“Improvements are clear in the quality of education” at The Prescot School, say Ofsted
The Prescot School has been praised by Ofsted for improvements that have been made across the school, during a visit from the education watchdog in October 2021.
As part of their visit, inspectors reported that “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.”
The report continued “improvements are clear in the quality of education, pupils’ behaviour and the personal development curriculum…Pupils say that they are expected to work hard and to be respectful of each other,” and “teachers have fostered positive relationships with pupils.”
In other feedback inspectors found that “all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study a broad range of subjects in key stage 3.” In addition, “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…Almost all pupils move on to education, training or employment.”
Inspectors went on to note that “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.”
Other highlights included:
- The CEO and governors know the school well. They have provided effective challenge and support to leaders.
- Leaders have raised their expectations of how pupils behave in school. Pupils’ behaviour during breaktimes and when moving between lessons is generally calm.
- Leaders have taken action to improve the identification of the needs of pupils with SEND…[they] have recently provided teachers with more information and training on how to support these pupils more effectively.
- Leaders have recently improved the range of clubs and sports activities that pupils can attend after school.
- Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel that leaders are considerate of their workload.
Taking all of the evidence into account, improvements were recognised across every Ofsted inspection category including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and the leadership and management of the school. However, due to the historical legacies of the “inadequate” judgement given in 2019, the school was graded as “requires improvement” overall.
Gina Cousineau, Head of School, said: “This is a significant milestone for our school and a key step on our journey to excellence.
“While we know there is always more that can be done, we are proud that inspectors have seen that The Prescot School is moving forwards on the right path and that we are absolutely determined to provide the very best for our students and our community.”
David Donnelly, CEO of the Heath Family NW Multi-Academy Trust, of which The Prescot School is part, added: “I am pleased that the inspection team have recognised the wide range of improvements that have been made at The Prescot School over the last two and a half years, particularly in the midst of a global pandemic.
“Our leaders, staff and governors have been working relentlessly to bring about school improvement, new standards of behaviour have been put in place and students are really embracing the challenges that are being set for them. It is this unwavering commitment and dedication that will continue to drive The Prescot School forwards to a bright future.”
