A Liverpool primary school has been ordered to shape up by education officials.
National inspection body Ofsted has deemed that Four Oaks Primary School in Anfield “requires improvement” from its leadership to the quality of education. A report into an inspection of the school in February by Ofsted officials has revealed the findings.
The report into the school, which was built a decade ago, said pupils’ learning had been hampered by a “previously poorly planned curriculum” and as a result, they “struggle to recall important knowledge and they have gaps in their learning, particularly in key stage 2.” The inspection delivered a withering assessment of the school’s leadership, saying it had “not defined what children need to know in each area of the early years curriculum” and consequently, “adults do not provide sufficient support to help children to build up the knowledge that they need to achieve well."
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The report added: “As a result, a few children become disengaged in their learning.” The performance of the school’s governors was also assessed by Ofsted, who deemed that school leaders are not challenged “effectively enough about the impact of their actions to improve the quality of education, including in the early years.”
It was said that as a result, children and pupils do not learn as well as they should. Governors need to hone their skills in checking the impact of leaders’ work. They need to ensure that all pupils benefit from a high-quality education, especially children in the early years.”
The information received about children and pupils with special educational needs disorders (SEND) has also not been used effectively according to Ofsted, which has impacted on their achievements. The national body did recognise that the school has worked with external consultants to develop a “new and more ambitious curriculum” since its last inspection and teachers are addressing the learning that pupils have missed or forgotten as a result of the impact of the covid pandemic.
It also found that leaders do provide “high-quality opportunities for pupils’ wider development” and are well trained to aid them in reading development.
Sara Robinson, headteacher of Four Oaks Primary School, said the leadership welcomed the inspection report and were pleased that the inspectors were so complimentary about many aspects of the school.
She added: “We’re pleased that Ofsted notes the progress we have made on the curriculum. We also appreciate that the report acknowledges that the pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to how far we have been able to come on our improvement journey.
“The report also states that Four Oaks is a calm and welcoming school. We take pride that we serve a diverse community and that families can feel confident that their children are able to learn in a supportive environment.
“We have taken careful note of the comments in the report and all staff and governors are focusing on a continuous cycle of improvement.” Mrs Robinson also drafted a letter to the school’s pupils, seen by the ECHO, praising their behaviour and “enthusiasm for school life”.
It added that Four Oaks has “always taken great pride in the way we look after pupils with special educational needs… Unfortunately, we did not have time to share everything we do for SEND pupils with the inspectors.”
