Welcome To Wirral

Community schools are non-denominational. In other words, they are not linked to any particular faith. The governors have responsibility for the overall conduct of the school but admissions are the responsibility of the Council.

Foundation schools are non-denominational schools where the governors are responsible for the admission arrangement.

The governors of voluntary-aided schools are responsible for their own admission arrangements. You can get more information about Catholic voluntary schools from:

The Director
The Shrewsbury Diocesan Schools Commission
2 Park Road South
Birkenhead
CH43 4UX
View a map of this location

Phone: (0151) 652 9855

There are 27 secondary schools in Wirral. Sixteen of these schools are community schools and two are foundation schools. Four are voluntary-aided Catholic schools. There are five special schools. There is also an all-age hospital school and a Pupil Referral Unit for young people in Key Stage 4. The special schools are all community schools.

Wirral has all-ability (comprehensive) schools and grammar schools. The all-ability schools cater for the whole ability range and take children without assessing their ability. The grammar schools take only children of high ability although they may not be able to admit all the children who achieve the standard for grammar school.

Wirral secondary schools are very successful and this is due to:

• Developing strong independent character
• Each Wirral school prides itself on its distinctive character and their many achievements e.g. Art and Sports Marks.
• 21 mainstream schools are or intend to be specialist schools and one an “Extended School” by 2005/06 geographically distributed for coherence in provision.

There are currently

• 9 specialist colleges (Engineering, Media Arts, Languages, 2 sports, 4 technology including a joint bid);
• 2 awaiting assessment (performing arts);
• 10 in preparation for application (business enterprise, science, mathematics, sports technology);
• 3 hosting a City Learning Centre;
• 3 involved in the Education Action Zones
• 5 Beacon schools including 1 special school;
• 2 Merseyside Creative Partnership schools.

Local Authority Support and Challenge

• LA has maintained a comprehensive and excellent inspection and advisory service and a range of advisory teachers and AST’s seconded from Wirral schools.
• Focus on school improvement through sharing best practice and preventative work and intensive support for schools facing particular challenges.
• Annual audit of performance leading to tapered challenge, support and monitoring.
• Excellent leadership, teacher, non teacher and governor support through Wirral Education Centre, the School Improvement Group, links with external providers and inspector link role on Governing Bodies.
• School self-evaluation – training and accreditation.

Supporting interdependence through active and powerful partnerships

• Significant partnership groups – Wirral Association of Secondary Headteachers, Excellence in Cities (EiC) partnership, Wirral Learning Partnership
• EiC sub-groups provide support and challenge, unique in assuring synergy between the specialist schools, CLC’s and EAZ’s
• Strong links to primary sector
• Wide ranging partnership work across departments and with other support agencies and providers e.g. Health, Police, Connexions, Learning and Skills Council, Further and Higher Education.

Promoting social inclusion and tackling disaffection

• Effective collaboration between schools and support services – Youth Service, Educational Social Welfare Service, Special Education Support Service, Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), training agencies and other providers.
• Unique projects to support families and vulnerable children (Peace/Tulip group featured BBC documentary).
• Wide ranging alternative curriculum opportunities and partnerships (Lairdside, Wirral Metropolitan College).
• Innovative approaches to behaviour and attendance (Konnecta Bus, £600,000 e-registration project).
• Strong and effective inclusion programmes in individual schools and PRU (Beacon schools inclusion projects, Learning Support Units and Learning Mentor support).

Improvements in infrastructure

• Wide ranging refurbishment of secondary schools through a £54m PFI programme and Capital Challenge.