Lytham St Annes High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Students' achievement in English and mathematics in 2012 was good. Attainment in a number of subjects, for example, English; mathematics; science; design and technology was above and sometimes well above the national averages.

The current Year 11 is well set to make good progress. So too is the current Year 10 given their starting points and according to the school's wide-ranging and accurate tracking data. Teaching is good and a proportion is outstanding.

No inadequate teaching was seen during the inspection. The strong teaching quality supports the good achievement secured by students. Students' behaviour and attitudes to learning in l...essons and around school are good overall.

They say they feel safe and cared for very well. Relationships with their teachers are strong, one student commenting, 'Teachers never give up on you.' Leaders and managers at all levels, including the governing body, know the school very well and are committed to improving it even further.

The headteacher and his small, yet very effective, senior leadership team set a clear direction and monitor the school's performance regularly and with rigour. The overall effectiveness of the sixth form is good. A new leader is in post and the re-shaped curriculum is due to commence in September 2013.

Comparative weaknesses in students' achievement have been addressed. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teachers do not systematically or regularly use all the available information about students' abilities and progress to plan lessons that challenge all individuals. The sixth form curriculum is not currently providing students with wide enough experiences or opportunities to excel.

A minority of teaching requires improvement.

Information about this school

The college is much larger than the average sized secondary school with a sixth form. The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.

(The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.) There is a much lower-than-average proportion of students from minority ethnic groups. Similarly, the proportion who speak English as an additional language is below that usually seen.

The proportion of students supported at school action is less than half that seen nationally. The proportions that are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are slightly below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards that set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.