New Park Primary School

Inspection of New Park Primary School 100 Boaler Street, Liverpool, Merseyside L6 9EU

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

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Kelly-Ann Poulson. This school is part of the Northern Schools 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), Nigel Ward, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Geoff Wainwright. 11 and 12 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, rightly, feel part of this welcoming and diverse school community. They appreciate their positive relationships with staff and each other. Pupils feel safe and know who to report any concerns to. Many pupils start each day by attending the free breakfast club where they enjoy breakfast and social time with their friends. Pupils describe the school as ‘kind’, ‘welcoming’, ‘caring’ and ‘fun’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff provide many ‘wow’ moments as part of how the curriculum is delivered. As a result, pupils enjoy their lessons and want to learn. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and embody the school’s vision that they are ‘safe, ‘loved’ and ‘learning’. They recognise how this helps to develop a shared understanding of how to treat one another. Pupils behave well throughout the school’s calm and focused learning environment. At social times, pupils play energetically and kindly. Pupils are proud of how the school council helped to choose the new clubs that the school offers. This reflects how pupils recognise that their contributions to their school community are valued and acted upon.

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

The school has put in place a curriculum that is well designed and arranged carefully. It prioritises supporting pupils to learn how to read effectively. In the early years, children engage with stories and rhymes, fostering a love of books from a young age. From Reception onwards, they follow a structured phonics programme, with staff regularly assessing their progress. Pupils who find reading more difficult receive effective support to help them keep up with the pace of the programme. Although the published outcomes in the 2024 phonics screening check were below average, the school’s work to help pupils to catch up are effective. This helps most pupils to read accurately and fluently by the end of Year 2.

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

As pupils progress through the school, they develop a strong appreciation for books. While the school ensures that pupils become fluent and accurate readers, the early writing curriculum is not implemented consistently well. As a result, some pupils develop errors in their writing that are not routinely addressed.

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

Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. They select appropriate resources and activities that not only support learning but also ignite pupils’ enthusiasm and curiosity. The recent science week created a real buzz around school, which excited the pupils even further about their learning. Typically, teachers identify misconceptions and adjust their teaching accordingly to build on pupils’ understanding. However, in a few subjects, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to recall and link new learning to prior knowledge. As a result, some pupils struggle to deepen their understanding in these areas. 11 and 12 March 2025

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The school has taken effective steps to improve attendance. The school has well- established systems and procedures in place to check on absence. Staff swiftly work with pupils and families to support them in overcoming any barriers to their regular attendance. Pupils’ behaviour around the school is positive. Staff have high expectations. Pupils who find it more difficult to manage their behaviour benefit from individualised support.

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The school identifies pupils’ needs effectively. Staff make appropriate adaptations so that pupils, including pupils with SEND, access a broad and rich curriculum that meets their needs. Staff have the training and expertise required to ensure that pupils with more complex needs can learn and achieve well.

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Pupils take part in a range of clubs and activities, such as football, singing and yoga. They relish the residential opportunities, both at home and abroad, going as far as Italy and France. Here, they learn about the world around them, widen their aspirations and develop their resilience and independence.

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Pupils understand that everyone is different and celebrate this openly. They have an impressive respect for the many different cultures that make up their school community. Pupils understand what it means to treat others with respect, and they rightly recognise that the school is a respectful community.

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Governors and trustees are knowledgeable and take their duty of care seriously. They prioritise the quality of education that pupils receive to ensure that they are ready for the next stage in education.

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Staff are proud to work at the school and feel part of a team dedicated to giving pupils a strong education. They feel that leaders are caring and consider their workload. Parents and carers are incredibly supportive of the school and what it offers their children and families.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a top priority at this school. Pupils are taught about risks both within and beyond the school environment. Staff receive thorough training and are well equipped to recognise signs that may indicate a safeguarding concern. Leaders act promptly in response to any issues raised and collaborate effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive appropriate support. Additionally, all necessary pre-employment checks on staff are conducted before appointments are made.

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Safeguarding

However, there are occasions when staff do not consistently record or communicate safeguarding concerns in a structured and systematic manner. As a result, some records lack key details that would provide a more comprehensive overview in the school’s formal documentation and better inform future actions. The lack of rigour in behaviour and safeguarding records means that leaders and governors are not as well informed as they 11 and 12 March 2025

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should be. The school must ensure that safeguarding records fully and accurately contain all relevant information with regards to any concern that staff raise about the safety of pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some instances, the school does not ensure that pupils master accurate letter formation by the time that they leave Year 2. This impacts their writing fluency as they progress through the curriculum. The school should ensure that by the end of key stage 1, pupils have the necessary skills to become confident and proficient writers.  In a few subjects, the curriculum does not offer sufficient opportunities for pupils to revisit and consolidate their previous learning. As a result, some pupils struggle to retain key subject content over time. In these subjects the school should ensure that pupils benefit from well-considered approaches to recap prior learning and build their knowledge securely over time.  Although safeguarding is a key priority in the school, and there is an open culture of vigilance, the school’s record-keeping related to safeguarding and behaviour is not as clear or comprehensive as it should be. The school needs to ensure that the trust’s

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

policies for reporting and recording concerns are followed consistently. The school should ensure that records contain accurate and sufficiently clear information of the concerns raised by staff and the steps taken to ensure pupils’ safety and well-being.

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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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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 New Park Primary School converted to become an academy in March 2018. When its predecessor school, New Park Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.  This school joined the SAIL academy trust in March 2018. Since then, in October 2024, the school joined the Northern Schools Trust.  Since the last inspection the school has appointed a new headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The school runs a before- and after-school club for pupils.  This school does not currently make use of any alternative provision for its pupils.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and 11 and 12 March 2025

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management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first routine inspection 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and history. They met with subject leaders and with teachers. Inspectors visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects. They met with leaders, spoke with pupils and reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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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.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the local governing body and the trust. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documentation relating to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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 Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Helen Friend, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Suzanne Blay Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 March 2025

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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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