Kingsway Primary School

Kingsway Primary School

Address: Ashville Road, Wallasey, Merseyside, CH44 9EF Unique reference number (URN): 104997

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify and reduce many of the barriers that disadvantaged pupils face successfully. Governors ensure that leaders make appropriate use of additional funding to support the needs of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders find out from parents and carers what might be adding to pupils’ difficulties. They use this information and advice from external agencies to tailor support for pupils. Leaders regularly check how well disadvantaged pupils achieve. However, at times, leaders do not check carefully enough if the additional support that they provide for these pupils is having the desired impact.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make sure that teachers know how to identify the differing needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders provide support for teachers to help them to understand how and when to make suitable adaptations for pupils. This is often successful. For example, teachers and other staff help pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour skilfully. This helps pupils to be ready to learn. However, sometimes the quality of teaching for pupils with SEND is too variable. Where it is less effective, it affects how well some of these pupils progress through the curriculum.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils’ personal development and wellbeing is a high priority for the school. Leaders provide a wide range of experiences and opportunities for pupils. They have chosen these carefully. Leaders make sure that pupils learn to understand the world beyond the school gate and develop confidence. This helps pupils to aim high when thinking about their future careers and aspirations. Pupils learn about different professions open to them. They recognise how their learning helps them to pave the way for these. Leaders make sure that disadvantaged pupils can fully access the range of opportunities on offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils understand how to stay safe and healthy. For example, they know what steps to take to ensure that their use of online technology protects themselves and others. Pupils learn how to recognise when they are beginning to feel overwhelmed and struggle to manage their emotions. They learn useful techniques to regain their composure.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop and recognise positive relationships. They embrace people's differences. Pupils learn about suitable action to take if they feel threatened by others. They develop a secure understanding of the changes that happen to their bodies over time, including during puberty. They understand the concept of consent and how to make sure that they respect the wishes of others. The knowledge that they develop prepares them well for later life when living in a modern and diverse Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils make effective use of their learning about democracy and other aspects of fundamental British values. They actively support the school’s ethos, especially when making sure that everyone’s opinion is considered and valued. Pupils enjoy carrying out roles of responsibility. These help to develop pupils’ understanding of how to make a positive contribution to their school and wider community.

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Achievement Needs attention

Outcomes for pupils in national curriculum tests are low. Disadvantaged pupils achieve similar to other disadvantaged pupils nationally. However, there is variability in how effectively pupils build up the important knowledge that they need over time. For example, by the end of Year 6, many pupils do not develop sufficient fluency in writing and mathematics and struggle to learn the curriculum with ease. Pupils’ recall and understanding of what they have learned across the curriculum is not as secure as it could be. This makes it more difficult for them to build on what they already know and to progress well through the curriculum.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils currently at the school use phonics securely. Most pupils read accurately and fluently. Leaders have successfully focused on strengthening the school’s phonics programme so that pupils learn phonics effectively and typically apply this knowledge confidently to make positive progress through the phonics programme. The improvement in this area is not yet evident in the published Year 1 phonics screening check results.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils' overall attendance is low compared to national averages. Poor attendance impedes pupils' ability to learn well or to address gaps in their knowledge. This is particularly the case when disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are frequently absent. Leaders strive to reduce barriers that pupils face in attending school regularly. They have recently strengthened their work in this area. Leaders provide practical and well-considered support. For some pupils, this is beginning to make a positive difference. Leaders at all levels are determined to increase the rate of their successes in this area.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have improved pupils’ behaviour since the previous inspection. Interruptions to learning are rare or brief. Teachers understand and manage pupils’ behaviour skilfully. Leaders make sure that staff know how to support pupils when they begin to feel overwhelmed. Most pupils focus well during lessons. Their teachers take swift and effective action to help them refocus. Leaders use suspensions sparingly. The frequency of these are reducing over time. This is because leaders ensure that pupils who struggle to manage their emotions receive the support that they need.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils do not learn as well as they should. Leaders do not make sure that teachers check consistently well what pupils already know before they introduce new learning. As a result, some pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, struggle to keep up with the curriculum and some do not secure enough grasp of prior learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders provide regular additional support to address the many gaps that pupils have in their knowledge due to irregular attendance or weaknesses in the previous curriculum. However, the effectiveness of this provision is not as precise as it could be. As a result, pupils do not typically develop fluency in their writing or other important knowledge sufficiently well.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have developed the curriculum systematically since the previous inspection. It is ambitious and defines what pupils in most year groups should learn. Leaders make sure that teachers have the subject knowledge that they need.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders prioritise reading within the curriculum. The phonics programme is fully embedded and delivered to a consistently high standard. Staff follow the programme diligently. Pupils who struggle with reading access regular additional practice. This helps them to develop their fluency and learn to read well.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders do not identify what children most need to know to be fully prepared for the curriculum in Year 1 and beyond. Staff do not identify and address the gaps in children's knowledge consistently well. For example, some children do not master accurate letter or number formation. This creates additional difficulties for their later learning.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff provide effective support for children to improve their language and communication skills. Children develop nurturing relationships with staff as soon as they join the early years provision. Staff establish positive partnerships with parents and carers. This helps parents to support their children’s learning at home.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff make sure that the approaches and resources that they use are suitable. They consider children's different ages and stages carefully. Well-established routines help children to settle quickly. They embrace learning. Children make great strides in their personal, social and emotional development.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff follow the school’s phonics programme well. Children in the 2- and 3- year-old provision develop their ability to identify different types of sounds. This prepares them well for learning how to use phonics to read words by the time that they are in the Reception Year.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders’ actions to improve the school do not lead to necessary improvements quickly enough. The delivery of their school improvement work does not ensure that pupils experience the standards expected of the school in a timely way. Rates of absence for some pupils remain too high. Leaders do not ensure that all staff focus on what pupils most need to learn, including when they provide additional support, intervention and adjustments. This makes it difficult for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to achieve as well as they should.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders place appropriate focus on disadvantaged pupils. They seek out and utilise advice from external agencies to address some of the challenges that the school faces and to support pupils. This includes improving how well teachers understand and meet pupils’ differing needs. Leaders make sure that pupils’ best interests are at the heart of all that they do. They support staff to manage their workload and wellbeing effectively. Leaders provide suitable resources, training and support for teachers and other staff. This helps them to carry out their respective roles. Relationships between staff and leaders are positive, permeating positivity and collaboration.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors have a realistic view of the school’s strengths. They understand where further development is needed. Members of the governing body understand and uphold their statutory duties. For example, they provide support and challenge to leaders. However, at times, this focuses on action taken rather than its impact on pupils.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school is a calm and harmonious place. Pupils feel happy and safe at school. Typically, pupils behave well. Staff are skilled at helping pupils to manage their emotions. They enjoy playing or chatting with each other at breaktimes. Pupils trust staff to help them resolve any issues that they might have. Minor skirmishes and incidents of bullying are dealt with quickly and thoroughly. Pupils are supported to put things right when this is needed.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This impacts negatively on pupils’ learning in addition to their social and wider development. Those who attend regularly, benefit from established routines. These help pupils to be ready to learn.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should. This means that pupils are not fully prepared for the next stages of their education. Leaders do not ensure that teaching checks what pupils know and can do before moving on to new content. Leaders provide additional support for disadvantaged pupils to help reduce the barriers that they face. However, this is not always effective in helping pupils to learn as well as they could.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy the trips, clubs and other activities that leaders provide. These help pupils to learn about the wider world. For example, children in the early years explore the local park, nearby shops and other amenities, which help to bring their learning to life. Children in the early years settle quickly. They are keen to learn from caring and enthusiastic staff.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy leadership roles, such as acting as an 'attendance hero' or a librarian. Pupils also learn how to make a positive contribution to their community through school and eco- council activities. Pupils develop confidence in themselves. This in turn increases the aspiration that pupils have for their future careers.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that pupils attend school regularly and that attendance for all groups of pupils improves towards national averages. Leaders should ensure that teachers identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge consistently so that pupils can learn and achieve well.

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Team inspectors:

Samantha Birchall, Ofsted Inspector Cath Cooke, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Total pupils

Leaders should improve the expertise of staff so that pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are appropriately supported to learn well. Leaders at all levels should make sure that their actions to improve aspects of the school, such as pupils' attendance and achievement, result in more rapid and sustained improvements. Leaders should make sure that the curriculum in the early years provision is carefully designed. They should ensure that gaps in children's knowledge and skills are swiftly identified and addressed so that children are fully prepared for their learning in Year 1 and beyond.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Daniel Stenhouse. Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs. Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders. An inspector spoke with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body. An inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority.

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About this inspection

We checked the following information with leaders: The school does not currently make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 68% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 41% 47% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 46% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 53% 63% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 62% 62% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 69% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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