ISI Inspection Report November 2015
The Headmistress: A result to celebrate!
St Edward’s School was inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in late November 2015. The full report is available on the school website. We are delighted with the outcome, and we would welcome people to come and experience the full ‘colour’ of St Edward’s rather than just reading the ‘black and white’ of the report! Individual tours and meetings can be arranged at a time to suit by contacting Mrs Lindsey Hodgson, Registrar. We would love to welcome you to St Edward’s. St Edward’s School was awarded excellent in all eight areas which is a fantastic achievement. We encourage all members of our school community to Believe, Strive, Achieve. Our motto of ‘Strive for the Best’ has been our guide in our pursuit of excellence.
Inspectors were rigorous as they inspected all aspects of the School. They reached their judgements having observed lessons, scrutinised work and interviewed pupils, parents, staff and Trustees about all areas of school life. Every pupil and parent was given the opportunity to respond to a confidential questionnaire which was overwhelmingly positive; 98% of parents said their children were well looked after and would recommend this School to others. 97% of pupils considered they were making good progress. The School is fully compliant with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations.
St Edward’s School was awarded excellent in all eight areas The outcome is testament to the dedication and commitment of pupils, staff, parents and Trustees. Our wide ranging curriculum and extensive extra-curricular activities give pupils the opportunity to excel. We will not be sitting back on our laurels, but rather we will be working hard in our continued pursuit of excellence in all aspects of our provision and we can look forward to the future with great optimism.
Excellent or Outstanding? What is the difference between the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and Ofsted? Both the ISI and Ofsted inspection teams are led by professional reporting inspectors. In addition, ISI teams include serving heads from other Independent Schools. However, whilst working within the Ofsted framework, ISI report on pupils’ achievement to reflect the high levels of performance in both curricular and extracurricular activities, whilst also making clear how pupils’ test and examination results compare with national benchmarks. Unlike Ofsted, ISI does not award a single overarching judgement but judges a school on each aspect of its provision. Both inspecting bodies use a four point scale to reflect quality: Ofsted uses ‘outstanding’, ‘good’, ‘satisfactory’ and ‘inadequate’ while ISI uses ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sound’ and ‘unsatisfactory’.
The Eight Excellents During an Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Inspection, the visiting inspectors consider how well a school performs against the criteria of eight separate categories. Each category is scored using a four point scale: ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sound’ and ‘unsatisfactory’. As you can imagine, St Edward’s was overjoyed to receive ‘excellent’ in every category. We have condensed those categories into eight excellent points.
1
Quality of pupils’ achievements and learning Pupils at St Edward’s are ‘well educated’ and routinely achieve great results in school work and in national exams. Inspectors noted that “pupils of all abilities throughout the school, including those with SEND, EAL and the most able, demonstrate excellent subject knowledge and understanding.”
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The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provision Inside and outside of the classroom, pupils have the opportunity to challenge themselves and develop new skills and interests. St Edward’s offers a range of extracurricular and academic clubs to stretch pupils; “An excellent programme of extra-curricular activities fully supports the curriculum and comprises a wide range of sports, creative opportunities and service, ensuring that pupils develop skills beyond the academic curriculum.”
The contribution of teaching With excellent subject knowledge, our teachers make a huge contribution to the learning of our pupils. We are very proud that the “exceptionally positive quality of the relationships in lessons between teachers and pupils” was mentioned by the inspectors.
4
The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils
5
The contribution of arrangements for pastoral care
As a Catholic Foundation School, we endeavour to ensure that the young people who leave us after A Levels have the skills, knowledge and spiritual foundation to take on the challenges of an increasingly complex world. Inspectors highlighted that “The personal development of the pupils is an outstanding strength of the school.”
Our pupils feel secure in School. Ensuring the well-being and safety of our pupils has always been a priority. Inspectors recognised how our ’highly effective’ pastoral system allows pupils to flourish and grow during the school day.
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The contribution of arrangements for welfare, health and safety We routinely update and train staff with the latest Safeguarding and Health & Safety concerns. With a Nurse on site and “excellent facilities for care”, help is always close at hand.
7
The quality of governance
8
The quality of leadership and management, including links with parents
We have a long-term vision for the continued development of St Edward’s. Inspectors identified that “Through excellent governance and a positive vision for the future, the school is highly successful in providing a strong academic base and maintaining excellent standards of pastoral care and personal development for its pupils.”
Inspectors noted that “The committed leadership and management are highly effective in enabling the school to meet its aim to provide an education where pupils are encouraged to achieve their potential in everything they do.”
For more information about Open Mornings at St Edward’s School, please visit our website: www.stedwards.co.uk If you would like to arrange a visit, contact registrar@stedwards.co.uk or call +44 (0)1242 538629 St Edward’s School Cirencester Road Charlton Kings Cheltenham GL53 8EY