Pensby High School, Wirral

Good
Secondary
Foundation school
Mixed
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~3.2km)Possible (~4.6km)Unlikely (~6.0km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Kevin Flanagan
Pupils:915 / 900 capacity
LA:Wirral
Phone:01513420570
Address:Irby Road, Heswall, Wirral, CH61 6XN
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 22 March 2023View full report
URN:105101
UKPRN:10005038
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Wirral West
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Pensby is a welcoming school where girls thrive academically and personally. Teachers build strong relationships with students and deliver good quality teaching across most subjects, with GCSE results consistently above the national average. The school provides excellent support for all learners, including those with special needs, and creates an environment where students feel safe, happy and proud to attend.

Key Strengths

  • Above-average GCSE results with rising achievement, particularly strong in English and mathematics
  • Good progress made by most students with effective support for those with special educational needs and pupil premium students
  • Strong behaviour, attendance and relationships between students and teachers
  • Excellent pastoral care helping students feel safe and proud of their school
  • Strong leadership focused on continuous improvement in teaching and learning

Areas for Improvement

  • Sixth form results are variable across subjects and require improvement
  • Some teaching lacks high expectations; more-able students not always sufficiently challenged
  • Teachers sometimes spend too long on introductions, slowing student progress
  • Limited opportunities for students to work independently and make their own learning decisions
  • Insufficient challenge in some lessons for higher-achieving students

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is effective - students report feeling safe and well looked after, bullying is very rare with swift school response, and the school provides excellent care.

Pensby High School for Girls is a good school where students make good progress in Key Stage 3 and 4 with above-average GCSE results. Most teaching is at least good, with some outstanding lessons, and students benefit from a wide variety of subjects and strong pastoral care.

At a Glance

25.0%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

25.9

Avg class size

34

Total classes

8 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Bridgenorth Road (opp)
139m · 2 min walk
Somerset Road (adj)
163m · 3 min walk
Fishers Lane (opp)
198m · 3 min walk
Kylemore Drive (adj)
459m · 7 min walk
Telegraph Road (SE-bound)
484m · 8 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

102%

Over capacity

915 pupils

900 capacity

15 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Wirral

Low pressure
New homes approved:1,768
Projected new pupils:318

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Wirral

Admissions Demand - Wirral

Low demand0.86x oversubscription

Places available

3,974

Applications

3,417

Got 1st preference

95.1%

Got preferred school

99.2%

Secondary admissions across Wirral (2025/26)

Inspection History(7)

22 March 2023
17 January 2018
Leadership & ManagementGood
18 September 2013
Quality of EducationGood
Behaviour & AttitudesGood
Personal DevelopmentGood
Leadership & ManagementGood

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.71446%

Overall absence

20.78473%

Persistent absence

943

Enrolments

Authorised2.81896%
Unauthorised4.89551%
Persistent (10%+)20.78473%
Severe (50%+)3.18134%

Absence trend

5.0695%
18/19
5.21233%
20/21
8.92442%
21/22
8.09016%
22/23
7.5591%
23/24
7.71446%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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