Report on the visit to Middlesborough 14/7/04

The trip was only open to school governors and council officers. The person that passed on this report wanted to remain anonymous for obvious reasons.

10 people went on the trip. They were assigned to 2 year 7 pupils and allowed to have almost free access to the school.

Pupils that showed the governors round seemed honest enough.

The school was nice but...............

General Comments.

Pupils thought the school was too strict.

The building did not look as big as appeared in the video.

The food at lunchtime  was not  as as seen on the video given out by the Vardy Foundation. There was no evidence of a '5 star hotel'. The pupils were all having  fishcake, chips and beans which was the set meal - no choice and not much of an healthy option.

Main Points

1) Religion taught in PSHE and Science.

2) Each pupil has a bible kept in a bag in their form room. There are 2 half hour session per week on bible studies in addition to the statutory assembly/collective worship.

3)Main Hall used a lot of outside activities  and this said the pupils can restrict use by the school.

4) While on the visit children were told off for not having  the top button fastened on their blouses and a  also girl told off for blouse not tucked in at the front.

5) Blazers had to be worn at all times.

6) There have been some issues of bullying at the school (as reported by the Year 7 pupils. The wheelchair user from the video was seen on the visit and it was reported by the pupils that she was not happy and there were some issues surrounding bullying.

Information from the Heads Briefing

55% OF PUPILS ON FREE SCHOOL MEALS

86% ATTENDANCE

27 PERMANENT EXCLUSIONS (another one gone)

56% AT LEVEL 5 OR ABOVE IN SCIENCE AND MATHS

What is Northcliffe's performance against these criteria?.

Being taken out of school for holidays is a big no no (the only exception is if parents have forced holidays for factory shut down).

All that glitters is not Gold!!