Diss High School

Main school

The school is split into two main blocks designated A and B. A block is home to the English, Geography and History departments. It also holds the main school library and the staff room. B block houses the maths, science and modern foreign languages departments as well as the hall, school office, head teacher's office and head of year offices. The Art and Design Technology departments have a separate block as does the Music department. In 2014, Diss High School received a 'good' rating from Ofsted.

Academics

The school supplements the formal with a wide range of extra-curricular activities that go beyond sport and music.

Curriculum

Virtually all maintained schools and academies follow the National Curriculum, and are inspected by Ofsted on how well they succeed in delivering a 'broad and balanced curriculum'. The school has to decide whether Key Stage 3 contains years 7, 8 and 9- or whether year 9 should be in Key Stage 4 and the students just study subjects that will be examined by the GCSE exams at 16. Diss has chosen the latter route. ;Key Stage 3 In the first two years all students follow a basic course comprising Art, Design Technology, English, Drama, PSHEE, Geography, History, Food, French, Spanish, Computing, Mathematics, Music, Religious Studies and Science. ;Key Stage 4 Currently all pupils study English, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, Computing, a Modern Foreign Language (French or Spanish), a Humanities subject (History or Geography), Careers, Religious Studies and PSHEE. They opt to study two other GCSE subjects. To make a language compulsory at Key Stage 4 is unusual. Staff turnover has made it difficult to deliver good results and depressed the number of youngsters obtaining the English Baccalaureate that requires it.

Uniform

In February 2014, the school featured in several media reports after it announced a ban on skirts as part of the school uniform, to begin the following September. The ban received support from some parents and criticism from others.

Notable alumni

Diss High School and its predecessor schools have been attended by several notable former pupils. These include the cricketer, Thomas Lord, footballers Matthew Upson and Declan Rudd. Politician Sir Ralph Howell, businessman Eric Nicoli and Anglican clergyman Dean Christopher Dalliston also attended Diss Grammar School.

Painter and etcher James Henry Govier taught art at Diss GS between 1965 and 1972 after it merged with Eye Grammar School. Writer and environmentalist Roger Deakin taught English and French at Diss GS for three years from 1974.

References

References

1. "Diss High School - GOV.UK".
2. (26 February 2014). "Diss High School Ofsted ‘Good’ report". Ofsted News.
3. "The school curriculum in England Parliamentary Briefing Paper".
4. "Curr-KS4".
5. "PROSPECTUS 2019-2020".
6. (April 2018). "Ofsted short report 2018".
7. Bareham, Dominic. (11 February 2014). "Girls to be banned from wearing skirts at a Norfolk school - but what do you think?". [[Eastern Daily Press]].
8. (11 February 2014). "Top school bans girls from wearing skirts in crackdown on 'immodest' clothes". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
9. (11 February 2014). "UK school bans skirts for girls". [[The Financial Express (India).
10. (15 August 2008). "'Football: Upson Makes History". [[Diss Express]].
11. (16 May 2008). "Football: Declan set to sign two-year Canaries contract". Diss Express.
12. (25 September 2008). "Old pupils celebrate grammar's centenary". Diss Express.
13. "J H Govier". Eye Grammar Old Students' Association.
14. (22 August 2006). "Obituaries: Roger Deakin". The Daily Telegraph.