Helping Knowsley Lane Primary School beat the odds

Based in one of the most deprived areas of the country and once on the verge of closure, Knowsley Lane Primary School has gone on to beat the odds with rising attainment and pupil engagement.

Through their work with the school as part of Premier League Primary Stars, Everton in the Community have created a unique vision for using football to engage schools and the wider community, developed strong relationships with teachers at the school, and helped pupils to enjoy learning.

Ned Solanki, governor at Knowsley Lane Primary School has seen for himself the impact the club has had, “We’ve seen, just from pure statistics, the impact on the children. They love Everton coming into the school, you see them smiling, you see them enjoying it. It’s a life experience they may never get anywhere else.”

Three years in, the programme has gone from strength to strength. Educational specialist and Everton trustee Sir John Jones is optimistic for the future:

“It’s so successful here, the relationship between the club, and the school in its local community. I think head teachers will be queuing up to say, ‘we want this’.”