Lawrence Community Primary School, located in Liverpool, Merseyside, was inspected on July 5 and 6, 2022. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as good, with the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all receiving a good rating. However, early years provision was noted as requiring improvement. This inspection marked an improvement from the previous inspection, which had rated the school as requiring improvement.
The school provides a supportive environment where pupils feel well cared for by the staff. Many students join the school throughout the year and come from diverse backgrounds, with 32 different languages spoken among the pupils. This diversity is embraced by the students, who demonstrate respect and positive interactions with one another. The school fosters a harmonious atmosphere, contributing to a happy learning environment. Pupils generally behave well during lessons and at playtimes, and while instances of bullying do occur, staff are effective in addressing these issues, ensuring that students feel safe and supported.
Leaders at the school maintain high expectations for all pupils, and those in key stages one and two are achieving better outcomes than in the past. Improvements have been made to the early years curriculum, particularly for nursery-aged children. However, reception-aged children have not fully benefited from these enhancements, resulting in them being less prepared for the next stage of their education.
The curriculum is ambitious and designed to engage all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. Subject leaders carefully plan what pupils need to learn and the sequence of instruction, which helps teachers build on students' knowledge over time. However, there is a lack of sufficient guidance for staff working with early years pupils, particularly in reception, leading to missed opportunities for reinforcing and extending children's learning.
In most subjects, teachers are well-trained and effectively deliver the curriculum, ensuring that pupils acquire the expected knowledge. They are adept at identifying and addressing misconceptions. However, in a few subjects, some teachers have not received adequate training, which affects their ability to select appropriate activities for effective learning, resulting in lower achievement in those areas.
In the early years, staff encourage children to develop listening skills and introduce new vocabulary through stories and play. However, expectations for how quickly children should learn new phonics are considered too low. As pupils transition to key stage one, teachers support them in closing gaps in their phonics knowledge, fostering a love of reading among older pupils who engage with a variety of texts.
Leaders effectively identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs, ensuring they have access to the same curriculum as their peers. The school places a strong emphasis on the wider development of pupils, promoting caring attitudes and understanding of diversity, which supports positive behavior and focus in lessons.
Governors have enhanced their expertise through external support and are well-equipped to provide informed support and challenge to school leaders. Staff feel valued and supported, appreciating the consideration given to their workload and well-being.
The safeguarding arrangements at the school are effective, with staff trained to identify and act on concerns regarding pupil safety. Leaders work closely with partner agencies to support families and protect pupils, ensuring that students are taught how to stay safe online and are aware of community risks.
To improve further, leaders need to ensure that all teachers develop the necessary expertise to deliver the curriculum consistently well. Additionally, the early years curriculum requires redesigning to ensure that reception-aged children build their knowledge effectively across all areas of learning, particularly in phonics, to prepare them adequately for Year 1.
