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A Wirral primary school headteacher has responded to an Ofsted report that found several areas of the school “need attention”.
The inspection report was for Kingsway Primary School on Ashville Road, Wallasey. The recently published Ofsted report wasn't great, to say the least.
Ofsted has now got rid of the overall judgement markers that used to be used to categorise schools, such as 'outstanding', and now grades schools across a range of areas. These rank from ‘exceptional’ through to ‘urgent improvement’.
Kingsway Primary was assessed across seven factors, according to Birkenhead News. The Wallasey-based school received two ‘expected standard’ ratings and five marked as ‘needs attention’.
The school met the 'expected standard' in inclusion, personal development, and well-being. Inspectors said leaders “identify and reduce many of the barriers that disadvantaged pupils face successfully” and work with parents and external agencies to support pupils.
Personal development in the school was described as a priority, as the report noted the pupils at the school are prepared for life in a “modern and diverse Britain”.
However, the 'needs attention' markers came in the areas of the school's achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, and leadership and governance.
The report bluntly stated that “pupils do not learn as well as they should” and raised concerns about how consistently teachers check pupils’ prior learning.
Student attendance was highlighted as below the national average, and inspectors said it was affecting pupils' ability to learn and to close gaps in their knowledge.
The school's safeguarding efforts were found to meet all legal requirements.
Headteacher Helen Holbrook said of the report: "As I have said to parents, we are very proud of the many positives highlighted throughout our Ofsted report as they recognise the dedication of our staff, the wonderful character of our children and the positive relationships that are such an important part of Kingsway."
She said the school acknowledged the areas for improvement and would use the findings to guide its next steps, including improving attendance, strengthening curriculum delivery, and ensuring gaps in learning are addressed quickly.
