Knotty Ash Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Knotty Ash Primary School Thomas Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside L14 5NX

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Outcome

Knotty Ash Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everybody is made to feel a part of the Knotty Ash community. Pupils spoke highly of their nurturing and caring school. They explained that their school is special because they get to learn three different languages: English, British Sign Language and Spanish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of the achievement and behaviour of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work with determination in the classroom and achieve well as a result. They are polite and courteous to adults and their peers. They behave well. Pupils are encouraged to maintain these high standards of behaviour by the regular rewards that they receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that staff will always help them if they have any concerns. They explained that if they have any worries, they write them down and post them to the class ‘worry monster’. Leaders quickly and effectively deal with any instances of name-calling and bullying. As a result, pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking part in after-school activities such as the signing choir and judo club. They take their responsibilities seriously. Year 6 ‘Rocketeers’ are ever present on the playground. They ensure that pupils are happy and not left on their own.

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

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have ensured that the curriculum enables all pupils, including those in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), to achieve well.

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

Many leaders have been able to access training to help deepen their knowledge of their curriculum area. They ensure that their subject expertise is then passed on to teachers. This enables the teaching staff to deliver the curriculum effectively. 15 and 16 March 2022

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Subject leaders have clearly identified the knowledge that pupils will learn and when this will be taught. In most subjects, teachers use this curriculum information to help them check that what has been taught is being remembered by pupils. This enables teachers to assess how well pupils are achieving in different curriculum areas. In these subjects, teachers build on pupils’ prior knowledge effectively to help them with newer tasks. For example, pupils in Year 1 used their knowledge of number developed in the early years to help them confidently tackle increasingly complex subtractions.

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In some curriculum areas, subject leaders have only recently identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. Teachers are now clear about the content that needs to be taught to pupils. Presently, teachers have not yet had the time to deliver all of the identified knowledge and skills. As a result, they are not yet able to identify what pupils know and remember in these curriculum areas.

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Leaders have ensured that reading is a priority. Children are taught phonics as soon as they enter the Reception class. Teachers choose books carefully to introduce pupils to a wide range of authors. Staff are well trained and deliver the phonics curriculum effectively. Staff carefully check the books that pupils read to make sure that they closely match the sounds being learned in class. Pupils develop into accurate and fluent readers. Any pupils who struggle with reading are supported effectively to help them catch up.

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Leaders weave aspects of fundamental British values through the curriculum. This helps pupils to gain a good understanding of issues such as equality. During a history lesson in the specially resourced provision, pupils communicated to adults that it was unfair that King Henry VIII favoured having a son over a daughter. However, across all classes, pupils’ knowledge of other religions is not as strong as it should be. They are unable to recall many basic facts about other faiths and cultures. This is because teachers did not cover some of this content in great depth during the pandemic.

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Leaders identify pupils with SEND quickly. Across the school, pupils with SEND, including those in the specially resourced provision, are well supported. Teachers in the specially resourced provision work closely with subject leaders to ensure that deaf pupils are being taught the same curriculum content as everybody else in the school. Leaders work well with outside agencies who provide further specialist support. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils move around the school calmly and sensibly. They behave well in class. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes engage positively in their learning and show high levels of concentration. Pupils listen attentively to their teachers. As a result, pupils can learn without interruption.

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Pupils benefit from a range of visits and residential trips. Leaders use visitors to help deepen pupils’ understanding of their studies. For example, they have recently learned about the slave trade from a local historian. Pupils support a range of charities. They regularly raise funds for a variety of charities.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. They appreciate the positive actions that leaders and governors have taken to ensure that work-life balance remains a priority. 15 and 16 March 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are vigilant to the signs of any pupils who may be at risk of harm. Adults know that all concerns are to be reported immediately. Leaders’ records of incidents are thorough and highlight the actions that they take to ensure pupils are kept safe. Leaders work well with a range of different agencies so that suitable support can be put in place for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Teachers use the curriculum to help pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are clear about how to use the internet safely. They understand it is important to report to adults about anything inappropriate that they may see online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some wider curriculum subjects are at an earlier stage of development than others. In these subjects, leaders have only recently made clear the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Teachers have not yet had the opportunity to deliver all of the key content identified. Leaders should continue to ensure that teachers deliver this key knowledge. After this, teachers will be able to check what pupils know and remember. This will enable teachers to assess how well pupils are achieving.  Pupils do not have enough knowledge of the different religions of the world. This is because some of the curriculum content was not covered in depth during the pandemic. As a result, pupils cannot articulate an understanding of the different religions that make up our society. Leaders should make sure that teachers provide pupils with opportunities to close any gaps in pupils’ knowledge of different religions. This will ensure they are even better prepared for

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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, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as 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 April 2012. 15 and 16 March 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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.

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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. 15 and 16 March 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.knottyashprimaryschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection 15 December 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 School leaders provide specially resourced provision for deaf pupils who require a sign bilingual approach. This is a local authority commissioned resource provision for 18 pupils across the primary age range, from Nursery to Year 6. There were 18 pupils on roll at the time of the inspection. All pupils had an education, health and care plan.  School leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  The governing body manages the before- and after-school provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and seven members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority. 15 and 16 March 2022

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. This involved visiting lessons with subject leaders, discussing the subject curriculums, talking to pupils and teachers and looking at pupils’ work. He also observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector held discussions with the subject leader for computing.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, lunchtime and during lessons. Pupils also talked to the inspector about their views of their school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View and spoke to parents and carers at the start of the school day. He also considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff questionnaires.  The inspector checked leaders’ safeguarding procedures. He viewed a range of safeguarding documentation and looked at how incidents are managed and recorded.

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Inspection team

John Tomlinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 15 and 16 March 2022

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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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