Ofsted is the regulatory body for education establishments, such as schools and colleges, providing institutions with ratings on a four-point scale, ranging from 'inadequate' to 'outstanding'. Grades are based on overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviours and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
While concerns have been raised about Ofsted’s single-word judgements, many parents look at inspection reports as a way to decide which school is best suited to their children. A poll, of more than 4,500 National Education Union (NEU) teacher members in state schools in England revealed that the majority of teachers (90%) do not believe single-word judgments are a fair reflection of the performance of a school.
However, a spokesperson for Ofsted said: “We inspect schools on behalf of children and their parents, but we are very mindful of the pressures on school staff. We have already made several changes to inspection over the last year, focused on school leaders’ and staff welfare. But we have promised to go further to strengthen confidence in our work.
“That’s why we launched our Big Listen last month. We’re asking parents, children, heads, teachers and other professionals to help shape the way we work in future and make sure all children have the best possible education and life chances.”
Below are all of the Merseyside primary schools which currently hold Ofsted’s ‘requires improvement’ rating, as of April 17, 2024.
1. Bidston Village CofE Primary School, Ballantyne Drive, Prenton, CH43
Published in November 2023, the Ofsted report for Bidston Village CofE Primary School reads: “The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement. However, in some areas of the curriculum, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school has recently refined some subject curriculums. Nevertheless, these new curriculums are in the early stages of delivery.”
2. Co-op Academy Portland, Laird Street, Birkenhead, CH41
Published in May 2023, the Ofsted report for Co-op Academy Portland reads: “Leaders, governors and trustees have an ambitious vision for the school. However, their ambition to provide a high-quality curriculum has been beset with difficulties by the upheaval in staffing. This is particularly the case in early years.”
3. Kingsway Primary School, Ashville Road, Wallasey, CH44
Published in September 2023, the Ofsted report for Kingsway Primary School reads: “Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement. However, pupils’ learning across the curriculum is uneven. This is because some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Pupils do not have sufficiently secure foundations on which to build new learning.”
4. Knowsley Village School, Sugar Lane, Prescot, L34 0ER
Published in May 2023, the Ofsted report for Knowsley Village School reads: “Leaders are beginning to develop a more ambitious curriculum to meet pupils’ learning needs. They have overhauled what is being taught, particularly in subjects such as history and art and design. Leaders provide guidance to teachers about the essential knowledge that pupils must learn and when topics should be taught. However, some teachers do not have the subject knowledge or confidence that they need to deliver the new curriculums consistently well. They have not been fully trained in the new approach.”