It’s been the most terrific week. Having been aware of the content of the inspection report since the 5th April when I fact checked it, I have been walking around the school with the words bursting on my lips, desperate to share it with our community – pupils, staff and of course friends and parents. You may have read it by now, but I’m sure that you haven’t printed it out, highlighted all the wonderful phrases and plan on repeating them enthusiastically at every assembly, gathering, meeting and open event for the foreseeable future (!) I’m proud for so many reasons. The first, because we have all worked so hard together to make sure that the school has shone over the past few years waiting for inspection, secondly because it’s a glowing celebration of all that we stand for and thirdly because the report absolutely summarises the essence of Oxford High School GDST.
The thing about the Independent School Inspection Framework is the fact that it isn’t about provision; inspectors aren’t interested, particularly, in what the school provides, but the impact it has upon pupil experience. The fact, therefore, that our report is as glowing as it is is because our pupils shared their experiences with the inspectors openly and honestly. The one thing that I have learnt, as the Head here for the last two years, is that no one can tell an Oxford High student what to say, but they speak truth to power and are confident to express their feelings about our school. Our pupils’ pride in their school and their learning shines out from this report, all the way from Reception to Year 13.
I have always believed that a great education is not just about the brain and the book, but also the person. Of course, the brain and the book are both highlighted in the report where our students ‘are curious, ambitious and scholarly learners with an excellent work ethic.’ They ‘make rapid progress across the curriculum especially when teaching sets high expectations and consciously builds on previous learning.’ They reach ‘very high levels of attainment’ and there is ‘a consistent pattern of strong academic attainment, with many pupils attaining results above those expected on entry.’ This is a place where our students get higher results than they would elsewhere due to the teaching and the education that they receive.
But it is not just about the brain and the book but character too. Perhaps the most powerful part of the report is that which outlines the pupils’ excellent personal development: ‘their outstanding levels of self-confidence’… Pupils were ‘openly welcoming to Inspectors, talking with an easy self-assurance that had no hint of conceit.’ You will know if you listened to my vision talk last year where I talked about our progressive and down to earth ethos, a place where pupils are the stars and yet a place where pupils are outward looking, without any sense of entitlement. I was delighted to see that reflected in this report. Character is what matters behind the results, the strong and powerful bonds that students make at the school with one another and staff were highlighted as they ‘demonstrate a deep commitment to their peers, behave well showing respect for their peers, staff and visitors’ as part of a ‘close knit and supportive school where people look after each other.’ They show a ‘firm sense of values on which to draw’ and ‘are supportive and kind in helping each other.’
They are curious, scholarly, ambitious, kind, supportive and ‘relish and value difference’.
I can testify to all of that and, what is more, they are excellent company and absolutely committed to making our world a better place ‘with a tangible culture of engagement.’
I leave you with one of (many of) my favourite excerpts:
‘Pupils in Year 5 described spirituality as a sense of being at one with the world, of being astonished by natural phenomena such as the Northern Lights.
Year 8 pupils expressed the same level of appreciation… They spoke of experiencing an awed rush of emotion on hearing live classical music for the first time…
Uniformly pupils spoke of the importance of strong relationships and of the wonders of imagination, leading to progress for the good of humanity.’
Ad Lucem indeed.
Marina Gardiner Legge