Northgate High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 23 May 2023

Pupils at Northgate High School are polite and courteous. This is demonstrated through their conduct on site and their consideration of pupils taking examinations. Pupils move quickly to lessons and follow instructions well. Sixth-form students act with maturity and confidence. Teachers have high expectations. Most pupils respond to this by acting responsibly during social times and lessons. This enables them to form good friendships and learn well. Many pupils speak positively about lessons. However, some pupils do not always behave well and this can frustrate their peers. Most pupils respect the school site and take responsibility for ensuring that it is kept tidy. Pupils have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Many pupils comment on their participation in charity events throughout the school year. There are also opportunities to be involved in pupil leadership, such as the eco group, school council and sixth-form senate. Many pupils comment that bullying is infrequent. They state that if they are bullied, it would be taken seriously and that action would be taken. While some pupils say that a minority of pupils are not always tolerant of differences, pupils trust the school's pastoral team. This means that most pupils' concerns do not build up. As a result, pupils feel safe.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, assessment information is not always used effectively. As a result, some pupils do not always know more and remember more. Leaders need to ensure that best practice seen in the strongest subjects is replicated across all subjects to enable pupils to use knowledge fluently.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)