West Lancashire Community High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 March 2024

Pupils arrive at school each morning with smiles, eager to start their learning. Staff are highly skilled at understanding pupils' individual needs. They build strong relationships with pupils to help them to feel happy and confident. Pupils strive to meet the school's high expectations of their academic and social success. Typically, they achieve well from their various starting points. All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Preparation for adulthood is an important part of the school's curriculum. Pupils experience lessons that prepare them for their next steps and future lives. They develop the independence and necessary skills to be successful members of the community. These opportunities are tailored to prepare pupils for later life. For example, pupils learn how to go shopping, how to place an order in a café and how to travel on a bus. The school's close-knit atmosphere makes a significant contribution to pupils' growing self-esteem and to their sense of belonging. Typically, classrooms are calm and purposeful. Staff spot the early signs that may suggest that pupils are struggling. They act swiftly to avoid pupils' frustrations from escalating. Pupils enjoy valuable experiences that broaden their horizons beyond the classroom. For example, pupils talk enthusiastically about visits to the zoo and to the local fire station. For students in the sixth form, experiences include participating in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not given sufficient thought to the subject-specific knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should happen. This means that, on occasions, teachers move on to new learning before pupils have developed a secure understanding of curriculum content. The school should clarify the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn in these subjects and the order in which this should be taught.
• The school's systems to monitor and track students who are weaker readers in key stage 5 are underdeveloped. This means that some of the weakest readers do not receive the support that they need in a timely and effective way. This hinders their learning of the curriculum and prevents them from achieving as well as they could. The school should ensure that reading interventions are prioritised for students who need the most help.

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