John Gray High School
John Gray High School achieved a ‘Good’ rating during its last inspection, making it the first mainstream public school to meet the government’s expected level of quality.
According to the Office of Education Standards report, “Almost all aspects of the school have improved with increased impact, particularly in relation to improvements in students’ attainment and progress in English, mathematics, and science.”
John Gray received a ‘Satisfactory’ rating in its previous inspection in October 2018.
During the recent inspection that took place 26-29 April, John Gray improved its ratings in 16 of 18 individual categories.
With 1,100 students on roll, John Gray is the largest public or private school in the Cayman Islands.
The secondary school received the highest rating of ‘Excellent’ for “students’ civic and environmental understanding” and “leadership”.
“Leadership was excellent, as the school had a strong focus on improvement which was led by the Principal and supported by the whole leadership team,” according to the report.
(Read our interview with John Gray Principal Jonathan Clark in September 2020.)
Additionally, “Civic and environmental understanding are promoted well by the school and as a result, students understand and are proud of the distinctive features of Caymanian life and its relation to local and global environmental issues.”
Inspectors noted that “Behaviour was much improved with better attendance, less exclusions, and a dramatic fall in the number of major incidents.”
The school received a ‘Good’ rating for attainment in English and ‘Satisfactory’ for attainment in Maths and Science. The school was rated ‘Good’ for students’ progress in all 3 subjects.
Inspectors recommended that John Gray focus on raising attainment for “low ability students” including those with Special Education Needs, implement the country’s new Key Stage 3 curriculum (Years 7, 8 and 9), and ensure consistent communication between the school and students’ homes.
Because John Gray was rated ‘Good’, it will not be inspected again until the next cycle of inspections beginning in January 2023.
Previously, the only government school to be rated ‘Good’ was the specialist Lighthouse School.
***Update: The Lighthouse School achieved another 'Good' rating in its most recent inspection.***