Specialist primary school continues to be recognised as one of the best in the country
Knowsley Central School, Huyton pictured Headteacher Daryl McConnell with staff Karen and Liz with the children(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
An ‘outstanding’ Merseyside school has become a beacon of hope for children and parents – in more ways than one. Knowsley Central School (KCS) in Huyton is so popular with its pupils that they ‘rush’ to class in the mornings.
These are the observations of Ofsted who judged the community special school to be ‘outstanding’ in overall effectiveness. In a report published earlier this week, inspectors lavished fulsome praise on KCS staff and said it was a place where pupils can ‘flourish’.
The Ofsted report states: “Pupils enjoy exceptional relationships with staff. They know that staff care for them deeply. There is always someone there for them when needed. Consequently, pupils feel happy and know that they are in safe hands.
“From children in early years to the oldest pupils, there is no ceiling on what staff want pupils to achieve. Staff have a thorough understanding of pupils’ complex needs.
“This, along with an aspirational curriculum, ensures that pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps in education.”
Knowsley Central School, Huyton pictured staff Karen and Liz with the children.(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
KCS caters to pupils aged between 4 to 11 who all have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and includes provision for children with complex autism. It is only one of ten schools in the country to be awarded the prestigious Beacon School Status, awarded by the National Autistic Society (NAS) – and only one of three in the north west.
Beacon status is a newly created accreditation where a school must demonstrate it has outstanding support and clearly demonstrate a commitment to understanding autism and setting the standard for autism practice.
KCS was also the first school in Knowsley to achieve the ‘Schools of Sanctuary’ accolade which they secured in 2023. Schools of Sanctuary are a national network of schools all committed to creating a culture of welcome and inclusion for refugees and people seeking asylum.
Daryl McConnell, 42, is headteacher at KCS and has been on the role for the last nine years: “Working here is a honour for me and all the staff that contribute so much to what we do here.
“We appreciate that everyone who comes through our doors is different and there’s no one-size-fits-all. We fit things around what’s needed and always have an open door policy with parents and children because trust and transparency is so important.
Knowsley Central School, Huyton pictured staff.(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
“We’re providing education for some of the most vulnerable little children in the borough, and we’re very privileged to be trusted to do that job. We’ve got a duty of care and a responsibility because these kids have significant challenges in their life and they deserve the very best.”
“The biggest thing for us is communication and letting the children and parents know that we are available to them for support, guidance or just a friendly chat. We’re very big on providing that wrap-around care for everyone that walks through our doors.”
These are sentiments which are backed up by solid evidence and detailed in a thorough Ofsted report, which noted: “Parents and carers are effusive about the school. They typically said that staff at the school are ‘amazing’ and ‘go above and beyond’ in all that they do for their children and their families.”
Inspectors added: “[A] relentless focus on building positive learning habits often takes time but inevitably leads to pupils being highly motivated and taking pride in their learning. While being sensitive to the difficulties and barriers that families face, the school works tenaciously to ensure that pupils attend school regularly.”
Headteacher Daryl McConnell pictured staff Karen and Liz (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Karen Little is the chair of governors at KCS and said there are numerous staff members who have children with SEND and are able to feed in their personal experience into the school’s offer, she added: “We also look at the impact we can have on parental mental health and well being and address issues relating to social isolation. Lots of parents of children with SEND find it difficult to go out together as a family and enjoy some down time.
“We’ve got families that couldn’t go shopping with the kids because of various issues and then after 12 months at KCS they’re going out to dinner. It’s so lovely to see the change in families once they’ve got a safe and nurturing space.”
The school’s achievements were also acknowledged by Knowsley Council including Cllr David Lonergan, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, he said: “Congratulations to everyone at Knowsley Central School. Leaders, staff, pupils and Governors should quite rightly be incredibly proud of their achievements – well done!”