Birkenhead Park School

About Birkenhead Park School

Birkenhead Park School’s Progress 8 score of -0.55 places it well below the Wirral local authority average of -0.12, a gap that marks it as one of the lowest-performing secondaries in the area. Ranked 17th out of 22 schools in the borough, it sits in the bottom 85th percentile nationally. This headline figure is a clear signal that, on average, pupils here make significantly less academic progress between Year 7 and 11 than their peers across Wirral. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 33.8 and the fact that only 35.2% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths (the basics measure) reinforce this picture. For parents comparing options, the contrast with the LA average is stark, and it’s worth understanding the context behind these numbers before drawing conclusions.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023 rated it Requires Improvement overall, though the picture is more nuanced than a single label. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management were all judged Good, suggesting the school has strong foundations in culture and leadership. The quality of education, however, was rated Requires Improvement, which aligns with the academic outcomes. Breaking down the Progress 8 figures, the weakest areas are maths (-0.79) and English (-0.65), while the open element (non-EBacc subjects) was less negative at -0.28. Only 4.1% of pupils entered the EBacc at grade 5 or above, and the EBacc average point score was 2.83. Compared with its previous inspection in 2019, the school has held steady at Requires Improvement overall, though leadership and management have improved from Requires Improvement to Good.

Birkenhead Park School is a mixed 11-16 state secondary in Wirral, currently oversubscribed with 212 applications for 114 places in 2025/26, and 93 first-preference offers. It serves a high-needs community, with 65.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, theatre, and chapel, alongside clubs like the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, coding, and eco club. Its SEND provisions cover seven areas including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. For families whose children may need additional support or thrive in a school that prioritises personal development and behaviour, this could be a suitable environment. However, the academic data suggests that parents should investigate how the school is addressing its quality of education and whether recent leadership improvements are translating into better outcomes.

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