Greenwood Dale School outstanding again
In the early 1990's, Greenwood Dale School in Nottingham was on the brink of closure. The current chair of governors, then a new parent, likened it to a war zone. Today the school is rated ‘outstanding’, and a significant driving force behind the team that brought about the school’s remarkable transformation is Barry Day, headteacher since 1991.
Headteacher Barry Day with Greenwood Dale pupils (Nottingham Evening Post)
Greenwood Dale serves a very deprived area of Nottingham. The proportions of pupils who are eligible for free school meals, who learn English as an additional language, and who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are all above average. Despite this, Barry’s vision to create a comprehensive school ethos where every pupil feels valued and supported, as well as improving the quality of teaching and upholding discipline, has seen standards rise year after year.
Many youngsters join the school with attainment levels that are below average, but a team of teachers dedicated to Year 7 gives them a good start and they make rapid progress by the time of their national tests in Year 9. The stimulating curriculum accelerates progress in Years 10 and 11, where specialist status as a technology college has broadened the choice of courses. More than half of pupils are now achieving 10 or more good GCSE passes. The numbers entering the school’s sixth form are rising significantly, as are the numbers going on to higher education.
Throughout the school, learning mentors and volunteers from the sixth form are on hand to help pupils with their studies. A unique facility is a stand-alone literacy (soon to be renamed reading) unit for those who need extra support with their reading and writing. At Key Stage 3, everyone learns French and the top performers can also learn Spanish. In all classrooms, the latest information technology is used by teachers to help deliver engaging, innovative lessons. Elsewhere, sporting opportunities abound and tuition in a musical instrument is available to every pupil.
So what do the pupils think? When they spoke to inspectors they said they felt respected and safe and that the staff listened to them. They were all very positive about the ways in which their needs were identified and barriers to their progress tackled. Parents who responded to a questionnaire that formed part of the inspection were universal in their praise of the school too.
Some of the schools I had worked in before were all very nice, but not that challenging. I felt I had more to offer a school in an inner-city area. I had been to interviews where the governors were in denial about their school’s failings. Here the governors knew the school had to change if it was going to improve. They were up for the challenge, and so was I. Headteacher Barry Day
Greenwood Dale, designated as a leading edge school and a national support school, is currently over-subscribed. The school accommodates 1,350 pupils in buildings built for just 750. As part of a merger, there are plans to relocate to new state-of-the-art premises in 2011.
Even though he has seen the school roll nearly double, Barry still takes time to stop and talk and get to know all his young charges. And his determination to see each one of them succeed is as strong as ever. At the start of each academic year he interviews every pupil in Year 11, setting them individual targets and encouraging them to believe in themselves. As a hands-on headteacher, he continues to teach mathematics and leads many assemblies where he often cites the achievements of former pupils to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
The role of Barry’s inspirational leadership in turning the school around has been rightly recognised with a string of accolades, including the award of the Order of the British Empire. He is quick to praise the contributions made by the ‘magnificent’ staff and governors in Greenwood Dale’s success story. ‘We have shared a common goal and we have never rested on our laurels,’ he says. ‘Every time we have made an improvement, we have wanted to improve more. We have shown that an inner-city school can be highly successful.’
