Evaluation of the Accelerating Improvement in Knowsley: Pathways to Success Initiative

The Pathways to Success initiative aimed to raise standards, especially in literacy, across the primary and secondary phases in Knowsley, Merseyside. The project commenced in February 2018 and concluded in July 2019. It was funded through the Department for Education’s Strategic School Improvement Fund (SSIF) and coordinated by the Knowsley Education Commission, set up in November 2016. The project focused on 30 schools in an area with exceptionally high levels of disadvantage and a poor record of student achievement over a number of years, particularly for students at age sixteen. Participating schools were able to access support from a PtS Adviser, development sessions organised at school level and centrally, and modest additional funding to implement a locally-authored Accelerated Improvement Plan overseen by an Accelerated Improvement Group. Key approaches included intensive work in classrooms, capacity building and leadership development, and school-to-school support.