Everton Free School & Football College

Inspection of Everton Free School 42 Spellow Lane, Liverpool L4 4DF

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The principal of this school is Claire Lamontagne. This school is part of the Everton In The Community Free School Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Steven Baker OBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sir John Jones. 24 and 25 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and students in the sixth form, attend an exceptional school. The school provides an inspirational offer that enables pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to excel.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy. They live up to the school’s high expectations. Over time, pupils mirror the football club’s motto, ‘nil satis nisi optimum’ (nothing but the best is good enough). They demonstrate this clearly in their excellent academic, personal and social development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The transformation in pupils’ behaviour, and engagement, over the time that they spend at the school is remarkable. Pupils develop their self-esteem and self-belief through learning to show respect, responsibility and resilience in all that they do. They wear their ‘Everton blue’ uniforms with pride.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit highly from a broad array of additional opportunities. Visits, such as to theatres and museums, help pupils to appreciate life beyond the classroom. Pupils are encouraged to develop their interests, for example, mountain biking, cookery and swimming.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils of all abilities are supported to engage with a range of sporting opportunities. At the heart of this school, sits football. Pupils play in tournaments regularly, and coach local primary school pupils and disadvantaged children overseas, for example, in locations such as Aruba and New York.

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better?

Many pupils have experienced considerable disruption to their education prior to joining the school. The relationships that pupils, many who are disadvantaged, form with staff are strong and supportive. As a result, pupils develop a renewed love for learning.

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better?

The school has designed a highly ambitious curriculum. All pupils benefit from a core offer of English, mathematics, physical education (PE) and science. This is enhanced with a range of options that meet pupils’ individual aspirations well. Many options link to sport, which the school uses exceptionally well to reengage pupils with their learning. The curriculum pinpoints what pupils will learn and when they will learn it.

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better?

The school ensures that staff deliver the curriculum expertly well. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. Staff adapt their delivery of the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs effectively. Assessment is used purposefully to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and any unidentified or changing SEND. Staff use this information, enhanced when required by on-site specialists, to provide pupils with a highly bespoke programme of support. 24 and 25 April 2024

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Alongside GCSEs, pupils study a range of vocational and academic qualifications, for example, in health and social care, construction and music technology. Most pupils leave the school with a strong set of qualifications. They achieve highly from their various starting points and they are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Many students in the sixth form join the school after completing their studies at mainstream schools. Students thrive due to the excellent curriculum on offer. The curriculum, focused on sport, is delivered exceptionally well. Students’ achievement is impressive and provides them with firm foundations for the future.

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Reading is prioritised across the school. The school continues to provide pupils with support to become confident, fluent readers for as long as is required. For example, students in the sixth form receive effective support to gain their first, or improve their current, grade in English or mathematics.

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The school ensures that pupils learn in a calm and orderly environment. Pupils learn to follow the high expectations for their behaviour and conduct quickly. They receive highly effective support to manage their own emotions.

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Many pupils start at the school with a poor track record of attendance in their education to date. The school builds exceptionally trusting relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to feel safe, secure and a part of the Everton family. Consequently, alongside excellent supportive strategies, most pupils’ rates of attendance improve considerably over time.

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Pupils benefit from a personalised approach to careers education, information, advice and guidance. Students in the sixth form spoke confidently about a range of higher education options available to them. Staff help them to prepare for applications, interviews and life at university.

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The school provides a highly effective personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme. This, coupled with a strong approach to relationships, sex and health education, helps pupils to learn about healthy relationships, the dangers of exploitation and the importance of valuing diversity.

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Staff, including those new to teaching, are immensely proud to work at the school. They reported that leaders consider their workload and well-being carefully.

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Many parents and carers commented that the work of the school has had a life- changing impact on their child and family. Parents appreciate the care and guidance that staff provide to pupils.

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Governance is strong. Trustees provide effective support and challenge in equal measure. The school, and trustees, are not complacent. They are committed to continuing to drive forward the quality of education that pupils receive. Furthermore, trustees and staff have ensured that the founding vision of this school has been fully realised. They champion pupils’ many successes. 24 and 25 April 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 24 and 25 April 2024

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 9 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school caters for pupils at risk of exclusion. The school also provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Places are commissioned by individual schools or local authorities. Most pupils are dual registered with their commissioning school.  Students join the sixth form to gain qualifications in sport and allied subjects.  The school operates from four sites. The main site, for pupils in Years 9 to 11, is located at 42 Spellow Lane, Liverpool L4 4DF. The school’s sixth-form provision operates from three sites: Jericho Lane Playing Fields, Aigburth L17 5AR; Bridge Chapel, Heath Road, Liverpool L19 4XR and Vauxhall Motors Sports Club, Ellesmere Port CH66 1NJ.  The school is part of the Everton In The Community Free School Trust. 24 and 25 April 2024

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 The school has grown considerably since the previous inspection.  Due to the growth of the school, there have been many changes to the staffing of the school since the previous inspection. The current principal was appointed in April 2024. There have also been changes to the trust board since the previous inspection.  The school makes use of one unregistered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the CEO of the trust, the principal and other school leaders. Inspectors also met with a range of other staff.  Inspectors spoke with trustees, including the chair of the trust board. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority. Inspectors spoke to representatives of local schools who commission places at the school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including at social times. Inspectors met with groups of pupils, and students in the sixth form, to discuss school life.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, PSHE

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Information about this inspection

and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders and teachers, visited a sample of lessons, reviewed samples of pupils’ work and spoke with some pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with leaders to review other areas of the curriculum. Inspectors visited sites used as part of the sixth-form provision. They spoke to students and staff and considered a sample of students’ work.  Inspectors spoke with the leaders responsible for pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attendance, careers, the sixth form, pupil admissions and SEND. 24 and 25 April 2024

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 Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, records relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour, and minutes of trust meetings.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Adam Sproston, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 April 2024

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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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