Newport Girls' High School Academy

Inspection of Newport Girls' High School Academy Wellington Road, Newport, Shropshire TF10 7HL

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Newport Girls’ High School Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Newport Girls’ High School to be outstanding, before it opened as Newport Girls’ High School Academy as a result of conversion to academy status. 1 and 2 November 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Newport Girls’ High School pupils are enormously proud of their school. They feel happy and safe. Pupils know that they have exceptional opportunities to learn and to develop their interests and talents. They express great appreciation for the opportunities and experiences they are provided with to help them grow and develop into caring and responsible people. Pupils’ attendance at school is excellent because they want to be there. Their behaviour is also excellent because they want to learn.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They have created a caring and supportive environment. As a result, pupils thrive. Kindness is actively promoted by ‘kindness ambassadors’. The community ethos is embodied by the comment from one pupil that, ‘Just one kind word can change a person’s day’. Bullying is rare. When it does occur, it is dealt with rapidly. Pupils say that bullying simply is not tolerated.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils know that they are expected to work hard, and they do so. They enjoy seeing their efforts rewarded and look forward to the next challenge. Pupils are keen to be successful but know they can ask for support whenever they need it and that it will be provided.

p.2

better?

Leaders and teachers are highly ambitious for all pupils throughout the school, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They make sure that the most important knowledge and skills in each subject are taught in the most effective sequence. As a result, the foundations for rapid progress are set from the outset. Pupils relish the consistent challenge and rigour of the teaching they receive across the curriculum.

p.2

better?

Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. They work hard to ensure that pupils have a broad experience of each subject. They do not limit themselves or their pupils to teaching to examination specifications. They work collaboratively to share the best ways of presenting new learning, skills and knowledge. As a result, pupils and students quickly develop a thirst for more knowledge and the curiosity to find things out for themselves.

p.2

better?

Teachers use a range of assessment techniques to check that pupils have understood and remembered what they have learned. Information from assessment is used very well to identify misconceptions or gaps in learning. This means that all pupils get the support they need to do the best that they can. As a result, those with SEND achieve at least as well as other pupils and sometimes do better. 1 and 2 November 2022

p.2

3

Pupils rapidly develop the exceptionally positive learning behaviours expected by leaders and teachers. There is no disruption of lessons. Their excellent behaviour is not driven by rewards but by the intrinsic desire to learn. Alongside their kindness to each other and respect for all, this creates a warm and caring environment nurtured and maintained by the pupils themselves. They are very well supported by the skilled pastoral team.

p.3

3

Leaders have provided an extensive range of opportunities to develop the interests and strengths of pupils, including students in the sixth form, outside the curriculum. There are curriculum drop-in sessions and sporting activities such as karate, fencing and football. In addition, there are vast array of musical activities and clubs including the doodle club, Japanese club, coding and digital leaders. As one pupil said, ‘there is something for nearly everyone, and if there isn’t, you just ask’.

p.3

3

Sixth-form students are an integral part of school life. They are very effective role models and often run clubs for younger pupils, who aspire to be like them. Sixth- form students take on a range of leadership roles to support school life. They are active in identifying new ways of improving the school experience for all. For instance, they designed and helped to implement the new, and very popular, NGHS Way rewards system.

p.3

3

Leaders have developed an exceptionally well-planned careers education, information and guidance programme, in collaboration with external providers. It aims to empower pupils to make informed decisions based on clear, unbiased information about all options. Leaders and staff prepare students extensively for future success in life, education, employment or training. A range of education and training providers speak to pupils in Years 7 to 13. For example, pupils in Year 7 have a session on labour market information which is delivered by the Department of Work and Pensions. All pupils have opportunities to meet with employers, post-16 providers and university staff who visit the school. They can attend focused careers workshops as they move up the school, volunteer at the local hospital and work with struggling readers in local primary schools.

p.3

3

The school is very well led. Leaders, including governors, never rest on the laurels of their current success. Instead, they have established a culture in the school of always looking for even better ways of doing things in order to help pupils.

p.3

3

School leaders ensure that staff have many opportunities to develop their subject expertise, as well as providing opportunities to prepare for leadership through their associate leader programme. Staff are very appreciative of this and of leaders’ concern for their well-being and workload. 1 and 2 November 2022

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Safeguarding

Leaders place pupils at the forefront of the safeguarding process. They have established effective systems supported by an excellent pastoral team. Regular training ensures that all staff are alert to signs of need. As a result, pupils who need early help or are at risk of harm are identified quickly. Rapid and appropriate action is taken when required. Leaders work well with external partners to secure the right support.

p.4

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep safe, including when online, through the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum (PSHE) programme.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 1 and 2 November 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10229057 Type of school Grammar (selective)

p.5

sixth form

Date of previous inspection 15 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Newport Girls’ High School Academy converted to become an academy school in February 2012. When its predecessor school, Newport Girls’ High School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils from Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 1 and 2 November 2022

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, members of the board of trustees, including the chair, the special educational needs coordinator, the head of sixth-form provision, teachers, pastoral team members and groups of pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, geography, physical education and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to groups of pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the PSHE curriculum and about careers education information, advice and guidance.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils of all ages, including students in the sixth form, both formally and informally.  Inspectors visited clubs and careers seminars taking place during the inspection.  A range of documentation was reviewed, including leaders’ self-evaluation of the school’s work and their plans to further improve the school, curriculum plans, policies and the school’s website. Minutes of meetings, including meetings of the board of trustees, and reports were also checked.  When inspecting safeguarding, the inspectors considered the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe, the checks made to ensure safe recruitment, and the quality of staff training.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments and responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Mel Ford, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Richard Wakefield Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 November 2022

p.6

7

regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7