Liskeard School and Community College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

The school prides itself on being a community school and has worked hard to build excellent relationships with the local community and businesses. Most teaching is good or better, and so the majority of students make good progress and examination results are improving each year. The sixth form is good.

Examination results are above the national average and improving so that the vast majority of students are able to progress to their chosen pathways. The students are offered an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. There are opportunities and experiences in sports, performing and expressive arts, visits abroad, residential visit...s and more areas.

Leadership and management are extremely good. All leaders have the highest expectations for students, so that achievement will be raised further. The governing body provides high-quality support for the school's leadership team and sets appropriate challenges for the school.

Relationships throughout the school are strong. Students behave well and feel safe in a secure environment. The curriculum is broad and varied.

The wide range of courses provides all students with opportunities to gain appropriate qualifications. The school's specialism, engineering, gives an excellent opportunity to students to take vocational courses, and also encourages the development of leadership and problem-solving skills. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The leadership and management of mathematics, in particular, need to be strengthened to promote more progress by students in the subject and further improve GCSE results.

The school is developing its strategies to increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and improve the skills of students as independent learners, promoting further progress and more improvements in examination results.

Information about this school

Liskeard School and Community College is an average-sized secondary school with a sixth form serving the town of Liskeard in South East Cornwall and the surrounding area. The school roll has fallen significantly in recent years because there are fewer students in the secondary age range living in the area.

The school is part of the Liskeard Community Cooperative Learning Trust, working in partnership with its primary schools, the local authority, The University College of St Mark and St John, Plymouth and the business sector. The school works collaboratively with nearby schools and colleges as a part of the South East Cornwall Partnership, and so gives students access to a wide range of courses. A small number of students in Key Stage 4 attend vocational (work-related) courses at local schools and colleges, including Duchy College, Cornwall College, Caradon Short Stay School and Restormel Short Stay School.

There is also provision for some students with Riding for the Disabled. The school specialises in engineering; it has bespoke facilities on the main site and an off-site unit for teaching the specialism. Almost all students are White British and very few have English as an additional language.

The proportion of students known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium, which provides additional funding, is equal to the national average. The proportion of students with special educational needs who are supported at school action is slightly above the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is close to the national average.

The school has an on-site specially resourced provision for students with autism, known as 'The ARC'. The school meets the government's current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. There is a nursery unit on the school site; it is run as a commercial enterprise and is inspected separately.

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