Declan Linnane took Nicholas Breakspear Catholic School from 鈥榠nadequate鈥 to 鈥榦utstanding鈥 with a mission to focus on inclusion. Here鈥檚 what he learnt鈥 When Declan Linnane left his school in London to join in St Albans, he feared it was 鈥減rofessional suicide鈥. He recalls joining in 2013. 鈥淚 was told if we don’t turn the school around, they’re going to close it. The county had already started making movements to reassign the children to different schools. That’s how close it was.鈥 Linnane walked in on his first day to find pupils in 鈥渟hort skirts, no ties, trainers, litter everywhere鈥, and staff 鈥渂lind to it, because it was just normalised鈥. The school was at well below half-capacity, with fewer than 500 pupils. Its reputation locally was poor, and many parents had pulled their children out. It was rated 鈥榠nadequate鈥 just over a year after choosing to become an academy. 鈥淲hat have I done?鈥 Linnane thought. But 10 years on, the former sink school is now 鈥榦utstanding鈥 and oversubscribed. Inspectors said pupils receive an 鈥渆xemplary education鈥. Linnane will be leaving NBS next year to became head of the Trinity Catholic High School, in Woodford, north London. But he spoke to聽Schools Week聽about the lessons learned from his ten-year turnaround 鈥 鈥業f they look smart, people will think they鈥檙e smart鈥 Linnane said his philosophy focused on 鈥渟trong pastoral care, firm boundaries and high expectations鈥. It led to 鈥渟tudents who had been written off beginning to thrive. Our core message became clear 鈥 at this school, every student is valued and supported, regardless of their past. 鈥淢any schools in a similar position might have improved performance metrics by restricting admissions or filtering for high achievers,鈥 Linnane said. But 鈥渨e chose an inclusive approach. It became a sanctuary for students facing exclusion from other schools, including those with behavioural or academic challenges. This decision was not charity but a statement of principle: that every child deserves a chance to succeed.鈥 There was an early crackdown on uniform. Those not following rules were hauled into the hall. 鈥淚 walked in and there must have been 300 people. I stood on the steps and said, 鈥榤y job here is to protect your integrity. At the moment you come in not having any respect for yourself鈥… so I said, 鈥榯idy yourself up鈥.鈥 NBS remains strict on uniform today. Most pupils look fresh from a prospectus photoshoot, in blazers and ties. As Linnane walks the corridors he greets pupils by name, asking about their week, cracking jokes, and reprimanding those with shirts untucked, whom he seems to spot out of the corner of his eye. He describes NBS as 鈥渁 strict school鈥, but most pupils 鈥渦nderstand why we’re big on uniform. If they look smart, people are going to think they’re smart and they鈥檝e got smart values, smart attitude.鈥 But while pupils were relatively quick to respond, Linnane had a harder time winning over some staff. He said: 鈥淲e introduced a teaching and learning briefing, where things were shared regularly. Insets had a big teacher learning focus, and once [staff] saw the results of their work there was a big buzz for me.鈥 But in his first year, 23 staff left. Linnane had to 鈥渂eg and borrow鈥 teachers from other schools, but managed to find 鈥渢he right staff鈥 鈥 those willing to 鈥渢ake a risk鈥 on NBS, who 鈥渉ad faith in its journey鈥. Parents were told to have 鈥渢rust and faithfulness鈥 too. 鈥淚鈥檇 go around all the primary schools to speak to them, and sometimes no one would turn up,鈥 Linnane recalls. 鈥淚 just kept being persistent and saying 鈥榯his is a school that’s going to change鈥.鈥 鈥楻ejecting the narrow grades focus鈥 Another key focus has been inclusion. 鈥淭he school鈥檚 guiding ethos, 鈥淣urture, Believe, Succeed,鈥 rejects the narrow focus on grades,鈥 he adds. 鈥淚nstead, it prioritises holistic development, ensuring that all students feel seen, challenged, and empowered to reach their full potential.鈥 Linnane says this vision aligns with that of the current education secretary, Bridget Phillipson. 鈥淯nfortunately, many schools continue to prioritise performance metrics over inclusion, subtly excluding those deemed unlikely to achieve high scores,鈥 he says. NBS is Catholic school, but a decade ago, in a bid to fill its roll, it welcomed pupils of all religious and secular backgrounds. However, now the school鈥檚 popularity has improved and it is oversubscribed, Catholic families are now the lion鈥檚 share 鈥 meaning local families may not be able to attend. 鈥淚 don’t agree on our admission policy, but it’s not governed by me. It’s governed by the diocese,鈥 says Linnane. Turning away non-Catholic families that believed in the school when it was at its lowest ebb makes him 鈥渦neasy鈥, he said. Research has suggested faith schools tend to have fewer disadvantaged pupils on their roll. NBS has fewer poorer youngsters than other local secondaries. Just under 12 per cent of its pupils are on free school meals, below the county-wide average of just under 17 per cent in Hertfordshire. But 3.6 per cent of pupils have an EHCP, above the 3.1 per cent national average for all secondary schools. Meanwhile 16 per cent of pupils have SEND, just below the 16.5 per cent average. Linnane says the school is committed to 鈥渋ncluding everyone鈥. It has a 鈥渞eputation for SEND children鈥 and they do not 鈥減lay games about selecting children鈥. Ofsted鈥檚 report last year said pupils with SEND 鈥渁re supported to thrive in lessons鈥 and staff 鈥渁re fully informed as to how best to help them succeed鈥. 鈥淭he high expectations of all pupils鈥 learning are the same鈥ll pupils, including those pupils with SEND, achieve exceptionally well.鈥 Linnane explains how NBS staff are urged to constantly keep in mind 鈥淎lice鈥 鈥 a fictitious marginalised child, adding: 鈥淚f we get it right for Alice, we get it right for everyone.鈥 Staff are trained in the 鈥榮tepped鈥 approach, which helps de-escalate situations and 鈥渒eeps the whole community very nurturing鈥. NBS takes pupils from almost 50 primary schools, and has a strong transition programme for new year 7s. 鈥淲e will go to every single primary school or setting, we’ll meet the child, meet their teacher, meet the SENCO, and we’ll say, 鈥榬ight, tell us about this child鈥.鈥 All pupils are interviewed by staff about their hobbies, favourite subjects and friendship group. He recalls his own schooling. 鈥淵ou didn’t have anyone to fight your corner, there was no accountability for poor teaching.鈥 NBS鈥 progress 8 scores are well above average (0.75), with almost 60 per cent of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs, compared to a national average of around 46 per cent. The school was rated 鈥榦utstanding鈥 in January last year, after being rated 鈥榞ood鈥 in 2016 and 鈥榬equires improvement鈥 in 2014. Confiscating games consoles Linnane said the school鈥檚 non-teaching pastoral team is also central to its success. They drive attendance, parental engagement, and do everything from investigating bullying concerns and social media problems reported through the school鈥檚 anonymous reporting system, to handing out period products and school uniform. Today, absence at NBS is 5.1 per cent 鈥 well below the national average of 8.9 per cent 鈥 while persistent absence sits at less than half the national average, at 10.5 per cent compared to 25.6 per cent. The high standards aren鈥檛 just for pupils. Linnane says parents also 鈥渉ave to work hard. There’s an expectation that you turn up for parents鈥 evening. You turn up for events.鈥 If parents do not participate, the pastoral team make phone calls, send out letters. During our visit, Linnane has two confiscated Xboxes in his office. He chuckles as he recalls turning up unannounced at a pupil鈥檚 home one Friday evening, on his drive home from work. The pupil had been 鈥減ushing boundaries at home鈥, and fled through the back door when Linnane arrived. The head asked his mum to get the boy鈥檚 PlayStation and said he would confiscate it until after exams. 鈥淚 put it in the boot of my car, had a cup of tea, and I drove off.鈥 Linnane says the boy was initially 鈥渦pset鈥, but later thanked him. 鈥淗e said 鈥榯hank you. I get why you did it.鈥 He鈥檚 now gone off to do high-end mechanics. He wants to work in Formula 1.鈥 Nicholas Breakspear School’s ‘strong mission’ Ofsted inspectors last year found pupils were 鈥渃ared for deeply by all school staff鈥 and 鈥渟how high levels of mutual care and respect for one another鈥. 鈥淎ll pupils are unwaveringly polite, kind, confident and thoughtful,鈥 they added. Linnane puts this down to the school鈥檚 鈥渕ission鈥, which is constantly drummed into pupils: 鈥淓mpowered by the presence of God and each other, we nurture our unique gifts to build a better world.鈥 A large billboard outside the gates even asks passers-by: 鈥淲hat are you doing to build a better world?鈥 The school鈥檚 curriculum is also designed around the seven strands of Catholic Social Teaching, with every topic linked back to these principles. As we drop into classes 鈥 geography, drama, music 鈥 pupils tell Linnane what they鈥檙e studying, and how it relates to these strands, such as the importance of caring for the environment, and the 鈥減oor and vulnerable鈥. 鈥淲e’re not trying to brainwash anyone,鈥 says Linnane later. 鈥淏ut I think our values are quite strong. Peace, justice, truth and love. Our mission is about building this better world.鈥 He says NBS鈥 journey to 鈥榦utstanding鈥 has not been one of overnight success, but of consistent 鈥渉ard work. In that 10 years, we found the formula that works.鈥