curriculum.

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The pandemic has led to significant gaps in many pupils’ phonics knowledge. Pupils have received effective support to help them catch up. This means that most pupils are now where leaders would expect them to be in their phonics learning. However, the current phonics programme does not provide teachers with enough guidance to help all pupils learn and remember new sounds well. Consequently, the approach to the teaching of phonics varies between classes. Leaders are aware of this and have trained staff in readiness for the launch of a new phonics programme at the start of the autumn term 2021.

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Children in the early years learn and play with each other happily. They are curious and enthusiastic learners. Throughout the rest of the school, pupils maintain these positive attitudes. They readily respond to questions and cooperate with each other well. Skilled staff provide appropriate support for pupils with SEND. They help these pupils focus during lessons. This helps all pupils to learn with minimal distraction.

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Teachers help pupils to develop healthy attitudes about themselves and others. Pupils learn about different faiths. They learn to respect other people’s beliefs. Teachers support pupils to make safe choices and to manage their emotions. This helped all pupils return to school calmly following the periods of partial closure.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders. They work together as a team. Staff also work in close partnership with other schools in the area. They benefit from the many training opportunities that this partnership provides. 13 and 14 July 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff and governors are well trained. Staff know how to spot signs of abuse. Vulnerable pupils are quickly identified. Leaders are tenacious in ensuring that these pupils and their families receive the support that they need. This includes supporting pupils with mental health needs.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. Other professionals visit the school and teach the pupils about personal safety. They help pupils to recognise and manage potential risks within their local community. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when they use technology. This includes when using social media and online games.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s current phonics programme does not provide teachers with sufficient guidance. This has led to inconsistencies in the way that phonics is taught. It has hampered some pupils from gaining a secure phonics knowledge. Leaders should ensure that the new phonics programme is implemented as intended in September 2021. They should also make sure that this is closely monitored so that all pupils are able to build the knowledge that they need to read with fluency and confidence.  Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum in all subjects. Plans clearly show the key knowledge that pupils will learn and the order in which they will learn it. The pandemic has affected the implementation of some of these plans. As a result, pupils are not always able to build on what they already know. This has led to some pupils forgetting important previous learning. Leaders should fully implement the new curriculum plans and ensure that gaps in pupils’ knowledge continue to be addressed.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2010. 13 and 14 July 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school here .

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 13 and 14 July 2021

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School details

Local authority Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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School details

Inspection number 10193938 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 February 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been changes to the senior leadership since the time of the previous section 8 inspection. A new deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher have been appointed. A new school business manager and two new social, emotional and mental health leads are in post.  A new chair of governors has also been appointed during this time.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the senior leadership team. They met with a group of governors, including the chair, and a representative of Knowsley local authority.  Inspectors considered the 31 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including 31 comments submitted via the free-text facility. Inspectors also considered the 24 responses to the staff survey and the 16 responses to the pupil survey. 13 and 14 July 2021

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around school, in lessons and at lunchtime.  Inspectors looked at safeguarding documentation, including the record of required checks carried out on school staff. They spoke with staff and governors to check their understanding of the school’s safeguarding procedures. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors evaluated the school’s approach to the curriculum. They considered reading, mathematics, computing and design and technology as part of this inspection. Inspectors met with subject leaders and visited lessons. They observed children and pupils reading to a trusted adult. Inspectors spoke with teachers and pupils. They viewed examples of pupils’ work and spoke with pupils about their learning.

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Inspection team

Jackie Stillings, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jean Olsson-Law Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 July 2021

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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