Woodchurch High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key Findings

Woodchurch is a good school. It is not outstanding as it is not yet successful in ensuring that all students meet their full potential in all subjects. It provides well for students with a wide range of needs and generally ensures they achieve well.

It is characterised by an inclusive and caring ethos. An increased emphasis on raising aspirations and standards is beginning to have a very positive impact on achievement. In most years students make good progress.

The Year 11 cohort that left in 2011 did not achieve as well as expected. However, swift action to identify the reasons for this and take appropriate action has led to significant improvement in the current year. Inspectors found standa...rds of work and the progress being made by students to be good.

A high proportion of lessons are good or better. Most teachers plan well for the different needs of students in their groups. The school places a high emphasis on developing literacy skills and this is well evidenced in many lessons.

Teachers are also skilful at using topics to help students develop their social, moral, spiritual and cultural awareness. A minority of lessons fail to engage the students as well, and their progress is more limited. The school provides a safe, calm and purposeful environment.

The majority of students enjoy school and attend well. Students are generally polite, well behaved and show good attitudes to learning. The school is well led.

The headteacher sets high standards for staff and students and performance management is strong. The priority placed on improving teaching is proving effective. Tracking systems to monitor students' progress against their targets have improved significantly this year, although it is too early to judge their full impact.

The curriculum is very well matched to the range of students' needs. The school engages well with parents, carers and the local community and, of the parents and carers who responded to the Ofsted survey, 96% would recommend the school to others.

Information about the school

This larger than average secondary school enrols about 5% more boys than girls.

Around 97% of its students are White British in origin. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free schools meals is double the national average. The proportion of students supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also well above average.

The school houses a designated unit for students with autistic spectrum disorders and special provision is also made for students with medical and physical impairment. The school has gained many awards, including the Wirral Inclusion Award and the North West Special Educational Needs Award. In January 2010, Woodchurch High became a Trust School.

The partners who form the Board of Trustees are The Church of England, Liverpool Hope University and a private company that supports the school's engineering specialism. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress. The school is consistently over-subscribed.

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms