Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Moira Loftus Interim Executive Headteacher Well Lane Primary School Park Road Tranmere Birkenhead Merseyside CH42 5PF

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Well Lane Primary School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 23 and 24 April 2025, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the third monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in June 2023.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Well Lane Primary School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Well Lane Primary School

During the inspection, I discussed with you and other senior leaders, governors and the local authority the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also made visits to lessons and met with staff and pupils. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to no longer be judged as requiring special measures.

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Since the previous inspection, some staff have left the school. The recruitment of new staff is underway. In addition, a few staff are off work at present. As a result of these changes, some other staff are in temporary roles to lead aspects of the school’s work.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has made the right changes to its work, in the right order. It identifies its actions for improving the quality of education, behaviour and leadership carefully. Honest, well-considered analysis informs the school’s decisions on what it will do next.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has established well-thought-out subject curriculums and started to develop staff’s expertise in teaching. The school connects well with another school, so staff can learn with and from others. The work is helping teachers to enable pupils to better understand lesson content. The school provides pupils with valuable extra opportunities, such as to visit a local zoo, or a special trip to London. Nevertheless, at times, the actions taken by staff are not as effective as they should be in helping pupils’ learning in the classroom. As a result, some pupils’ curriculum knowledge is not secure. In addition, pupils have some gaps in their understanding, caused by past weaknesses in the curriculum and teaching.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has a clear understanding of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has made positive improvements in staff expertise regarding SEND. The school’s arrangements to identify and support pupils with SEND are effective because they are well thought through.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The teaching of phonics has started to show some success. This is because the school ensures that teachers and teaching assistants have the resources, training and coaching that they need to understand early reading. Pupils who find reading difficult are beginning to read with more fluency and accuracy. They make better use of their phonics knowledge to learn in different curriculum subjects.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Pupils benefit from the school’s deliberate use of high-quality books as part of its curriculum. For example, it provides well-chosen non-fiction books to support children’s learning in the early years about insects. Teachers introduce pupils in upper key stage 2 to ambitious texts. For instance, pupils read stories of soldiers’ experiences in the First World War. Nevertheless, some pupils lack the knowledge and speaking skills that they need to be able to talk about different literature well.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has made encouraging strides forward in its work in the early years. The school’s well-considered curriculum has resulted in children learning essential new words, such as about the life cycle of a butterfly. As a result, children gain secure foundational knowledge and are now better prepared for their subsequent learning in key stage 1.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Classrooms are calm and pupils focus on learning the curriculum. The school has worked effectively with staff to understand its expectations of pupils’ behaviour. For some pupils, there is a marked improvement in their behaviour, because of the school’s help. Pupils said that the school values their ideas, thoughts and opinions. Pupils have started to learn the positive behaviours that they need to succeed, such as to concentrate and try their best.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has established efficient links with parents and carers to help them to understand the importance of pupils’ full attendance at the school. This work is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ attendance. Nevertheless, some pupils do not attend as often as they should. This holds back these pupils’ achievements.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school makes thoughtful use of the knowledge of external education experts to help to improve its work. Governors and the local authority have ensured that the school benefits from the expertise of a multi-academy trust, such as in leadership, curriculum, behaviour, SEND and safeguarding.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of governors, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Wirral. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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