Blessed George Napier School and Sixth Form College
Extracts from the 2012 OFSTED report on the Blessed George Napier School.:
“The quality of teaching is good, with lessons having good pace and high teacher expectations of students’ achievement. Most lessons observed were good or outstanding, where students made good progress or better.“
“The behaviour of students when moving around the school and at breaks is outstanding. They share excellent relationships and show respect for each other and the staff. The students work together and support each other well and this cooperative approach is an integral part of most lessons. As one student said, ‘We are really just one big family who get on well together.’ Another telling comment made was, ‘We are a small community and everybody knows everybody’s name.’ Overwhelmingly, parents and students agree that behaviour is good.“
“Achievement in lessons is good or outstanding in a wide range of subjects.”
The local Catholic secondary school in Banbury is named after Blessed George Napier or Napper a son of Edward Napper (d. in 1558), sometime Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, by Anne, his second wife, daughter of John Peto, of Chesterton, Warwickshire, and niece of Cardinal William Peto. He entered Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in January 1566, but was ejected in 1568 as a recusant. In 24 August 1579 he visited the English College at Reims, and by December 1580 he had been imprisoned. He was still in the Wood Street Counter, London, on 30 September 1588; but was freed in June 1589, on acknowledging the royal supremacy. He entered the English College, Douai in 1596, and was sent on the English mission in 1603. He appears to have lived with his brother William at Holywell. He was arrested at Kirtlington, four miles from Woodstock, very early in the morning of 19 July 1610, when he had on him a pyx containing two consecrated Hosts as well as a small reliquary. Brought before Sir Francis Eure at Upper Heyford (Wood says before a justice named Chamberlain) he was strictly searched; but the constable found only his breviary, his holy oils, and a needle case with thread and thimble. He was executed between one and two in the afternoon, having said Mass that morning. His head according to Wood was set up on Tom Gateway; according to Richard Challoner's statement on Christ Church steeple. His quarters were placed on the four city gates, but at least some were secretly removed and buried in the chapel (now a barn) of Sandford manor, formerly a preceptory of Knights Templar. He was beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI. A plaque in his honour was unveiled at Oxford Castle on 23 October 2010.
Blessed George Napier School was opened in the summer of 1962 and currently has 845 pupils, many from Bicester.
Its mission statement is: “Inspired by the life of Christ and his teaching, Blessed George Napier, in active partnership with home, parish and wider community, endeavours to prepare its members to face the future with confidence and take up the challenge of the Gospel.”
In the March 2012 inspection, Ofsted commented: “It is a friendly, supportive community, in which students feel safe and well cared for. The school promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well” and “The senior leadership team demonstrates a shared ambition to enable all students to succeed both academically and personally.” In the same report Ofsted referred to a student’s comment: “We are really just one big family who get on well together.” In May 2012, the Diocesan Inspection stated: “Pupils contribute in an excellent manner to building the character of a school to which they are obviously very proud to belong” and “There is serious commitment to learning.” The 2012 OFSTED inspection rated the school as good in all categories.
School contact details:
Head Teacher: Mr. Fraser Long
Blessed George Napier Catholic School & Sixth form
Addison Road
Banbury
Oxfordshire. OX16 9DG
Telephone: 01295 264216
Facsimile: 01295 277952