Ofsted Information

In March, Northstowe Secondary College received its first-ever Ofsted inspection. The report, which comes just four years after the school opened, praises governors, trustees and leaders at the school for their “relentless desire to provide the very best education for all pupils.”

Quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and personal development were all rated ‘Good’ with leadership and management considered to be ‘Outstanding’. This gave the school an overall judgment of ‘Good’.

Principal, Carole Moss, said: “It has been a huge honour to be the first Headteacher of Northstowe Secondary College and I could not be prouder of our achievements over the last four years. None of this could have been achieved without the fabulous young people, support from our parents and the exceptional efforts of our staff.  We have done so much in these early years, from achieving quality marks in mental health and the arts, to stunning student performances and successful sports partnerships. We have thoroughly enjoyed building a school our community can be proud of. 

“I am particularly pleased to see so much praise in the report for our school values of Kindness, Curiosity, and Hard work. The attitudes of our students are truly exceptional and it’s lovely to see their thoughtfulness and inclusivity reflected in the report. I want to thank all the governors, families, colleagues, and trustees that have helped us to achieve this success. We have lots still to do and I look forward to building on this achievement as the school continues to grow in the future.”

A strong theme throughout the report was the school’s emphasis on well-being. Inspectors said: “The well-being of pupils is a priority at Northstowe Secondary College. Pupils are happy. If pupils have a problem, there is always an adult that they can turn to.”

Students are described as “respectful to those who are different from them because they are taught important values” and “listen carefully to their teachers and to each other.” Parent relationships were also considered to be strong with inspectors stating that “the vast majority of parents are very pleased with the quality of education the school provides.”

Leaders were praised in the report for their determination to design an “ambitious curriculum covering a broad range of subjects.” Inspectors said “teachers break learning down into smaller progressive steps. This means pupils build a secure body of knowledge, that grows in complexity as they move through the school.”

The report continues: “Leaders are preparing pupils well for their future lives.”

Mark Woods, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Trust, said: “We’re pleased with the results of the first inspection at Northstowe Secondary College. Carole and her colleagues have brought to life our ambitious plans for a secondary school at the heart of Northstowe, bringing people together to create an empowered local community. We’re delighted to have played a key role in the College’s journey and are excited to see what we can go on to achieve in the future.”

The full report can be found here.