SUMMARY
OF THE REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT
THE SCHOOL
Prescot
School is an average-sized
comprehensive of 905 pupils,
which was granted language
college status in 2000. The
school has benefited from a major
building programme that allowed
the transfer fromtwo sites in
1994. It is situated in the
southern part of Knowsley, one of
the most deprived boroughs in the
country, a fact borne out by the
number of pupils eligible for
free school meals, which is
significantly above the national
average. There has been a
significant increase since 1998
in the number of transfers from
the two main Prescot primary
schools, and the school is part
of the LEA Year 5 to 8 transition
programme. However, the school
draws pupils from across the
borough - currently from 27
different primary schools -and
has been oversubscribed for the
last four years. The number of
pupils with special educational
needs is below average, but the
number with statements is
average. Most of their needs are
associated with learning and
behaviour. Almost all pupils are
of white UK origin and none has
English as an additional
language.
This
is an effective school, which
provides a good standard of
education for all its pupils, in
fulfilment of its mission
statement. Provision for
pupils’ personal development
is good. The granting of language
college status has helped the
school to define its direction
and role in the community.
Teaching is satisfactory overall
and good in years 7 to 9, where
teachers have higher expectations
of their pupils. When pupils come
into the school in Year 7 their
level of attainment is below
average and they make good
progress to reach an average
standard by the time they take
the national tests in Year 9.
However, standards at the end of
Year 11 have not kept pace with
rising national standards but,
given these pupils’ below
average attainment on entry to
the school, their achievement is
satisfactory.
The
school is well led and the senior
management team and governing
body are clear about the
direction the school should take.
Day to day management is good and
the school manages its finances
prudently. The school provides
satisfactory value for money.
What
the school does well
- Pupils
in years 7 to 9 achieve
well because they are
well taught.
- GCSE
results rose in 2002 from
well below average in
2001.
- Teaching
of pupils with special
educational needs by a
well-qualified team of
specialists is
good.• Provision is
very good in modern
foreign languages and
good in English, art and
history.
- Pupils
develop a sense of
maturity and
responsibility through
the good support they
receive from staff andby
taking part in
extra-curricular
activities.
- Attendance
is now good.
- The
school is well led and
managed.
- Staff
have good opportunities
for development and newly
qualified teachers are
well-supported.What could
be improved
- GCSE
results and standards and
achievement in years 10
and 11 especially in
mathematics, numeracy
andscience (double
award).
- Assessment
procedures and acting on
the results.
- Provision
for and teaching of
citizenship.The areas for
improvement will form the
basis of the
governors’ action
plan.
The
school has made satisfactory
progress since its last
inspection in 1996. The GCSE
results remained much the same
until 2002 when they improved
sharply. The impact of the work
of the attendance officerhas
resulted in a substantial
improvement in attendance.
Teaching has improved. The school
has come along way in its use of
information about pupils’
performance in order to track
progress.
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