Netherley Park Primary School

Netherley Park Primary School

Address: Brownbill Bank, Liverpool, Merseyside, L27 7AE Unique reference number (URN): 104600

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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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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders do not make sure that all children develop the skills and understanding that they need to be successful as they progress through the school from the Nursery Year onwards. This is particularly true for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum supports children to achieve equally well across each of the areas of early years learning. For instance, some children do not develop their mathematical knowledge as well as they develop their reading skills or language. This is also true of children's personal, social and emotional skills. Sometimes this is because teachers do not check sufficiently well that all children have a secure understanding of their learning. At times, they move on too quickly. Sometimes, staff do not intervene when they should. Staff do not consistently receive the support that they need to cater for all of children’s differing needs.

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Early years Needs attention

Children typically settle well, whether this is in the Nursery or Reception Year. Staff support children’s welfare needs effectively. Children build warm and trusting relationships with staff. Staff guide children in developing their communication skills by using clear, positive language. Most children develop secure phonics knowledge by the end of the Reception Year. They apply this knowledge successfully to build words phonetically in their writing.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have not thought carefully enough about the personal development offer that pupils access. The support for pupils’ character development and wellbeing is not as effective as it could be. Leaders do not ensure that all pupils understand what they learn in lessons and consider the importance of this in their everyday interactions. For example, most pupils access suitable personal, social, health and economic education. They learn the importance of celebrating people’s differences. Despite this, a small number of pupils use derogatory language about others. They are not adequately prepared for making a positive contribution to modern British society. Unpleasantness frequently spoils some pupils’ enjoyment of school, especially at breaktimes. Leaders do not make sure that staff intervene consistently well when pupils struggle in social situations. Staff do not help pupils to understand how to share, take turns and listen to differing points of view in a calm and consistent way.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to stay fit and healthy. This includes how to maintain positive emotional and mental wellbeing. Leaders provide quieter areas of the school for pupils to use if they feel overwhelmed. Nonetheless, the pastoral support that leaders provide does not have the desired effect on pupils. This is because some pupils are not

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Urgent improvement

supported sufficiently to manage their emotions effectively. Some pupils do not build up the resilience and self-confidence that they need to succeed at school.

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Urgent improvement

The educational visits and other activities that leaders provide help pupils to make better sense of their learning. Most pupils make effective use of the opportunities that leaders provide for their personal development. Pupils develop new skills and interests through clubs and outdoor adventurous activities. They participate in local sporting and musical events. Some older pupils carry out leadership roles.

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Urgent improvement

The school’s relationship and sex education is age-appropriate across the school. Older pupils are well prepared for the changes that will happen to them during puberty. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of consent as well as of healthy and unhealthy relationships. They know how to stay safe when they are online or using modern technologies.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils are not adequately prepared for their next stages of education. This is reflected in the school’s low outcomes at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. Too many pupils do not reach the standard expected in the Year 4 multiplication check. Many pupils do not develop the fluency that they need in English and mathematics. This does not prepare Year 6 pupils well enough to access the curriculum and learning in Year 7 and beyond, when they transfer to secondary school. In addition, in Year 6, disadvantaged pupils' attainment is significantly lower than that of disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils’ attainment in the Year 1 phonics screening check is similar to that in other schools. Pupils recall some of their learning across wider curriculum subjects. However, this is of variable quality across the school. Pupils’ understanding of their learning in mathematics is inconsistent. Additionally, there is wide variation in the presentation of pupils’ written work. This makes it difficult for pupils to explain their learning or express their ideas.

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have effective oversight of the attendance and punctuality of pupils. Rates of attendance have been concerningly low over time, and persistent absence is rising rapidly, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Increasing suspension rates for these groups of pupils mean that too many pupils are falling behind in their learning. In addition to this, many pupils are frequently late for school. This means that they often miss important learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Urgent improvement

Pupils’ conduct varies widely across the school. Leaders have not prevented a small but significant number of pupils from developing increasingly concerning behaviour and poor attitudes towards school. Leaders have not identified or addressed the underlying causes of this. Some pupils become disruptive in lessons to avoid the learning tasks that they know they will struggle to complete. Some pupils are frequently disrespectful towards other pupils, staff and visitors to the school. Arguing, name-calling and fighting in lessons or at breaktimes are regular occurrences. These, and incidents of bullying, are not dealt with consistently well by staff or leaders. This makes staff and pupils feel unsafe at times and disrupts pupils' learning. Staff have not accessed relevant training to develop the expertise that they need to improve this situation.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The curriculum does not prepare pupils adequately for their next stages of education. Leaders do not focus on developing the fluency that pupils need in reading, writing and mathematics. This limits pupils’ success in navigating the rest of the curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders have not thought carefully enough about what pupils need to learn as they progress through the school from Nursery to Year 6. This means that teachers are unclear about what they should focus on in lessons. They are unsure about the order in which learning should occur and how to build pupils' knowledge successfully. Moreover, teachers do not routinely identify and address gaps or misconceptions that pupils have. This has the greatest impact on pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. These pupils, and others, struggle to make sense of their learning. This is because teachers often introduce new learning before pupils are ready. This happens most frequently in mathematics.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The phonics programme is more successful. Teachers deliver this consistently well. Adults make sure that pupils who are at the early stages of reading learn how to use their phonics knowledge to read words. They provide additional support for pupils in the early years and key stage 1 who struggle with early reading until they can read with fluency and confidence.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that all pupils take a full part in school life. Some pupils feel that school is not for them. They do not cooperate with staff and often disengage with learning. This is because leaders do not meet their needs well enough.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access school on a part-time basis. Some pupils with SEND spend most of their time away from their peers. Pupils who are frequently suspended from school typically have SEND and/or are disadvantaged. They fall further behind with their learning. Leaders do not make the best use of the additional funding that they receive to ensure that pupils get the right support at the right time to help them catch up with their peers.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is suitable or accessible for all pupils. There is considerable variation in how well teachers support pupils in their learning. Leaders do not consider pupils’ needs, additional challenges or their previous experiences carefully enough. Leaders do not make sure that teachers know how to identify and address the barriers to learning that some pupils face. For example, teachers do not adapt their classroom approaches well enough for pupils who struggle to learn or for those who face additional barriers. They do not focus precisely on the crucial knowledge that these pupils need to learn.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

There has been significant turbulence in leadership and staffing during the last academic year. The governing body has also experienced considerable disruption in recent months. It does not provide the support and challenge that leaders need to bring about urgent and widespread improvement. The uncertain situation at the school has increased staff workload. It has also unsettled the wider school community.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The governing body has taken steps to stabilise leadership. The leadership team has started to highlight some of the most pressing priorities at the school, including behaviour. Some leaders now recognise how important it is that all pupils receive their full educational entitlement, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Despite this, many pupils, including those with SEND, do not receive a suitable curriculum. This is because leaders do not ensure that staff know how to meet pupils’ differing needs.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not have a clear understanding of the reasons why pupils’ behaviour and attendance are as poor as they are. They do not fully understand the impact of weaknesses in the curriculum on pupils. This limits their ability to address or resolve deep-rooted problems at the school.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Leaders do not consistently make decisions in pupils’ best interests. They do not ensure that staff adhere to agreed policies and procedures. Leaders and governors do not have effective systems in place to ensure that the school runs efficiently. They do not make sure that disadvantaged pupils or pupils with SEND receive the support that they need. Leaders do not provide sufficient guidance for staff. This includes how to manage pupils' behaviour effectively.

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

Pupils have mixed views about school. Some enjoy attending because they experience success in their learning. Others do not. Leaders do not deal with bullying, unacceptable behaviour or the use of derogatory language consistently well. This makes pupils feel unsafe at times. The action that leaders take does not address deep-rooted issues well enough. This means that problems persist and sometimes worsen. The behaviour of a significant minority of pupils disrupts their own and others’ learning. Usually, this is because staff are unsure of how to meet the needs of pupils who face additional challenges. This is especially the case for some disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Many do not attend school regularly or arrive late. Suspension rates are high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. This means that these pupils miss out on their educational entitlement. In addition, they do not develop their social skills as effectively as they could. Some pupils struggle to maintain positive relationships because leaders do not ensure that these pupils understand the importance of cooperation or respect for others.

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

Most pupils feel safe in school. They know whom to speak to if they have any worries. Relationships between staff and pupils, in most cases, are positive. For example, children in the early years typically settle well due to the warm welcome that they receive from caring staff. Staff provide clear examples of how to interact with others successfully. However, this is not consistently understood by all pupils.

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

Leaders provide suitable activities to support pupils’ personal development. These include yoga, sports clubs, chess club and residential visits. Year 6 pupils help out at lunchtime, supporting others to access the fresh vegetables trolley. The school council helps pupils to understand democratic systems.

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Next steps

Leaders must rapidly improve the consistency in the quality of education that pupils receive, particularly in mathematics, so that they are fully prepared for their next stage of education. Leaders must urgently ensure that all pupils receive their educational entitlement, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders must ensure that all teachers understand how to accurately identify and successfully meet pupils’ differing needs, including SEND. Leaders must swiftly ensure that staff receive the support that they need to manage pupils’ behaviour, so pupils know how to conduct themselves around school and develop positive attitudes to learning. Leaders must ensure that teachers consistently identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge, especially in their foundational knowledge of reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders must ensure that pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND,

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Next steps

attend school regularly and punctually. Governors must ensure that they have the knowledge that they need to hold leaders to account for pupils’ attendance, behaviour and achievement. Leaders and governors must develop a secure oversight of the effectiveness of the curriculum and whole-school policies. Leaders should make sure that adults supporting children in the early years make the most of opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills across each of the 7 areas of learning, including in mathematics and in their personal, social and emotional development. Leaders should ensure that pupils are suitably prepared to live in a modern and diverse Britain and understand that name-calling and the use of derogatory language are not acceptable.

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Team inspectors:

Jeanette Westhead, Ofsted Inspector Genna Hitchin, Ofsted Inspector

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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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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Meryl Sangare.

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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

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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About this inspection

The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspection(s) we carry out.

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About this inspection

From September 2026 this school has changed its name from Norman Pannell Primary School to Netherley Park Primary School.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders during the inspection. An inspector spoke with the chair of the governing body. An inspector also spoke with representatives of the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

There have been interim leadership arrangements in place for most of this academic year. The new headteacher took up post on 1 June 2026. Most of the governing body members, including the chairperson, are also newly appointed.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Jill O'Brien 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.

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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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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) 68% 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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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national average

2022/23 (final) 68% 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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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) 47% 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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