08/03/2010
Kenton School has been chosen for a top national role helping other schools to improve - alongside only 75 other schools in the UK.
Kenton School based on Drayton Road is one of the largest in the country – it is the first secondary school in Newcastle to be named a National Support School by the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services. Head teacher David Pearmain has also been named a National Leader in Education.
The government-backed scheme will see David and his staff supporting schools in challenging circumstances with leadership and advice, as well as advising the government on education policy - with only 75 schools out of 20,000 nationally given the role in the latest round of appointments.
David said: “We are delighted with this honour, which follows closely on being identified as an outstanding school by Ofsted last year and their recent selection of the school as a case study because of our excellent practice in raising standards of literacy.
“We are also looking forward to the prospect of working with other schools to help them to improve. We are definitely not resting on our laurels though; we are raising our own game even further, with renewed vigour, to world class quality
Kenton was last year rated “outstanding” by Ofsted, with inspectors describing it as “an outstanding school where students personal development is excellent” and where academic achievement is “often exceptional”.
Inspectors continued: “There are many reasons why the school is so successful, including the outstanding curriculum, the highly effective support students receive and the drive and ambition of the leadership team”.
Last year also saw the school move into state-of-the-art new buildings as part of Newcastle’s Building Schools for the Future project - the biggest ever investment in schools in the history of the city. The new look school - which covers an area the size of four football pitches -includes a performing arts centre and a sports hall capable of hosting national standard events as well as giving students access to cutting edge learning facilities.
There are now 377 National Support Schools and National Leaders in Education nationally and Kenton is the third school in Newcastle - and the first secondary - to receive the accolade, which has also been given to Moorside and Beech Hill primary schools.
John Collings, acting Executive Director of Children’s Services, said: “This is a great achievement both for David and his staff, but also for Newcastle and a testament to the progress being made in our schools and the high quality teaching in our city.
“I know a lot of schools are grateful for the advice they have received from Kenton and I’m sure many other schools will get a huge benefit from their expertise and experience.”
Toby Salt, Deputy Chief Executive of the National College, said: “I am so proud that outstanding school leaders like David Pearmain are being honoured in this way.
“This scheme is about great headteachers and their teams helping others and making a big difference. Many of the schools in the scheme see improvements in exam results at both the support and client schools with progress achieved in excess of the improvements nationally.”