Nishkam High School

Nishkam High School is a mixed, comprehensive, Sikh secondary school with sixth form and partnering nursery and primary schools, situated in north-west Birmingham. It is supported by The Nishkam School Trust, which also operates schools in West London, Wolverhampton and Kenya. A smaller than average secondary school, Nishkam High School provides 700 places for students aged 11-18 when fully subscribed.

The Nishkam School Trust has a 30-year history of educating children, working with the government for the past 10 years on schools for the Sikh community. Nishkam High School opened as a free school in September 2012.

Co-Principals

Mr Chris Deeks / Mrs Emma Wilks

Values and vision

Nishkam High School's values are summarised by both the school slogan, "excellence in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well", and the school name, with the word "nishkam" translating as "selflessness". The school emphasises the Sikh value of serving others and welcomes children of all faiths and none.

With a diverse curriculum including music and physical education, the secondary school also has a strong spiritual focus. Its ethos is based on 24 spiritual and moral dispositions on topics such as compassion and creativity. The school is about "more than academic excellence", is "more than a school" and encourages students to look after "more than self".

Ofsted report

“The school provides a rich education for students that include library lessons and opportunities for them to engage in public speaking, as well as providing an extended school day. Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted outstandingly well. The effectiveness of the sixth form is outstanding and students have courses tailored to their needs which enable them to develop their talents.”

View Nishkam High School’s latest Ofsted report