Enthusiasm at the heart of Noadswood

Make no mistake, there is plenty of hard work going on in the classrooms and exam halls but youngsters seem to do it all with smiles on their faces.

Currently undergoing a bit of a facelift, the North Road school has recently rebranded and in keeping with that is a big investment in sprucing up the site to give it more of a campus feel.

An amphitheatre is taking shape, using soil that has been excavated as part of recent landscaping.

More outdoor space has been created for the pupils to enjoy while fresh signage and artwork are also being erected to perk up the hallways and corridors.

It is all designed to match the upbeat enthusiasm of what goes on inside the Waterside school, where there are 1,050 youngsters on roll.

Rated as “good” in a recent Ofsted report, one of the most pleasing aspects for the leadership team was that inspectors picked up on how much the students threw themselves into school life – to the point where they were actively involved in leading the lessons themselves.

That is at the heart of the school’s approach to not only deliver the core curriculum but develop rounded students who have the skills to learn, examine and enquire.

The aim is to have young people leaving the school who can work together as a team and discover things for themselves.

Lessons in Doctor Who

PUPILS taking over the lessons is something that is positively encouraged at Noadswood.

Ideas for lessons and project work are championed on all fronts in an effort ot encourage pupils to take ownership of their own learning.

A recent example was tapping into the Doctor Who anniversary where a team of students planned and delivered their own English lesson to their peers based around the theme.

The lesson included looking at script structure and language along with a quiz all using the latest technology to deliver the lesson.

Teacher Clare White said: “The lesson has been very successful and has shown how much work they have put into it.

“It has picked up on what sort of things we are looking at in the English syllabus but all presented around the Doctor Who theme and in a way the class has enjoyed.”

Sporting greatness

THE school still holds its status as a specialist sports college close to its core values of hard work, dedication and teamwork.

The school motto “Fit for learning, fit for life” is also part of that legacy. As a result pupils benefit from excellent sports facilities and a real emphasis on achievement on the field.

Basketball is a popular part of the PE curriculum while the dance and gym syllabus generates an annual show which sees some of the best performances of the year in both dance and gym.

School council a vital link

THE school promotes leadership skills in a number of ways.

Noadswood has a healthy rivalry between the four school ‘houses’ which compete for points throughout the term.

Credits can be earned through good attendance, work and achievement, along with the annual battle on the track and field at sports day.

Leading the teams this year are Max Bartlett, Erin Kingdon, James Ferrier and Edward Uglow.

Noadswood also has an active School Council through the prefect system which ultimately sees a head boy and head girl in charge.

This year those roles are filled by Chloe DeMornay and Ben Fenton, who are the face of the school while also providing a vital link between staff and students.

Meetings are held regularly where ideas and suggestions by the school are taken to the school leadership team while the prefects play a pivotal role in school open days and showcase events.

Navig8

THE Navig8 curriculum was designed by Noadswood School with innovation at its heart.

 The scheme has been designed to allow learners to pursue and develop their knowledge, skills and understanding through enquiry and project-based learning.

It puts a greater emphasis on how the students learn by developing decisionmaking and research skills which ultimately gives them a greater ownership of what they are learning.

School trip

EACH year a group of pupils apply to go on what can only be described as a trip of a lifetime.

Since 2007 the school has established a link with a school in South Africa and each year a group of students apply to take part.

The lucky ones then have to raise funds in order to go.

The partnership is with with Sefoloko Secondary School in Ga-Ramokgopa township in South Africa’s Limpopo Province.

The programme develops mutual understanding between countries and develops leadership skills and cross-cultural awareness in 14 to 18-year-olds through sport and international  educational links.

Last year James Ferrier, 15, was one of the students who took part. He said: “It was an incredible trip and one that I will never forget.

“It was amazing to see first-hand what education is like in other parts of the world.”

Head teacher Alex Bernard says:

AT Noadswood we are very proud of our pupils and their achievements.

We were delighted with the outcome of our Ofsted Inspection in June of this year; they commented very favourably on all aspects of the school community but in particular they rated  the behaviour and safety of the pupils as outstanding.

 This did not surprise me at all and the highlight of my school day comes when I take the opportunity to “walk the corridors” and to drop into lessons happening around the school.

 I am constantly surprised by the variety of activities, the engagement of the pupils and the
mixture of fun and learning that is going on.

The staff here work very hard to make sure that every pupil is able to enjoy success. Our
examination results are consistently strong, especially in the core subjects, but more thanthis we want our pupils to take an active part in school life.

The variety of clubs, trips and activities amazes me and ranges from food clubs to Duke of
Edinburgh expeditions and charity work overseas.

I believe that Ofsted got it absolutely right when they described us as a vibrant and thriving school, which is well on the way to outstanding.