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New Birmingham school rated outstanding by Ofsted Jul 01, 2014 18:00 By James Cartledge Nishkam High School wins plaudits from inspectors for good teaching and 'exceptional' behaviour from pupils A new Birmingham school has been rated outstanding by Ofsted inspectors. Nishkam High, described as a “Sikh-ethos, multi-faith school”, opened in Hockley in September, 2012. It is a free school and is run by the Nishkam School Trust, which also has educational centres in London, Leeds and Kenya. Pupil achievement, quality of teaching, pupil behaviour and safety, and leadership and management were all graded as exceptional. Executive principal Terry Green said: “This represents a tremendous achievement by the whole community which helped to build and partially fund the construction of the school. “Our ‘outstanding’ judgement is not just based on a two-day visit by inspectors. “It is as a result of many years of tremendous effort by our students, staff, governors, parents and community. “I congratulate and thank everyone for creating an exceptional and very special multi-faith inspired school open to all.” Ofsted inspectors found students made rapid and sustained progress across subjects and achieved well, particularly in English and in maths. Teachers were said to have had good subject knowledge and had high expectations of their students’ achievements. Pupils’ behaviour was also reported as exceptional. Birmingham is set for more free schools after the Government last month revealed an extra 38 would be launched across the country. The new schools will include a Perry Beeches primary school and Perry Beeches V and VI. They will be run by Perry Beeches Academy Trust, which already runs three schools in Birmingham. Free schools are independently run but receive state funding. They can set their own pay and conditions for staff and decide on curriculum details. But teaching unions are opposed to them and claim they are unaccountable to communities. Education secretary Michael Gove said last month: “Free schools are giving thousands of children from ordinary backgrounds the kind of education previously reserved for the rich and the lucky.”