I AM writing in response to your recent article titled: Disadvantaged pupils in Wirral see GCSE results decline.

While this may, unfortunately, be the case for some local schools, it is important to emphasise that there are some secondary schools in Wirral where disadvantaged students are far exceeding national averages.

As the Headteacher of Prenton High School, I am very proud of our 2019 GCSE results, which buck the Wirral trend for disadvantaged students.

Overall, our students achieved some of the best English and Maths GCSE results in Wirral for mainstream schools and in some subjects, they achieved a whole grade higher than pupils in other secondary schools nationally with the same primary KS2 results.

Importantly, 54% of disadvantaged pupils from Prenton High School achieved a grade 4+ in English and Maths, compared to just 44.8% nationally.

70% achieved a grade 5+ in English (compared to a national average of 42.5%) and they exceeded the national average for achieving a grade 5+ in English and Maths by over 13%.

These are just a few of our highlights.

Our school community is very mixed with over a third of students being eligible for additional support through Pupil Premium funding.

We work hard to ensure that this funding has the highest possible impact so that no-one misses out on opportunities, regardless of their circumstances.

While I agree that a lot more needs to be done to reduce inequalities nationally and across our borough, I also feel it is important to acknowledge schools who are getting positive results and celebrate the successes of the young people who worked so hard to achieve them.

Lisa Ayling, Headteacher Prenton High School