The Prescot School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 May 2024

Over recent years, the school has increased its ambition for pupils. In the main, pupils are learning more effectively than they did in the past. However, as a result of the previous curriculums, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The new behaviour systems have raised teachers' expectations for pupil conduct. Most pupils behave well in lessons and they focus on their learning. However, outside of lessons, their behaviour is more variable. During breaktimes, a small number of pupils do not respond quickly enough to staff's instructions, especially when they are behaving in a boisterous way. This makes some pupils feel uncomfortable during social times. Most pupils are happy in school. They appreciate the care, revision sessions and wider opportunities that staff provide for them. Some pupils take part in a range of extra-curricular activities. They join sports teams, dance clubs and talent shows. Pupils enjoy the opportunities that they are given to take on leadership positions. Members of the student council said that the school listens to, and acts on, their views and ideas. For example, they have changed the cutlery used in the canteen to be more eco-friendly.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, teachers do not select activities that help pupils to apply their knowledge in different contexts. This limits pupils' ability to connect and deepen their learning over time. In these subjects, the school should ensure that teachers provide appropriate activities for pupils to strengthen and deepen pupils' learning.
• Some teachers do not check pupils' learning as carefully as they should. This means that they are unaware of misconceptions and gaps in pupils' knowledge that persist over time. The school should ensure that teachers identify and then address missed or forgotten learning so that pupils can build securely on their prior knowledge.
• A considerable proportion of pupils arrive at school late or do not attend regularly enough. This means that they miss out on learning which then hampers their achievement. The school should revisit its strategies for improving attendance in order to reduce the high levels of absence.
• Some pupils do not follow the raised behaviour expectations during social times. This makes some other pupils feel uncomfortable. It spoils their enjoyment of breaktimes. The school should ensure that staff have the same high expectations of pupils' behaviour outside of classrooms and that they follow the behaviour management policy consistently well to reduce instances of poor behaviour.
• Some pupils, including those with SEND, do not take part in extra-curricular activities or school trips. This limits their understanding and experiences of the wider world. The school should design opportunities to promote pupils' wider development better so that more pupils can broaden their experiences, talents and interests.
• The school does not have sufficient oversight of the difference that its improvement work is making to pupils' experience and education. This makes it difficult for it to identify what is working well and where further action is needed. The school should ensure that there are effective systems in place to help it check that its actions are having the desired impact.

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