Knowsley Lane Primary School

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, well led and gives children a flying start.
• The early years curriculum is well sequenced and supports children to build knowledge and skills step by step.
• Staff interactions in early years extend language and deepen children's thinking.
• Children, including those with SEND, make good progress from their starting points in early years.
• Pupils achieve well overall, with national assessment results typically in line with averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve particularly well and often do better than disadvantaged pupils nationally.
• Pupils behave very well, show positive attitudes and work hard.
• Pupils feel safe and staff deal with bullying swiftly.
• Leaders have effective oversight of behaviour and attendance and respond quickly to issues.
• Attendance is improving because leaders identify barriers and act upon them quickly.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well designed, with clear key knowledge and skills.
• Teaching is typically effective, and staff check prior knowledge and explain vocabulary clearly.
• Pupils with SEND typically learn alongside their peers and progress from their starting points.
• Leaders ensure cost is not a barrier to disadvantaged pupils' participation in trips and visits.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture and prompt responses to concerns.
• Personal development and wellbeing are well planned, with a range of opportunities for pupils.
• Pupils develop citizenship through charity work, social action and leadership roles.
• Leaders prioritise staff wellbeing, workload and professional learning.
• Parental engagement is strong and helps build confidence in the school.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance remains below national figures, and persistent absence is above national averages.
• Some pupils still do not attend as often as they should, including pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those absent most often.
• In a small number of subjects, teaching does not always enable pupils to transfer learning to long-term memory.
• In newer areas of the curriculum, pupils are at an earlier stage of building knowledge.
• Some older pupils still show inconsistencies in writing accuracy and handwriting.
• Oversight of additional support for learning is not consistent, and leaders do not always monitor or evaluate out-of-class provision.
• Governors do not always hold leaders to account with sufficient rigour to ensure consistent improvement.
• Leaders and governors need to strengthen oversight of systems supporting pupils, particularly those with SEND and those known to social care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools