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Report highlights

"I’m delighted with the results of our inspection which was held at the end of March. The school was judged as excellent in all areas as well as meeting our compliance requirements, which is always vital to protect our students."

Marina Gardiner Legge Head

Key Findings

  • Pupils have an excellent attitude to their academic work; they are curious, ambitious and scholarly learners with an excellent work ethic.
  • Pupils make rapid progress across the curriculum, especially when teaching sets high expectations and consciously builds on previous learning.
  • Pupils have excellent communication skills; they speak fluently, listen attentively and write with maturity and flair.
  • Pupils’ study skills are highly developed; they ask searching questions and are confident in drawing together and analysing information from a range of resources.
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Key findings

  • Pupils develop excellent self-knowledge, self-esteem and a confidence in their own abilities without any conceit.
  • Pupils demonstrate outstanding initiatives and commitment in their contributions to the life of the school and the local community.
  • Pupils show excellent moral awareness; they have a firm set of values and a willingness to take responsibility for their own behaviour.
  • Pupils demonstrate high levels of respect for diversity of all kinds, helping create and inclusive and respectful school atmosphere.
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Academic and other achievements

Teaching quality

  • All children in Reception reach a good level of development before moving into Year 1. The school’s own assessment data indicates that pupils in the Prep School reach high levels of attainment compared to those taking the same tests nationally.
  • Pupils’ attainment at A Level in 2022 was excellent. Almost half of results were at the highest grade and the majority of grades awarded were between A* and C.
  • At GCSE, a very large majority of results were at the highest two grades and almost all results were awarded at grades 9 to 4.
  • There is a consistent pattern of strong academic attainment, with many pupils attaining results above those expected on entry.

Academic and other achievements

Skills development

  • Pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding develop at an excellent pace across all areas of the curriculum.
  • The school is highly successful in nurturing pupils’ individual strengths and academic potential in a scholarly atmosphere which encourages curiosity, aspirational and creativity, in line with its aims.
  • Children in Reception develop confident fine and gross motor skills, trying new activities with resilience and determination.
  • Pupils grasp of new ideas and new knowledge is especially rapid when teaching combined high expectations and rapid pace with encouragement to pupils to think beyond the obvious.
  • Pupils constantly show the ability to draw effectively on previous learning and use it to further their understanding.

Academic and other achievements

Communication skills

  • Pupils of all ages have excellent communication skills and their ability to express themselves with considerable fluency is one of their key strengths.
  • Pupils are articulate and intelligent speakers who know to adapt their tone according to the task.
  • Pupils listen carefully and respectfully, as seen in a year 5 lesson.
  • Children in Reception confidently recognised complex words.
  • Pupils’ creative writing is highly imaginative and effective.

Academic and other achievements

Numeracy skills

The pupils’ numeracy skills are excellent and build effectively as they move through the school.

  • Children in Reception use mathematical language confidently.
  • Older pupils in the Prep School are highly confident to apply their mathematical skills in other subjects.
  • Senior School pupils display excellent mathematical skills in other subjects and informal situations.
  • Senior School pupils increasingly use the language of mathematics and science with fluid, elegant assurance.

Academic and other achievements

Philosophical thinking

  • From a young age, pupils demonstrate the intellectual curiosity to think beyond the obvious.
  • Pupils’ eagerness to learn beyond the boundaries of the curriculum is encouraged as teachers take the time to explore matters pupils raise.

Academic and other achievements

Co-curricular achievements

  • Pupils’ achievement beyond the classroom is excellent; they gain confidence and experience in the extensive choice of extra-curricular activities, sporting, creative, cultural and intellectual.
  • Pupils who have SEND and EAL are as keen to take advantage of the range of opportunities as their peers and their achievement is greatly enhanced as a result.
  • A stimulating curriculum gives all pupils the chance to fulfill their potential, both academically and beyond the classroom.

Academic and other achievements

Attitude to learning

  • The pupils’ attitude to their learning is uniformly excellent; they are consistently focused, curious, ambitious and emotionally intelligent.
  • Pupils are genuinely excited by learning.
  • Pupils are keen to do well personally and are supportive of their peers’ aspirations; the result is a scholarly ethos and positive work ethic.

Personal development

Individual development

  • Throughout the school, pupils show outstanding levels of self-confidence.
  • In their independent learning times, children in Reception move between activities happily and confidently, asking for help when needed.
  • Pupils reflect critically on their understanding and management of their own emotions when they encounter difficulties and demonstrate the ability to reflect honestly on their experiences.
  • Parents agree that the school is highly successful in encouraging pupils to be resilient, unafraid of challenge and self-assured.

Personal development

Emotional intelligence

  • Pupils are highly skilled at making decisions which are clearly reasoned and consider potential outcomes.
  • The pupils’ skill at managing their time effectively enables them to balance a demanding workload with enthusiastic engagement in other activities. Pupils say they can rely on staff to help with advice or flexibility regarding work deadlines.

Personal development

Moral, spiritual & ethical understanding

  • Pupils have an excellent awareness of issues which move beyond the material.
  • The pupils’ awareness of spirituality moves beyond matters of religious faith and many pupils spoke eloquently of experiences which generates awareness.
  • Uniformly, pupils spoke of the importance of strong relationships and of the wonders of imagination leading to progress for the good of humanity.
  • Pupils show a consistently outstanding level of moral understanding in the quality and depth of their reflections on ethical issues.
  • Pupils demonstrate a deep commitment to their peers.
  • Pupils’ words and actions show that they are maturing into perceptive moral citizens with an acute perception of the impact of behaviour on others.
  • Pupils say they are part of a close-knit and supportive school where people look after each other.

Personal development

Community engagement, personal responsibility & leadership

  • Pupils have highly developed social skills which they utilise to excellent effect when working together.
  • Pupils are supportive and kind in helping each other.
  • Excellent relationships between staff and pupils engender an atmosphere of mutual pleasure in working to achieve success.
  • The many team successes in sports, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, Young Enterprise, innovation competitions, drama and music performances are all evidence of the pupils’ excellent collaborative skills.
  • The pupils are proud of being part of a school with a long tradition of encouraging young adults to be proactive in seeking to affect change.
  • Pupils’ determination to contribute to school life is outstanding; there is a tangible culture of engagement and a commitment to doing something which will have an impact on the school community.
  • Pupils are encouraged to accept responsibility.

Personal development

Diversity, inclusion & cultural understanding

  • The pupils show an excellent level of respect for diversity and appreciation of the different cultural backgrounds represented in the school.
  • The school’s atmosphere is one of genuine mutual respect and inclusivity; they do not simply tolerate difference, they relish and value it.
  • Pupils know the importance of considering different viewpoints and cultural attitudes to ethical issues.
  • The pupils are strong minded, with a firm sense of their responsibilities for ensuring that the school community is one of which all are valued for themselves.
  • Pupils’ commitment to ensuring there is active promotion of equality issues is evident in pupil-led diversity societies.

Personal development

Personal safety, health & wellbeing

  • Pupils’ understanding of how to stay safe is excellent.
  • Pupils are conscious of the importance of their mental health.
  • Pupils trust their teachers and will turn to them for support; they praise the care they experience from teachers and the pastoral team.
  • Pupils say that the school is a safe place, a community where they feel known, respected and encouraged to grow into the people they want to be.

"We pride ourselves as a school which empowers every student to find their voice and motivational power to support themselves and others. That self-belief, confidence and efficacy is evidenced and celebrated throughout the inspection report; don’t just read it though, come and see our extraordinary students and school for yourself."

Marina Gardiner Legge Head

Download the full report

To find out more about us, download the full report or visit our admissions page:

ISI 2023 REPORTAdmissions