Ninestiles School - Structure

Structure

Previously known as Harrison Barrow Grammar School for Girls and Hartfield Crescent. In 2003 a new building was built onto the site of Ninestiles, known as the ICT and Business Studies Block. The Building came into use for 2004, providing more ICT and Business Study Rooms.

In 2005, the school changed the length of its lessons to two and a half hours apiece. This, five years later was changed to one hour forty minutes to allow students to cope better with the lesson being shorter, therefore this would also make it easier for teachers not having to plan lessons as long. The change required some adaptation on the part of the school's faculty, including rotating subjects and planning extended trips.

At the beginning of the 2008-2009 school term, Ninestiles School changed to a system in which pupils from different year groups were placed in the same forms. They were split into six "colleges" called Red, Blue, Orange, Yellow, Green and Purple to represent the colours if the rainbow. The school has said that this will be an effective way for pupils to bond with other students of different ages, and also have the older students helping the younger ones. Additional upgrades to the school include a bigger student support Centre, new carpets, walls and furniture. In 2007, the school introduced Challenge Week, an end-of-year event in which students have an opportunity to participate in trips and activities. In 2009 a new feature was introduced, TAG (talents, gifts and abilities). This gives students an opportunity to participate in a new activity that they haven't tried before or to take part in an activity that they enjoy. TAG takes place every Week 1 Friday.

The school is also partially selective by means of an entrance examination. 10% of places are given to children who have academic ability. Students are drawn from a wide area and the school is heavily over-subscribed.