Millfields Church of England Primary School, located in Eastham, Wirral, underwent an inspection on March 26 and 27, 2024. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas such as the quality of education and leadership and management also marked as requiring improvement. However, the school demonstrated good performance in behavior and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision.
Pupils expressed a strong sense of belonging within the school community, highlighting that the supportive environment contributes to their happiness and well-being. They appreciate the school’s values and actively promote inclusivity among their peers. Generally, students enjoy their lessons and exhibit good behavior in class. The recent changes to the school's behavior management approach have made students feel safer and more supported, particularly benefiting from the ‘reset’ aspect of this approach.
The school has raised its expectations for student achievement, with early years children well-prepared for Year 1. Older students are beginning to benefit from a well-structured curriculum, although some teachers struggle to deliver it effectively, which affects the achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. Pupils enjoy a variety of extracurricular opportunities, including charitable work that fosters their development as responsible citizens. Leadership roles, such as well-being ambassadors, allow students to support their peers' mental health.
The school has made significant strides in prioritizing reading instruction. Early years children engage with songs and rhymes, and from Reception, they participate in a structured phonics program delivered by trained staff. Most pupils achieve fluency in reading by the end of Key Stage 1. Older students are exposed to diverse and engaging texts, which cultivates a love for reading. The newly established library offers a comfortable space for students to enjoy books.
While the curriculum is ambitious and well-organized, there are gaps in teachers' expertise in designing lessons that help students retain knowledge over time. This shortcoming can hinder some pupils' ability to build on prior learning. Additionally, some staff do not maintain high expectations for student achievement, which can limit progress through the curriculum. The school has seen improvements in early years provision, with a well-designed curriculum and strong staff expertise leading to a positive start for children.
The introduction of a nurture hub provides tailored support for pupils, and the school has processes in place to identify additional needs. However, the identification of specific learning steps for pupils with SEND is inconsistent, which can impede their progress. Attendance is a priority, and while the school collaborates with parents to improve attendance rates, some groups still experience high absence rates, affecting their learning opportunities.
The school effectively prepares pupils for life in modern Britain, teaching them about responsibility and respect for diversity. Recent training for governors aims to enhance their understanding of their roles, but it is too early to assess the impact of this training. Governors need to improve their evaluation of the school’s actions to provide better support for improvement.
Staff feel valued and report that recent changes to behavior management have positively impacted their workload and mental health. The safeguarding arrangements in place are effective, ensuring a safe environment for all pupils. To improve, the school must enhance staff expertise in delivering the curriculum, raise expectations for student achievement, better support pupils with SEND, address attendance barriers, and strengthen the evaluation processes conducted by governors.
