The Studio School, Liverpool, opened in September 2013 as a 14-19 school specialising in Creative and Digital to reflect the local growth sector in gaming. It is a non-selective school and students join from the 6 local authorities that comprise the Liverpool City Region.

Young people and their families have taken significant risk to join a school without the traditional local track record, however, those that come do so because they are aspirational about opportunities for the future and have committed from a young age to a career in the creative or tech sector. The young people who attend recognise that this is a very inclusive small school with a disproportionate level of SEN, SEMHS and diversity which is welcomed. Many have experienced bullying or anxiety in previous schools and have battled to overcome issues in their attendance. Students are passionate about the valuable career opportunities both locally and nationally in this area of expertise and have shown determination to achieve this, the chance to learn in a safe space and have often overcome significant SEMHS or SEN issues to achieve well.

Many students in Sixth Form joined at the beginning of Year 11 from roughly 40 different secondary schools. Their experiences of GCSE has been widely varied, many in schools who did not have the staff, facilities or time to offer the facilitating qualifications or support for wellbeing which would support them to achieve their dreams. Students do not have long to settle in sixth form and are working hard on building their skills in new A Level and BTEC qualifications, alongside a programme of sector focused Project Based Learning and Enrichment. Despite lockdown, students have continued to work hard to achieve alternative virtual work placements and enhance their traditional school qualifications.

The school itself is based on the edge of Liverpool City Centre. The area has experienced major change over the 8 years and is now a very fashionable place to live for students and young creatives. Students are based in the heart of the creative and digital economy in Liverpool and benefit from unprecedented access to local expertise. Most students do not live within the Baltic Triangle but travel to us from neighbouring areas. 23% of students qualify for Free School Meals. 10% claim the Sixth Form Bursary, however we recognise that more are entitled to apply. Our deprivation index for KS5 is 2.9. 6% of students speak English as an Additional Language. 35% of students have a special educational need which is very high for a mainstream school. A further 8% have a diagnosed SEMHS need.