Mount Primary School

Mount Primary School

Address: Mount Pleasant Road, Wirral, Merseyside, CH45 5HU Unique reference number (URN): 104993

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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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Achievement Needs attention

Published results of national tests are broadly in line with national averages. Results for the Year 1 phonics screening check are more secure over time. However, this does not fully reflect pupils’ achievement across the school.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Teachers do not consistently correct basic errors in handwriting and spelling, so too many pupils repeat these mistakes over time. In key stage 1, some pupils do not become fluent readers because the books they read do not match their phonics knowledge. In the wider curriculum, the work that some pupils produce does not reflect depth in their knowledge and understanding. The most able pupils are not challenged well enough to deepen and extend their learning.

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Achievement Needs attention

At times, leaders do not have a clear picture of how well different groups of pupils achieve, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They do not check pupils' progress closely enough. As a result, they are not assured that these pupils achieve as well as they should.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Attendance is a strength of the school. It is above the national average and persistent absence has decreased. Leaders understand the reasons for past dips in attendance. They act early to address any concerns. Leaders track attendance for different groups of pupils. Pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities attend more regularly than similar pupils nationally. Pastoral staff work closely with families. This support has helped to improve attendance for several families. When pupils attend part-time, leaders record and review these arrangements carefully. They plan for pupils to return to full-time education.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders are responding to a rise in the number of pupils with additional needs. For some of these pupils, leaders do not manage their behaviour well enough. Leaders use suspensions appropriately, and some pupils are beginning to manage their behaviour. Younger pupils behave better than older pupils. However, staff do not apply the school's behaviour approach consistently, so behaviour varies across the school. A small number of pupils behave in a disruptive or sometimes violent way. This affects others’ learning. When bullying happens, some staff do not deal with it quickly or effectively enough.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The quality of the curriculum and teaching varies across the school. In some lessons, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding closely enough. They do not correct basic mistakes, such as missing capital letters and full stops. Pupils repeat these errors over time. At times, feedback does not help pupils to improve.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum. They understand where it needs to improve. They have begun to adapt it for mixed-age classes. This work is at an early stage. In some subjects, the curriculum is not well ordered. Teaching does not build closely on what pupils already know. It does not challenge the most able pupils enough to deepen their knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In some lessons, teachers follow a clear approach. They explain tasks well and ask precise questions. They check what pupils understand. Teachers help pupils to remember what they have learned and use subject vocabulary accurately. In phonics, most staff model sounds well. However, some reading books do not match pupils’ reading knowledge. In some lessons, teachers meet the needs of pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, teaching is not consistently secure enough to support pupils’ learning across the school.

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Early years Needs attention

Children enjoy coming to school and take part in activities with enthusiasm. Staff speak warmly to children. However, some do not use these interactions to develop children's language sufficiently well. As a result, children do not build their communication skills as quickly as they should.

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Early years Needs attention

Children behave well. They take turns and play cooperatively. They are safe and happy.

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Early years Needs attention

Children start and finish Reception broadly at the expected level for their age. Leaders have identified the key knowledge children should learn. Staff teach handwriting effectively and check how children hold their pencils and form letters correctly. However, the early years curriculum does not build well enough on what children already know. Some learning activities lack clear purpose. As a result, they are not effective in moving children’s learning forward.

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Early years Needs attention

Phonics teaching is systematic. Children usually apply this knowledge when reading and writing. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from well- considered support, which helps them take part successfully.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff work closely with parents and carers to support learning at home. They share information about children’s learning so that parents can help children to develop key skills.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have recently taken action to make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support in lessons. However, this is not yet consistently applied across the school. Leaders set out clear expectations and strategies, such as visual timetables, calm spaces and adapted resources. However, staff do not use these consistently. As a result, support varies between classes. Some pupils with SEND cannot access learning or build knowledge as well as they should.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders identify pupils’ needs quickly. They work closely with families and professionals and use this advice to plan support. Staff often help pupils to build confidence and take part in learning. When pupils have gaps in their knowledge, staff provide extra support, especially in mathematics. This often helps pupils to catch up. However, this support is not consistent. At times, staff deal with behaviour instead of supporting learning. This means some pupils do not get the help they need.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff receive appropriate training to support pupils with SEND. Pastoral support is responsive. Leaders use pupil premium funding well. This helps disadvantaged pupils take part in trips and wider experiences. Leaders use alternative provision carefully. They place pupils appropriately and in their best interests.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors support leaders well and provide some challenge. They make sure that resources are used and that safeguarding duties are met. They maintain regular oversight of pupils' behaviour and staff wellbeing. However, this has not had sufficient impact, as issues remain.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders are developing their understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are managing falling pupil numbers and adapting the curriculum for mixed-age classes. Leaders have improved some subjects and strengthened support for some disadvantaged pupils. In several areas, leaders have begun to set clear actions. However, they do not check the impact of their work precisely enough. This limits their understanding of what is working well.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Some staff feel that leaders do not listen to them or value their views. They feel that leaders do not consider staff workload and wellbeing carefully enough. Some staff do not receive the training they need. Not all staff attend key meetings where leaders introduce important changes. This reduces the impact of leaders’ work.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Parents’ and carers' views are mixed. Some parents value the support they receive and feel well informed about their children’s learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The personal development curriculum does not have enough impact on what pupils know and how they behave. Leaders do not make sure that there is a coherent approach to teaching the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. As a result, pupils’ knowledge is uneven. Older pupils have limited understanding of healthy relationships, consent and difference. Some pupils describe unkind behaviour linked to appearance, disability, religion or race, and they say that groups are not treated equally. Pupils’ understanding of difference is not secure. This affects how some pupils behave towards others.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There is much to value in the school’s work to support pupils’ wider development. Pupils take part in a broad range of clubs and activities, including tennis, dance and performing arts. They take on responsibilities such as reading champions and play leaders. Pupils visit the library regularly, enjoy trips, such as to the zoo, beach and science centre, and they attend a 2-night residential in Years 5 and 6. Leaders track participation, and most activities are free so that all pupils can take part. Pupils value these opportunities and carry out their roles with pride. Pastoral support is effective and valued by pupils. Staff build warm relationships with pupils and provide patient support. Leaders make thoughtful adjustments so that pupils with additional needs can take part in all aspects of school life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders teach relationships and sex education through an established programme. They cover a range of religions and introduce British values in assemblies. However, pupils do not remember or apply this learning well. Opportunities to learn about life beyond the local area are limited. Most visits are local, and pupils have few chances to learn about different cultures. This limits how well they understand life in modern Britain.

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

Most pupils enjoy coming to Mount Primary School and feel safe at this school. Staff greet pupils warmly each morning and the youngest children settle quickly. Pupils, including children in the early years, are happy and play well together. They know that staff care about them. Staff support those pupils who find school more difficult with patience and care. Most pupils make friends easily and treat each other kindly. Pupils enjoy clubs, trips and roles such as the school council and eco team. They take pride in these responsibilities and take part fully, including pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils attend well and value being part of the school.

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

Pupils’ experiences in lessons vary. In some lessons, pupils enjoy their work and remember what they learn. They use new vocabulary with confidence. However, this is not the case for all pupils. In some lessons, teachers do not address pupils' mistakes well enough. Pupils lose interest and repeat errors. Some pupils do not learn as well as they should. This includes pupils who need extra help and those who are ready for greater challenge. By the end of Year 6, most pupils reach the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, fewer pupils achieve highly or build strong knowledge across the wider curriculum.

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

Pupils’ experiences differ across year groups. Younger pupils are mostly happy and positive about school. Some older pupils are less so. Some pupils say that others disrupt lessons. This is not always managed well enough. Some pupils report unkind behaviour, including about differences between pupils. Bullying happens and, at times, some staff do not deal with it quickly or effectively enough. Pupils’ understanding of healthy relationships and difference is limited. This affects how some pupils treat others.

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Next steps

Leaders should make sure that staff put the support set out for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities into place in every classroom, so that these pupils can access their learning and build their knowledge well. Leaders should make sure that teachers check pupils' understanding and address their errors, so that the same mistakes do not recur and pupils build securely on what they have learned.

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Lead inspector:

Dianne Holcroft, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Sharon Cowey, Ofsted Inspector Jo Costello, His Majesty's Inspector Leaders should make sure that teachers challenge the most able pupils and extend and deepen pupils' knowledge across the wider curriculum, so that more pupils achieve highly. Leaders should make sure that staff manage behaviour well across the school and deal with bullying and unkindness quickly and effectively, so that pupils behave well. Leaders should make sure that the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is taught in full, so that pupils develop a secure understanding of healthy relationships, difference and life in modern Britain. Leaders should make sure that staff in the early years use their interactions with children to develop children's language and build on what children already know. Governors should hold leaders to account for the actions they are taking to improve outcomes and experiences of pupils, so that they have a more precise understanding of

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Team inspectors:

the impact of leaders' work. Leaders should make sure that staff feel valued and listened to and have the training they need to carry out their roles well.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Phil Ashton.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

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.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, leaders, staff, parents, carers and pupils. They also met with members of the governing body.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently makes use of one unregistered alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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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 6 years. National average: 26.3%

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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 needs support 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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average

2024/25 (final) 56% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 55% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 60% Close to average

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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

2024/25 (final) 71% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 74% 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 (final) 78% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 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

2023/24 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 78% 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

2023/24 (final) 35% 46% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 38% 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 (final) 67% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 59% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 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

2024/25 (final) 56% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 59% 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

2023/24 (final) 53% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 56% 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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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.5% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.6% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

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

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 13.8% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 15.3% 14.6% Close to average

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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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