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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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Full Name of the School |
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DfES Number |
845/6014 |
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Address |
Old
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Telephone Number |
01323
452300 |
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Fax Number |
01323
452327 |
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E-mail Address |
eastbourne-college.co.uk |
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Name of Headmaster |
C.
M. P. Bush, M.A., Esq. |
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Chairman of Governors |
Sir
Christopher Leaver, G.B.E., J.P. |
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13
to 18 |
Gender |
Male
and female |
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Number of Pupils |
552 |
Number
of Boarders |
265 |
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Inspection Dates |
6th
to 10th October, 2002 |
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This inspection report is
based on a framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and
agreed with the DFES and OFSTED for the purposes of ensuring that standards
are maintained and that the school complies with relevant legal
requirements. Recommendations are
included to help the school improve.
The report will be lodged with the ISI, the Head of the School, the
Governors, the DFES and OFSTED. A
summary will be provided by the school for all parents free of charge and the
full report on request. Other interested
parties may have the summary or full report, subject to a charge for copying
and postage. The report may not be
selectively quoted in the school prospectus or other promotional literature,
but may be used selectively within the school. The inspection does not
examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting
procedures. The inspectors check the
school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards
they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety
examination. The inspection was not carried
out in conjunction with the National Care Standards Commission and the report
does not contain specific judgements on the National Minimum Boarding
Standards. It comments on the progress
made by the school in meeting the recommendations set out in the most recent
statutory boarding inspection and evaluates the quality of the boarding
experience and its contribution to pupils’ education and development in general. |
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1.1
1.2 The hardworking and loyal members of staff provide very good teaching and high quality care and support for both boarders and day pupils through the strongly house-based system. Relationships between pupils and staff are good and are based on mutual respect.
1.3
In most respects
1.4 The attractive and well-cared-for campus contributes to the excellent learning environment. Pupils and staff exude an air of calm purposefulness.
1.1 Boys and girls are happy and proud to be members of the school. They have a very high regard for their teachers.
1.2 The pupils achieve very high standards in relation to their abilities, both academically and in a whole range of activities - including sport, art, drama, music and design and technology.
1.3 The teaching is generally of high quality. Both the teaching and the non-teaching staff are very loyal, dedicated and hardworking. They collaborate well and demonstrate a strong sense of team spirit and common purpose.
1.4 The care and support provided by the housemasters and the housemistress for both boarders and day pupils are of high quality.
1.5 The personal leadership of the headmaster and his knowledge of individual pupils sets the tone for the very good relationships that exist between staff and pupils.
1.6 The school campus is attractive and well-cared-for and it is free of litter. Some of the facilities, most notably the Cavendish Learning Resources Centre and the newly opened science laboratories, are outstanding.
What the School Should Do Better
1.7 No main aspect of the school was judged to be weak, but the following are areas that, if appropriately addressed, would enable the school to improve more rapidly.
1.8 The full-time teaching staff contains too few female members and only two hold positions of responsibility. The only female member of the senior management team is the registrar, who teaches part-time. This results in a lack of senior women to whom the girls can refer and a lack of suitable female role models.
1.9 Shortage of time in the taught curriculum results in erratic provision of the unexamined but nonetheless important elements of a broad curriculum - namely religious education; personal, social and health education (PSHE); and the development of information and communications technology (ICT) skills for all.
1.10 Hitherto, planning for the future by the governors, the headmaster and his most senior colleagues - together with the restricted circulation of the completed plans - has not fully utilised the abilities and experience of the staff, thus limiting the extent to which they can share ownership of the outcome.
Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects
1.11 Standards of attainment at the school are very good. Pupils are achieving levels that are at least commensurate with their ages and abilities and which are often well in advance of what would be expected of them. Both in the overall pass rates, and in the proportion of candidates achieving A and B grades, results in the General Certificate of Education at Advanced level (A-level) have in recent years been consistently well above the averages achieved nationally in maintained selective schools. In the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) the proportion of candidates gaining grades A to C, and the proportion gaining A or A* grades, are comparable with, though slightly below, those achieved in maintained selective schools. To achieve these results with an entry which contains a wide spread of ability, including a majority who fall in the lower half of the national sample of independent schools, is most creditable.
1.12 Girls achieve higher standards than boys at both GCSE and A-level, but the average ability of the girls on entry to the school has been higher and there is no evidence that gender as such has any significance in determining how well the pupils achieve.
1.13 Pupils make good, steady and sustained progress during their time in the school, as is evident from the increasing quality of their work and the depth of understanding revealed by their contributions in class.
1.14 Appropriate help and support are available for pupils who have particular learning needs or for whom English is a second language to enable them to progress and to fulfil their potential.
The Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour
1.15 Across the age range a positive attitude to what is being taught produces a quality of learning that is good and which is nearly always underpinned by an equivalent level of behaviour. In the classroom the learning process is reinforced by a willingness to be involved, by good motivation and by purposeful concentration.
1.16 The generally good rapport between teachers and taught promotes respect for the former, who are valued for their dedication and input. Pupils show a capacity for individual study, but also collaborate effectively in their contribution to group work.
1.17 The collegiate ethos with its strong sense of belonging induces sensitivity on the part of the pupils not just towards each other but also towards those responsible for them. In and around the school they are confident and open, and almost without exception exhibit friendliness and courtesy, which reflect pride in, and affection for, the community to which they belong.
1.18 The quality of teaching overall is one of the strengths of the school, contributing effectively to the pupils' high attainment and progress. Of the 173 lessons observed, four out of five were good or better and, of these, more than half were very good. Very few were less than satisfactory. Teachers bend over backwards to meet their pupils' individual needs and this caring approach underpins their whole methodology and is the basis for the excellent rapport and the very positive working relationships that they develop with the pupils. Lessons are well planned and resources are used effectively. In almost all lessons teachers create a well-disciplined atmosphere conducive to effective learning, although in some subjects the immense efforts made to cater for the needs of the pupils not only bring greater knowledge but also tend to encourage a rather passive attitude to learning.
1.19 Levels of attendance are very good and there are no unauthorised absences. The school's admissions and attendance registers comply with statutory requirements. Punctuality for lessons and other activities is generally good.
1.20 The methods used for assessing and recording pupils' achievements and progress in academic subjects are accurate and effective; standards are not consistent but are generally good. Any special needs of pupils are identified soon after entry into the school by a screening process and teachers are efficiently informed of these needs.
1.21 The curriculum is managed effectively and is appropriate in most ways to pupils of all ages and abilities. It is not as broad as it should be and more balance is required at certain stages. The important unexamined elements of an education are provided in an inconsistent way, which does not ensure that all pupils have adequate opportunities to learn religious education and ICT, to discuss important life issues or to extend their sixth form experience beyond their A and AS level courses within the formal curriculum.
Teaching and Non-teaching Staff
1.22 A major contributing factor to the success of the school is its loyal and very hardworking staff. The teachers are well qualified, with a healthy range of ages and teaching experience. Through the comprehensive appraisal system, the management of the school has a very good knowledge of the strengths of members of staff. This knowledge is used to significant effect in their deployment. Most members of the non-teaching staff are appropriately qualified and they contribute fully to the efficient running of the school. Both sections of the staff work particularly well together and feel a strong sense of team spirit and common purpose.
1.23 The school is very well provided with resources for learning, activities and sports. The use made of equipment is appropriate, and access to facilities both within lesson time and outside is good. The provision of ICT equipment and facilities has increased significantly, including a full broadband connection to the Internet, and many areas are well supplied with computers, multimedia projectors and interactive whiteboards; however, the school's overall ICT policy has left some departments with inadequate or no ICT facilities.
1.24 The Cavendish Learning Resources Centre, situated at the heart of the school and magnificently appointed, is an outstanding asset. Some of its facilities could and should be more widely used.
1.25 The majority of the buildings, accommodation and other facilities contribute greatly to the opportunities for learning. They are among the school's main assets, maintained well, evidently cared for, litter free, and set in attractive grounds augmented with strategically placed sculptures. They are used well to meet the needs of the pupils and to enhance the teaching and learning.
Links with Parents and the Community
1.26 The school has developed very good links with parents, who are frequently invited to join in the life of the school. The very good liaison between the housemasters, housemistress and parents and the headmaster's personal contact with pupils and their parents are highly valued by the parents. A very positive relationship with the local community has been built up, most notably through initiatives such as Service at School and the successful partnership with a local maintained school.
1.27 The school is a community where individuals care for each other and feel valued. Pupils take advantage of a broad range of opportunities through which they can develop their spiritual beliefs and moral code, although there is limited provision for this in the formal curriculum. The extended curriculum promotes moral, social and cultural awareness through an abundance of artistic, dramatic and musical activities. Both the boarding and the day houses contribute greatly to the ethos of the school and provide opportunities for personal development, for example, through the experience of communal living, or through accepting responsibility as a prefect.
1.28 A comprehensive network involving the housemasters and the housemistress, tutors, work tutors and subject teachers provides very good support and guidance for the pupils and contributes effectively to their education and personal development. A weakness of this otherwise excellent system is the insufficient number of female teachers in positions of responsibility to act as role models and to provide support for the girl pupils.
1.29 The responsibility for provision of advice on careers has recently changed hands and much development is proposed. Although what is happening now is satisfactory in preparing pupils for their decisions about careers and adult life, it is recognised as being only part of what will be provided in the longer term.
1.30 Appropriate procedures are in place to guard against bullying and to deal constructively with the problem when it arises. Effective measures are taken to promote the pupils' welfare. The school, within the limitations of an open site, provides a safe environment for both pupils and staff. Statutory requirements with regard to the checking of newly recruited staff and for the protection of children are fully complied with. The premises are generally well maintained in a safe condition.
1.31 No National Care Standards Team took part in the inspection.
1.32
The governance and management
are successful in ensuring that the school meets its aims, that education of
high quality is provided and that
Achievement and Quality in Activities
1.33 The range of activities available to pupils of both genders, and all ages and abilities, is broad and extensive. It is enjoyed by the vast majority of pupils, enriches significantly their educational experience and personal development and is greatly valued by their parents. A programme of numerous different sporting activities is offered, and many achieve an extremely high standard. Musical, dramatic and other cultural activities form an important part of the school's life and help to maintain the standards of excellence of life outside the classroom.
Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection
1.34 The most recent inspections of the school were by a team from the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference in October 1996 and an East Sussex County Council inspection of the boarding welfare standards in June 2001.
1.35 The key recommendations of the 1996 inspection have very largely been implemented, most notably the improvement of the library through the establishment of the Cavendish Learning Resources Centre and the provision of better accommodation for teaching science by the building of new laboratories. The two recommendations that have not yet been fully dealt with concern the curriculum and the accommodation for religious education, and both issues recur in this report.
1.36 The recommendations of the 2001 boarding welfare report either have been or are being fully implemented.
2.1 Although the school has no major weaknesses, it is invited to consider the following recommendations.
R1 Take steps to increase significantly the number of full-time female members of the teaching staff, including appointing some to positions of responsibility.
R2 Create more time in the curriculum in order to improve provision for the unexamined elements - religious education; personal, social and health education; the teaching of information and communications technology skills - that are important for the personal development of the pupils.
R3 Adopt a more open and inclusive approach to development planning in order that staff may feel fully involved in the process and able to share ownership of the outcome.
3.1
Founded as a boys' school in
1867,
3.2
Boys outnumber girls in the
ratio of 2 to 1, although the ratio is more evenly balanced (
3.3 The most important recent development was the move to full coeducation in 1995. The number of girls in the school has risen year on year and has led to the school growing by 15% during the last six years. Other recent developments have been the complete computer networking of the school site since 1997, the opening of the Cavendish Learning Resources Centre in 1998, the Le Brocq studio theatre in 2002 and the new twelve laboratory science centre also in 2002. A new design and technology centre is at present in the process of construction and is scheduled for completion in April 2003.
3.4 The present headmaster has been in post for nine years. During his time the school has accomplished the move to full coeducation whilst achieving steadily improving academic results, particularly at A-level, and has succeeded in retaining its distinctive boarding ethos.
3.5 GCSE
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Most recently completed Year 11 |
Average for the last three Year 11s |
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Boys |
Girls |
All |
Boys |
Girls |
All |
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Entered for 5+ subjects |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
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Achieved 5+ @ A* - C |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
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Achieved 5+ @ A* - G |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
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Average score per candidate* |
63.1 |
63.8 |
63.3 |
59.4 |
65.2 |
60.3 |
* Scoring is 8 for GCSE grade A*, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 for grades A – G.
3.6 A-level and AS
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Most recent Year |
Average for the last three Years |
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Boys |
Girls |
All |
Boys |
Girls |
All |
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Average score per candidate |
26.8 |
29.0 |
27.8 |
24.1 |
25.2 |
24.5 |
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Average score per subject entry |
7.37 |
8.08 |
7.65 |
7.40 |
8.03 |
7.61 |
Scoring is 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 for A-level grades A – E, and 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 for AS grades A to E.
3.7 Attendance for the academic year 2001 to 2002
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Authorised |
Unauthorised |
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Percentage absence |
3.16 |
Nil |
3.8 Exclusions Over the Previous 12 Months
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Temporary
exclusions |
Permanent
exclusions |
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15 |
5 |
3. Educational Standards Achieved by Pupils at the School
4.1
Standards of attainment at the
school are very good. In virtually all
lessons they are at least sound; in three-quarters they are good, very good and
occasionally excellent. Pupils are
achieving levels that are nearly always commensurate with their ages and
abilities and which are often well in advance of what would be expected of them,
as the extensive scrutiny of written work and the examination results confirm.
4.2
The school has a broad spread
of ability in its intake, as might be expected in a town school in which more
than half the pupils are boarders. The
Middle Years Information Service (MidYis) scores over the last five years
confirm this view of the intake - an average of 59% of pupils had scores below
the median for the independent school sample, whilst only 13.6% fell in band A
(the top quartile).
4.3
Standards achieved in public
examinations - particularly A-level - are very high and suggest that the school
is adding good value for many of its pupils, especially those of more modest
ability. The overall A-level results
consistently outperform by some margin the mean pass-rate achieved by
maintained selective schools nationally.
In the summer 2001 examinations the A to E pass-rate at
4.4
At GCSE results are sound and
comparable to, though a little below, the average in maintained selective
schools. In 2001 the A* to C pass-rate
was 93.6% with 42.7% achieving grades A or A*. The comparative figures for selective schools
nationally were 95% and 49.1%. By
comparison with maintained schools with less than 2% of pupils receiving free
school meals, the socio-economically advantaged group that is taken as the
appropriate benchmark for independent schools,