West Derby School

West Derby School has made significant improvements since its last inspection, moving from a requires improvement grade to a good overall effectiveness rating. Leaders maintain high expectations for both pupils and sixth form students, which is reflected in their engagement and positive attitudes towards learning. The school offers a broad and ambitious curriculum, ensuring most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged backgrounds, achieve well across various subjects. Additionally, the supportive school environment fosters strong relationships between staff and pupils, contributing to a respectful and inclusive atmosphere.

Strengths

• Strong leadership with high expectations of pupils
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Positive behaviour and attitudes among pupils
• Broad and ambitious curriculum offered
• Meaningful career guidance and enrichment opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent addressing of misconceptions in some subjects
• Limited opportunities for pupils to develop their diverse talents and leadership skills

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at West Derby School attended 91.0% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 23.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 7.3% of pupils at West Derby School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 9 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 West Derby School had 17.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 21.4% of pupils at West Derby School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 West Derby School received £9,040 and spent £9,179 for each of its 999 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £782,000 (£783 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

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What is West Derby School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for West Derby School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was West Derby School last inspected by Ofsted?

West Derby School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does West Derby School have?

West Derby School has 1,011 pupils on roll.

What age range does West Derby School cover?

West Derby School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are West Derby School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 37.5, and 32% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is West Derby School?

West Derby School is at 364 West Derby Rd, Liverpool, Merseyside, L13 7HQ.