Wirral school for excluded children 'failing to improve'

The alternative education provider has been rated inadequate by OFSTED

A school for children who struggle to cope in mainstream education has been told by inspectors it has "low expectations" for pupils.

Ofsted rated Progress Schools - Hamilton Square in Birkenhead as "inadequate" after an inspection.

The watchdog said some staff "did not have the skills" needed to deliver the curriculum.

Progress Schools Ltd has been approached for comment.

The school is a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) attended by 60 children aged between 11 and 16, who have been excluded from other schools and "have developed negative views of education".

It charges annual fees ranging from £13,500 to £38,000, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Inspectors visited the school in December.

Their report said although some pupils said "they feel better supported and happier," at the school than elsewhere, it did not have high enough expectations of some pupils and was not sufficiently preparing them for later life.

'Considerable weaknesses'

Inspectors said some behaviour in the school was "poor" and attendance was low. Ofsted found some pupils did not respect staff or other pupils, and did not not engage well in lessons.

They often walked out of classes, the report said.

The report added: "The proprietor body has not acted rapidly enough to improve, or respond to, the considerable weaknesses in the school.

"While the school has started to prioritise the most pressing issues, there are many aspects of its work that require urgent improvement."

Ofsted found the school had failed on a number of independent school standards including the quality of education provided, the welfare, health, and safety of pupils, as well as leadership and management of the school.

It said to improve things "the school should ensure that staff are suitably trained to deliver the subject curriculums effectively and that pupils are able to gain appropriate qualifications in the different subjects".

Inspectors said this is because staff "do not have the knowledge and skills needed to deliver" new curriculums and some pupils were unable to study new subjects.

The school also failed to "promote a love of reading among pupils," they said.

The school was also found to have not maintained safeguarding records correctly or improved pupils' behaviour.

"These failings impact on the quality of education provided by the school and welfare, health and safety of pupils," the report said.

The school was praised for supporting staff and although it had systems in place for pupils who struggle to read, there had been a broad decline in the standard of education since Ofsted's previous inspection, where it had been rated good in 2021.