West Kirby Grammar School

If your daughter does her best work when she feels she belongs somewhere, West Kirby is the sort of school that sets out to give her exactly that. It is a selective grammar for girls aged 11 to 18 on the Wirral, with boys admitted into the sixth form, and the school describes its own atmosphere as caring and family-like, with a sense of belonging that reaches beyond the gates into the wider community. It was founded in 1913, marked its centenary in 2013, and works to the motto Ad metam contendo, strive towards the goal.

The school does not believe anyone is born with fixed abilities. Its view is that, with the right teaching, support and motivation, a girl can do well in subjects she never thought were for her. Staff aim to give every girl a wide range of choices so she can find out what she enjoys and is good at, while building the resilience to solve problems for herself. Pupils are organised across six houses, the curriculum runs from the sciences and mathematics through to French, Latin, music and religious studies, and a full programme of clubs, sport and trips sits alongside lessons. Past expeditions have taken pupils as far as Iceland, China and Mongolia.

The Good Schools Guide has reviewed West Kirby, and the school holds a strong local reputation for its academic record and its pastoral care. It suits a curious, hard-working girl who will make the most of a supportive setting and a wide choice of opportunities. It has been led since September 2020 by headteacher Mr Simeon Clarke, in a school that wants her to feel she has somewhere to belong.