The Prescot School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

All staff and most pupils feel that the school is moving forward in a positive direction.

Pupils said that they are expected to work hard and to be respectful of each other. Leaders have recently improved the range of clubs and sports activities that pupils can attend after school.

Most pupils are happy at this school.

Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe. Teachers have fostered positive relationships with pupils. Most pupils get along well with each other.

Pupils said that incidents of bullying are rare. They feel confident that staff deal with any incidents that do occur. Pupils know whom they can talk with about any worries that they may hav...e.

Leaders have raised their expectations of how pupils behave in school. Pupils' behaviour during breaktimes and when moving between lessons is generally calm. Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning.

That said, there remain a small minority of pupils who do not respond positively to the new behaviour policy. Pupils reported that there are some lessons where learning is disrupted.

Pupils' achievement is stronger than it was at the previous inspection.

However, it is still not good enough. Over time, weaknesses in curriculum planning in some subjects have left pupils with significant gaps in their knowledge.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders, the chief executive officer (CEO) and governors are ambitious for all pupils.

Together with staff, they are making a positive difference to many aspects of the school. Improvements are clear in the quality of education, pupils' behaviour and the personal development curriculum.

All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study a broad range of subjects in key stage 3.

Leaders have made changes to the range of courses that pupils can choose in key stage 4. More pupils are studying a language to GCSE. Consequently, an increasing proportion of pupils are studying the suite of subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate.

Leaders of some subjects have thought carefully about what pupils need to know and when this content should be taught. Pupils have opportunities to revisit content so that they can build their knowledge and understanding. Most teachers use their subject knowledge well to provide clear explanations.

However, the quality of planning across other subjects is uneven. This means that pupils have gaps in their learning in these subjects. Some teachers do not check carefully that pupils understand what they have learned before moving on to new learning.

This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not spotted quickly enough.

Leaders have taken action to improve the identification of the needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders have recently provided teachers with more information and training on how to support these pupils more effectively.

However, the needs of some pupils with SEND are not being met during lessons. This stops these pupils from accessing the curriculum. It hinders their progress and limits their achievement.

Leaders' work to support pupils who struggle to read is at an early stage of development. Leaders have produced resources to develop pupils' comprehension skills. However, pupils have limited opportunities to read for pleasure.

Pupils who find reading difficult are not supported well enough to catch up quickly.

Leaders have introduced clear routines for lessons and breaktimes. Pupils and staff agree that behaviour is getting better and disruption to lessons is reduced.

However, a small number of pupils struggle to meet the high expectations of leaders and staff. Temporary exclusions from school are currently high.

The personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum is well planned.

Pupils have opportunities to learn about healthy relationships, mental health and British values. They are tolerant of differences between people. Pupils from Year 8 receive careers advice and guidance.

Leaders organise careers events for pupils, which include representatives from apprenticeships. Almost all pupils move on to education, training or employment. However, the careers programme is not as effective for younger pupils.

This means that they are not as well informed about their next steps as they could be.

Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel that leaders are considerate of their workload.

The CEO and governors know the school well. They have provided effective challenge and support to leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have regular safeguarding training. They know how to recognise the possible signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff and leaders act quickly when concerns arise.

Leaders work well with external agencies and the local authority to help and support vulnerable pupils. They ensure that pupils who attend alternative provision are safe. Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to stay safe.

For example, pupils learn about online safety, gang culture and knife crime. Leaders have raised pupils' awareness of the risks of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders have not thought carefully enough about what pupils should learn and in what order.

Consequently, some pupils are not achieving well. Subject leaders should ensure that all curriculum plans identify key knowledge and the order in which subject content should be taught so that pupils learn more over time. ? Leaders' work to support pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read is in its infancy.

This impedes pupils' ability to become fluent and confident readers who develop a love of reading. Leaders should ensure that training for staff, together with promoting reading for pleasure, helps early readers to catch up and read with increasing fluency and confidence. ? Some pupils with SEND are not being supported well in their classes.

This means that they cannot access the curriculum or achieve as well as they should. Senior leaders should ensure that subject leaders and teachers adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can access subject curriculums effectively. Leaders should also make sure that staff are suitably trained in subject-specific approaches to meet the needs of these pupils.

• In some lessons, and at social times, some pupils do not behave as well as they should. Incidents of low-level disruption in lessons hinders pupils' learning. Leaders should ensure that staff are more consistent in their application of the behaviour policy to improve the learning culture in classrooms.

• The careers programme for younger pupils is not as effective as it is for those in Years 10 and 11. As a result, pupils are not as well informed as they could be about the range of careers opportunities available to them. Leaders should ensure that the programme all pupils receive is of equal quality so that they can all have a greater sense of their potential career pathway.