4 November 2019
NGHS is delighted to announce that, following a Her Majesty's Inspectorate Section 8 Ofsted Visit in October 2019, the School continues to be recognised as an OUTSTANDING school.
Please find below the report, along with some contextual information from Headteacher, Mr M J Scott.
Congratulations to all of our staff and students on this fantastic outcome!
From the Headteacher, Mr M J Scott
In October 2019, Ofsted returned to Newport Girls' High School. As an outstanding school, NGHS had been exempt from routine inspection for some time. The new Ofsted framework (since September 2019) required greater scrutiny of our curriculum (Quality of Education) as we operate a three year GCSE programme to best balance positive mental health with the rigour of the GCSE specifications (whilst also covering the work many schools would complete in Years 7-9 in just two years). Under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005, Ofsted inspected NGHS and did not consider a change of grading nor longer inspection necessary. We are proud to remain an outstanding school. During their time here, inspectors visited a number of lessons, scrutinised documentation and most importantly spoke to the girls about their learning, achievements and participation in the wider life of the school. They also confirmed our safeguarding and safer recruitment practices to be 'exemplary' and among the best they had seen.
NGHS has recently just come top (again) in the Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire performance tables with ¾ of a grade ‘bonus’ added on top of each examination grade in 2019. Furthermore, with the high levels of participation in extra-curricular and House competitions, we could show that students who don’t engage in a practical subject at GCSE still reap the benefits from exposure to and participation in these important areas of school life. This is summed up by the sentence in the report “it is clear that […] pupils’ academic and personal achievements are equally valued” (this has always been my mantra and I am delighted it was recognised).
There are many highlights for us in the report, but here are some of the key messages we wish to celebrate:
- Pupils at NGHS experience a rich, rewarding and successful education.
- Pupils' behaviour is consistently exemplary.
- It is clear that, at this school, pupils' academic and personal achievements are equally valued. Life outside lessons is busy and exciting.
- There is a real buzz across the school about learning, the curriculum and the best ways to teach.
- The wellbeing charter encourages staff to find ways to look after their own mental and physical health.
Congratulations to everyone who plays a part in our school community.