[2] The school made news headlines in 1981 with accusations of excessive corporal punishment, with reports of over 1,800 slipperings occurring over the preceding four terms up to February 1981.

Planned to include a model flat, science laboratories and open-air teaching spaces, the first foundation stone was laid by Sir James Aitken, chairman of Lancashire County Council.

The most expensive elements were the mandated construction of a brick wall along the boundary of the adjoining convent and a sewer system around 0.25 miles (0.40 km) long.

[6] Originally scheduled to be open by December 1947 as a 450 intake girls-only secondary modern, the school included an assembly hall, dining room, kitchen and staff blocks, among 10 classrooms facing south-east.

[5] The school gained national attention in 1981 due to allegations of excessive corporal punishment, with over 1,800 instances of slippering reported in the four terms leading up to February of that year.

[9] The controversy began when teacher Alan Corkish publicly disclosed the school's punishment record, leading to his summons for a disciplinary hearing, which instigated protests by students in his support.

[9] In a televised BBC interview with The Oxford Road Show, Corkish justified his whistleblowing, revealing that corporal punishment was frequently used for minor infractions, often as a first response.

Headmaster Gerald Banks accepted that falling rolls had meant that there were fewer students taking A-level courses, but appealed for more information about what Hugh Baird College could offer as an alternative.

[22] A meeting held at the Town Hall, Bootle in May 2007 indicated the project to cost approximately £22.4m, with the new higher capacity Litherland High School to take effect from 1 September 2009.

[citation needed] The school was recognised as the most improved in the borough when a report in January 2010 noted the percentage of students achieving five GCSEs inclusive of English and Maths increasing from 23% to 44%.