South Wirral High School
Encyclopedia
South Wirral High School is a secondary school
, located in Eastham, Merseyside
, England
.
South Wirral High School is a larger than average secondary school that serves the towns of Eastham and Bromborough and the surrounding districts on the Wirral. An overwhelming majority of the students are of White British heritage. There are more boys on roll than girls, although this is not consistently the case in every year group. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average and the proportion with a statement of special educational need is above average. This is a non-selective school in a selective area. The proportion of students who are entitled to a free school meal is above the national average. The school has specialist status in visual and performing arts, and has recently been designated a High Performing Specialist School and awarded a second specialism in mathematics and computing. The school gained recognition as a National Support School in September 2008, and holds a number of awards, including Investors in People, Artsmark Gold and International School.
Good teaching promotes excellent classroom relationships, which contribute to students' excellent attitudes to learning. Teachers are making increasingly effective use of the school's Virtual Learning Environment to enable students to be more active and engaged learners. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to students' learning and ensure that those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress at the same rate as others in the class. In the best lessons, a strong sense of pace and purpose maintains students' interest; students are active participants, reflecting on their own and others' learning. In less successful lessons, students are given fewer opportunities to take an active role in their learning, so that their engagement with tasks and the pace of learning are uneven.
Marking, including the use of written feedback, is satisfactory overall. However, the quality and detail of regular marking is inconsistent so that students do not always know how well they have done and what to do to improve their work.
Inspection evidence confirms that current students, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make good progress. Students achieve well; data for the last three years confirm that students make generally greater gains in their learning than similar students in other schools. Students generally meet the demanding targets set for them, including in the school's specialist subjects.
The school demonstrates an outstanding commitment to equality of opportunity. Up to Year 11, students of all abilities achieve well: for each of the last three years, almost all have gained five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to G, and differences in achievement for different groups of students are very small. In addition, processes for monitoring students' personal development, including their involvement in cultural events, are helping to ensure that extra-curricular opportunities are accessed by all.
The school makes an outstanding contribution to community cohesion. Managers have assessed need and enable students to gain widespread understanding of other cultures and different living conditions through a range of activities. For example, a very successful link with a school in Ghana, supported by school events, helps students to understand the needs of students who live in very different economic circumstances from their own.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, located in Eastham, Merseyside
Eastham, Merseyside
Eastham is a village and an electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the Wirral Peninsula, to the south of Bromborough...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
South Wirral High School is a larger than average secondary school that serves the towns of Eastham and Bromborough and the surrounding districts on the Wirral. An overwhelming majority of the students are of White British heritage. There are more boys on roll than girls, although this is not consistently the case in every year group. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average and the proportion with a statement of special educational need is above average. This is a non-selective school in a selective area. The proportion of students who are entitled to a free school meal is above the national average. The school has specialist status in visual and performing arts, and has recently been designated a High Performing Specialist School and awarded a second specialism in mathematics and computing. The school gained recognition as a National Support School in September 2008, and holds a number of awards, including Investors in People, Artsmark Gold and International School.
Teaching and learning
The quality of teaching and learning is good. A positive shared approach to classroom initiatives has enabled teachers to develop teaching strategies designed to bring about improvements. Members of the school's teaching and learning group, amongst others, have helped the way that teachers share and share good practice.Good teaching promotes excellent classroom relationships, which contribute to students' excellent attitudes to learning. Teachers are making increasingly effective use of the school's Virtual Learning Environment to enable students to be more active and engaged learners. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to students' learning and ensure that those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress at the same rate as others in the class. In the best lessons, a strong sense of pace and purpose maintains students' interest; students are active participants, reflecting on their own and others' learning. In less successful lessons, students are given fewer opportunities to take an active role in their learning, so that their engagement with tasks and the pace of learning are uneven.
Marking, including the use of written feedback, is satisfactory overall. However, the quality and detail of regular marking is inconsistent so that students do not always know how well they have done and what to do to improve their work.
Achievement and standards
Students join the school with attainment that is generally below average. By the end of Key Stage 4, standards are average: for example, in 2008, the proportion of students with five or more good passes at GCSE was 56%, compared with the national average of 64%. Evidence presented by the school suggests that in 2009, GCSE results will show improvement on the 2008 figures.Inspection evidence confirms that current students, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make good progress. Students achieve well; data for the last three years confirm that students make generally greater gains in their learning than similar students in other schools. Students generally meet the demanding targets set for them, including in the school's specialist subjects.
Curriculum
The outstanding curriculum meets the needs of students very well. At Key Stage 3, all students study dance as a separate subject, and one group of students is entered for GCSE expressive arts at the end of Year 9. The school reviews its provision regularly, and has adapted the courses in Key Stage 4 to meet the needs of those looking for more vocational options. More able students have opportunities to study three sciences and increasing numbers are taking up modern language options. Some have the opportunity to take GCSE examinations in Year 10 and extend their learning with AS level options in Year 11. In addition, the school has been innovative in offering an alternative curriculum for a small group of students at risk of underachieving. Students speak positively about the options available to them and particularly of the guidance they receive for progression into Key Stage 4. The many opportunities for involvement in sport and performances contribute much to students' personal development.Management
The school is well led and managed by a team of highly committed leaders, who direct improvement with a common sense of purpose. Teachers are highly supportive of each other and eagerly take up opportunities for professional development. Processes for evaluation and improvement planning are well established and well understood by managers at all levels. Managers generally know the school well, and identify appropriate areas for improvement, but recent evaluations have overstated how well students achieve, both in the main school and the sixth form. The quality of improvement planning is good overall, but is uneven at department level. Links with other providers are strong and are developing, both in the sixth form and particularly with local primary schools. Resources are well managed and the school provides good value for money. Governors provide a good level of support and challenge.The school demonstrates an outstanding commitment to equality of opportunity. Up to Year 11, students of all abilities achieve well: for each of the last three years, almost all have gained five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to G, and differences in achievement for different groups of students are very small. In addition, processes for monitoring students' personal development, including their involvement in cultural events, are helping to ensure that extra-curricular opportunities are accessed by all.
The school makes an outstanding contribution to community cohesion. Managers have assessed need and enable students to gain widespread understanding of other cultures and different living conditions through a range of activities. For example, a very successful link with a school in Ghana, supported by school events, helps students to understand the needs of students who live in very different economic circumstances from their own.