Shrewsbury House underwent an Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Inspection in November 2024.
Who are ISI?
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is a government-approved, independent body responsible for inspecting independent schools across England. ISI is validated by OFSTED and accredited by the government to conduct comprehensive inspections, providing objective evaluations with a particular focus on educational quality and pupil wellbeing.
What is an ISI inspection?
The ISI inspection process involves a detailed review of a school’s operations. A team of experienced inspectors visits the school to observe lessons, review documentation and pupil work and engage with staff, pupils and parents. This thorough approach ensures a holistic understanding of how a school operates, with the aim of offering valuable feedback to the Secretary of State for Education.
Why are ISI Inspections important?
ISI inspections play a vital role for several reasons: Quality Assurance: They offer parents confidence in the school’s commitment to delivering outstanding education and ensuring the well-being of every pupil.
Continuous Improvement: The feedback from ISI helps guide schools in refining their teaching methods and practices to enhance the educational experience for all children.
Regulatory Compliance: ISI inspections ensure that schools comply with necessary educational and safety regulations, which is crucial for the overall welfare of pupils.
Benchmarking: These inspections provide an opportunity for schools to compare their practices against the highest standards in education and pupil care.
What to expect in the ISI Report:
The ISI no longer uses traditional grading like ‘excellent’ or ‘good.’ Instead, schools are assessed against five key standards with a simple ‘met’ or ‘not met.’ However, a rare and highly valued distinction in this process is the identification of an ‘area of significant strength’. We are immensely proud that Shrewsbury House received this exceptional recognition. This accolade is only awarded when inspectors identify a clear, demonstrable and highly beneficial impact where every pupil is positively impacted by the actions of the school.
MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE HEAD
It gives me immense pride and great pleasure to introduce the findings of our 2024 ISI inspection. Inspection is not something we shape our day-today work around, as our focus remains steadfast on nurturing pupils through a carefully crafted balance of academic rigour, personal development and wellbeing. We are and will continue to be a school committed to inspiring a love of learning, encouraging resilience and fostering respect and compassion in every child.
That said, it is always encouraging to have external recognition of the things we do exceptionally well. The inspection highlighted an ‘area of significant strength’ in our school: the care, attention and precision with which we ensure each pupil is supported to thrive academically, socially and personally. This rare acknowledgement underscores the dedication and expertise of our staff and the culture of high aspiration and support that defines life at Shrewsbury House.
This document provides a snapshot of what makes Shrewsbury House a truly magical place. It captures a school where children are encouraged
to grow, guided to excel and inspired to engage meaningfully with the world around them.
I hope this document gives you a clear sense of what makes Shrewsbury House such a special place. While reports must be written in a formal, concise manner, the essence of our school is best experienced in person. I encourage you to visit and see for yourself the exciting, vibrant life our pupils enjoy every day.
Pupils’ physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
Pupils’ social and economic education and contribution to society
Safeguarding
AREA OF SIGNIFICANT STRENGTH
Our unwavering dedication to excellence in education and pupil wellbeing has been recognised by ISI with this exceptional accolade, a distinction awarded to only a very small percentage of schools.
Pupils’ wellbeing is a priority. Leaders carefully track every pupil’s personal and social development and academic performance. They use a range of information to plan for each pupil’s individual development. This well-coordinated, inclusive and carefully monitored approach results in demonstrably successful outcomes for pupils. Leaders’ clear focus on pupils’ wellbeing through the highly integrated system of tracking and monitoring is a significant strength of the school.
SUMMARY OF INSPECTION FINDINGS
Pupils have a strong understanding of (the school’s) values, which results in positive relationships, consistently good behaviour and a high level of respect for others.
The school’s rewards and sanctions system encourages pupils to behave well at all times, demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, and develop highly effective relationships with staff and each other.
Leaders ensure that the curriculum is broad, well designed and appropriately resourced. Middle leaders create stimulating and enriching teaching plans to underpin the curriculum. This enables pupils to develop a wide range of skills, knowledge and understanding in a range of subjects.
The school’s culture focuses on keeping pupils safe at all times, and this is evident in all aspects of the school’s work.
For each subject, teachers provide opportunities for learning beyond the academic curriculum.
Leaders have been highly successful in developing systems to ensure that every pupil is able to experience an enriched and bespoke education within and beyond the curriculum.
Governors and leaders place wellbeing at the centre of all decision making.
Pupils who have SEND are well supported during lessons. Pupils appreciate that their individual needs are understood and supported by teachers.
Pupils have a well-developed understanding of the impact of their actions on the environment as a result of opportunities in the planned curriculum and through themed assemblies led by the eco-council. Pupils gain further insight from visiting speakers who share inspiring experiences, for example, of cycling around the world and considering how to reduce deforestation.
Pupils demonstrate high levels of tolerance and respect for world religions and the beliefs of others. Their appreciation of cultural diversity is well developed.
