Kirkby CofE Primary School

Inspection of Kirkby CofE Primary School Hall Lane, Kirkby, Liverpool, Merseyside L32 1TZ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 28 and 29 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kirkby Church of England Primary School is a welcoming and happy school. Pupils, and children in the early years, enjoy being part of a warm and caring learning community where everyone feels included. Pupils strive to live up to the school values of respect, love, care, friendship and forgiveness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are determined for every pupil to succeed, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Parents and carers value the nurture and support that their children receive from staff. Staff deal with incidents of bullying swiftly and effectively when they arise. This helps pupils to feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to meet the high expectations that staff have for their behaviour. They and are polite and courteous. Pupils trust staff to take care of them and listen to their concerns. They try their best in lessons and achieve well. Children in the early years are exceptionally well prepared for the demands of key stage 1.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the broad range of opportunities that leaders provide for them to engage with their local community. For example, they spoke enthusiastically about visiting a local art gallery.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the development of pupils’ reading knowledge. In the early years, there is a strong focus on developing children’s language and communication skills. This starts in the Nursery class where children are well prepared for the phonics programme that they encounter when they move into the Reception Year.

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better?

Staff are trained well to deliver the phonics programme with expertise and confidence. For example, they quickly identify those pupils who are falling behind and provide effective support for them to catch up. Staff ensure that the books that pupils read are closely matched to the sounds that they have learned.

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better?

Throughout the school, pupils read widely and often. They particularly enjoy story time with their teachers. Pupils benefit from many opportunities to practise their reading. This helps them to read fluently. Pupils have access to a broad range of texts from a variety of different authors. They especially look forward to visits from local authors.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. They have ensured that there are appropriate systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff make appropriate adaptations to their delivery of the curriculum to ensure that pupils with SEND learn as well as their peers. 28 and 29 March 2023

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Leaders are clear about the knowledge that they want pupils to learn in each subject. They have organised this knowledge logically from the Nursery class to Year 6. Leaders ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check that pupils have learned what has been taught. However, in a very small number of subjects, teachers do not design learning that builds on what pupils know already. This hinders how well some pupils apply their knowledge to more sophisticated concepts and ideas.

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Children in early years benefit from a well-designed curriculum alongside high- quality interactions with staff. Staff are equipped well to ensure that children in the early years learn the vocabulary that they need for Year 1. As a result, children quickly become confident, inquisitive and successful learners. They are exceptionally well prepared to move into key stage 1.

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Pupils appreciate the many enrichment activities available to them, including a range of trips and visits to local places of interest. Children in the early years enjoy many experiences and visitors to school that help to bring learning to life. Pupils are keen to learn about different cultures and faiths. They understand that differences between people should be respected and celebrated. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about the characteristics of healthy friendships.

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For the most part, pupils attend school regularly and learning is seldom disrupted by poor behaviour. However, some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, do not attend school as often as they should. This hinders these pupils’ learning of the intended curriculum.

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Governors understand their roles and they are equipped well to offer challenge and support to leaders. Staff feel well supported by leaders to manage their workload. They said that they are proud to be part of the school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff understand their responsibilities for keeping pupils safe. Staff know pupils and their families well and are vigilant to the signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. All staff understand how to respond if they have any concerns about a pupil’s welfare or safety.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive the help that they need at the earliest opportunity.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including online. They understand how to report concerns, and feel confident to talk to a trusted adult if they have any worries. 28 and 29 March 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a very small number of subjects, some teachers do not design learning that builds on what some older pupils know already. This hinders how well some pupils apply their knowledge to more sophisticated concepts and ideas. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported to design learning so that pupils can apply their knowledge and consolidate prior learning.  Some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, are absent from school too often. This means that they miss out on important learning and develop gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, attend school regularly.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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. 28 and 29 March 2023

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School details

Local authority Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

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School details

Inspection number 10242074 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 4 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not use any alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school club that is led by school staff.  The school is part of the Diocese of Liverpool. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place in March 2016.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked 28 and 29 March 2023

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at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also heard pupils read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors also spoke with pupils about the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspectors spoke with parents and carers at the start of the school day and took into account the views of those who responded to the Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors took into account the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspectors met with different groups of pupils to ask them about safeguarding. The inspectors reviewed documentation, which included the school’s safeguarding policy, the record of the checks carried out on new employees, and other safeguarding records.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at breaktimes and when walking round the school. They discussed behaviour and bullying with pupils, senior leaders and other staff.

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Inspection team

Clare Baron, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Deane Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 March 2023

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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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