Nine schools in Wirral have been found to be “high risk and vulnerable" with standards far below the national average.
The schools were assessed by Wirral Council as having limited good leadership “at all levels,” having “serious weaknesses” and “serious financial concerns.”
Most concerning at these schools, pupil safeguarding is “ineffective and there may be concerns about pupils’ safety and wellbeing” and “vulnerable groups may not be effectively supported" with teaching and learning "inconsistent.”
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The nine schools were given the lowest rating possible by Wirral Council. Details about each school were not made public in a council report.
In addition to this, 42 schools were assessed as being in the second lowest group which means they require improvement from Ofsted with concerns over pupil performance and school governance.
This means 40% of all primary and secondary schools in Wirral were placed in the bottom two bands. The banding system was introduced in September 2022 to improve school performance across Wirral.
There are over 48,000 pupils at 125 state-funded primary and secondary schools with the council aiming to improve school performance by 2024. This year, funding for schools per pupil was £4,405 for primaries and £5,715 for secondary schools.
The council’s school improvement strategy aims to “raise aspirations and improve outcomes for all children and young people in Wirral” and “make Wirral great for children, young people and their families” by this date.
Wirral Council will be discussing school performance at a committee meeting on December 6. A report before the committee showed that inflationary pressures and pay rises have put pressure on the council’s budget which is projected to have a £49m gap next year.
For the first half of the year, the council’s education department has gone £2.3m over budget out of a net £79m.
Children in care, particularly in high cost residential settings, has been a big driver with the council spending just under £26m in care costs for 789 children in care this year.
A £1.1m pay award to staff as well as an increase of 30% in costs for assisted travel for kids with special needs have also contributed. The council had expected costs to increase by 10% and factored this into its budget.
The budgets for schools £1.9m over budget driven by services for high needs children due to an increase in demand and complexity. The council will look to plug any gaps with earmarked and future reserves.
A report earlier this year found that 12 schools in Wirral ended last year with a financial deficit. Given the current economic situation with the cost of living crisis, this number could increase.
On savings, the department is expected to make £3.15m by the end of the year with £1.8m delivered already.
School oversight by the council could also come to an end in the future too as the government has released plans the council says make clear it will “no longer have a role in school improvement of schools on Wirral and will also not have the resources to have the oversight and information that it currently has on all schools.”
According to the council, it is unclear who would be responsible for school performance and outcomes other than the heads of multi-academy trusts and the Department of Education on a regional level if the government passes the proposals.
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