STUDENTS and staff at The De Montfort School are celebrating after the school nudged its way into the top six of the county’s high schools and into the top 10 per cent of all schools nationally, according to the latest figures from the Department for Education.
With a provisional figure of +0.30, which is expected to rise following ratification, the school is securely in the ‘above average’ category against all schools nationally and is the most improved school in Worcestershire and very likely to be in the top five per cent most improved schools in the country.
Headteacher Guy Nichols said the success was the result of sustained commitment from students, staff parents and governors to put into place all the ingredients that make for a high performing school.
“The improvement has come from a very conscious and deliberate strategy that we have put in place,” he said.
“This started with building excellent relationships between all members of the school community, which has now enabled high quality teaching to deliver great results.
“I’m especially proud students of all abilities have significantly outperformed national averages.”
The respected headteacher said the adoption of a three year Key Stage 4 options model alongside top quality commitment from staff has enabled TDMS students to not only really enjoy their time learning their GCSE/BTECs, but empower them the really seize exciting options across a wide range of subjects including Engineering, Psychology, Music Production and Hair and Beauty.
In particular, the three year model has led to a flourishing of the creative and performing arts, which have been in decline in many other schools.
Fundamentally this has given TDMS students the time to become independent learners and fully consolidate their knowledge, enabling them to achieve the grades they can be truly proud of.
“We are a truly inclusive school and we welcome students to join us at any stage, but would encourage them to do this at the earliest possible stage, as our outcomes are even better for those who joined us in year six,” he said.
“I am delighted the improvements we have made are now embedded in this school and we expect this to be only the beginning of our journey to becoming the exceptional school we have always said our children and community deserve.”
