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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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Bolton School Girls’ Division |
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Full Name of the School |
Bolton School Girls’
Division |
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DfES Number |
3506015 |
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Address |
Chorley
New Road, BOLTON BL1 4PB |
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Telephone Number |
01204
840201 |
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Fax Number |
01204
434710 |
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E-mail Address |
info@girls.bolton.sch.uk |
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Name of Headteacher |
Miss
E. J. Panton |
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Chairman of Governors |
Sir
Alan Cockshaw |
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Age Range |
3
– 18 yrs |
Gender
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Mixed to age 7 Female from
7+ |
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Number of Pupils |
1270 |
Number
of Boarders |
Nil |
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Inspection Dates |
February
9th
- 13th 2004 |
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This inspection report follows the framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The inspection was carried out under the arrangements of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. It was also carried out under Section 163(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, under the provisions of which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accredited ISI as the body approved for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to ISC Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003. The
school must not quote the report selectively in the school prospectus or
other promotional literature. 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.
Their inspection of the premises is from an educational perspective
and does not include in-depth examination of the structural condition of the
school, its services or other physical features. |
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1.1 Bolton School Girls’ Division is a highly successful selective school with management and leadership of exceptional quality. The good teaching and very good learning, the commitment of the staff, the excellent, supportive and purposeful ethos and the strong philosophy of mutual respect, all lead to good academic attainment and progress in relation to pupils’ abilities. Overall, pupils achieve high standards. The very good relationships, the caring environment and the secure and happy atmosphere result in very good personal development. Opportunities and facilities for independent learning, study and research are welcomed by the pupils who become articulate and quietly confident young people. The pupils’ education is enhanced by the high quality of their surroundings although some classrooms and specialist areas are small for the size of the teaching groups.
1.2 Of the school’s many strengths, the following are the most important:
· The attainment and progress of the pupils are good in relation to their abilities and overall pupils achieve high standards.
· The quality of the teaching by the dedicated staff, of the curriculum and of assessment systems and procedures is good.
· The quality of the pupils’ learning and of their relationships with each other and with their teachers is very good; their behaviour is also very good.
· The quality of the personal development of the pupils is very good.
· The quality of the pastoral care, support and guidance given to the pupils is very good.
· The quality of the leadership and management is very good.
What the School Should Do Better
1.3 The school has no major weaknesses. The school is already aware of most aspects of the school’s provision where further improvements may be made. These include:
· The role of the head of department in the senior school does not include sufficient emphasis on monitoring of teaching.
· A policy is not completely in place to ensure that the extremes of the ability range are consistently catered for.
· More spacious accommodation is required for some areas and subjects.
Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects
1.4 Overall, the standards achieved by pupils in this selective school are high in relation to their ages and good in relation to their abilities. The majority of pupils are of above to well above average ability. Pupils, on the whole, make good progress in relation to their ages and abilities at each stage in the school. Their results in national tests at ages 7 and 11 are consistently well above the national average for broadly equivalent maintained primary schools.
1.5 Pupils’ performance in national tests at age 14 is broadly in line with the national average for maintained selective schools in economically advantaged areas. At age 16, results in public examinations at GCSE are consistently above the national average for maintained selective schools in economically advantaged areas which indicates good progress from 14 to 16 years. The three-year averages demonstrate consistent performance. In 2003, results in English, mathematics, science and modern foreign languages at GCSE were all above the national average for maintained selective schools. At A level, in each of the years from 2000 to 2003, overall results, points per subject scores, percentages of A and B grades and points per candidate scores have been well above the national averages for girls in maintained schools, and above the maintained selective school averages. In general, pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.
1.6 In the Foundation Stage, attainment is good overall. Almost all children under five will achieve, well before their fifth birthdays, the early learning goals in each of the six areas of learning specified nationally for five year-olds. In Years 1 to 6, in the work seen in lessons and in pupils’ books, attainment was at least in line with abilities and was good or very good in nearly nine-tenths of lessons observed. In the senior school, standards achieved by pupils in lessons were good overall in relation to their ages and abilities. Attainment was good or high in relation to abilities in three-quarters of lessons seen.
1.7 Pupils make good progress overall in relation to their abilities throughout the school. Progress in lessons varies according to the stage in the school and the subject. In the Foundation Stage, and in Years 1 and 2 progress was good overall and never less than sound. Good progress is made in all curriculum areas in Years 3 to 6. Very good reading skills enable pupils to find and use information and they communicate their thoughts and ideas clearly. In the senior school, progress is good or very good in nearly four-fifths of lessons. At each stage in the school, pupils put their skills and knowledge and their competence in literacy and numeracy to good use.
1.8 In Years 1 to 6, pupils experiencing difficulties receive well-targeted support from the class teacher or classroom assistants. Extension work and challenges for the most able are also provided. In the senior school, pupils who are less academic than the majority or have specific difficulties achieve standards above those that might be reasonably expected; they are given understanding help and make good progress in relation to their abilities. In most subjects, pupils of high ability are suitably extended academically and achieve appropriately high standards but, in a few subjects, they would benefit from more challenging work.
The Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour
1.9 The quality of the pupils’ attitudes to learning and of their personal development and behaviour is very good for their ages, abilities and aptitudes and highly conducive to the learning process. They are keen to learn and are highly motivated for success. They support each other very well and they listen carefully to their teachers and to each other; they carry out learning tasks very well. Considerable respect is shown for the values and beliefs of others. Behaviour about the school is very good and movement within it is orderly and controlled. Pupils are courteous, open and friendly.
1.10 Overall, the quality of teaching throughout the school is good. In five out of ten lessons observed the teaching was good, and it was very good in a further three out of ten, with little variation of standard between age groups. Teaching in a few lessons was excellent. The best teaching is supported by meticulous planning, staff expertise of a high order and co-operative relationships with pupils. Expectations are high, although sufficient attention is not always paid to the needs of the most and least able, especially in mixed ability teaching groups.
1.11 The average rate of attendance is good. The school has no unauthorised absences. Instructions for lateness and all related procedures are very clear and acted upon. Pupils mainly arrive punctually to school and to lessons although pupils who travel to school by coach may be late because of traffic problems. Attendance and admission registers are completed correctly and comply with statutory requirements. The systems in place for completing the registers and recording data are very good.
1.12 The overall quality of assessment and recording within the school is good. The systems for assessing and recording attainment and progress are efficient and thorough; they are well suited to the ages, needs and stages of development of the pupils. Assessment procedures and teachers’ marking are frequent, accurate and effective; although they are not consistent across the school, they are understood by the pupils.
1.13 The curriculum is good overall; it offers a broad and balanced general education across the full age and ability range and it is effectively planned to provide continuity and progression in learning. In Years 1 to 6, the curriculum is based on national curriculum guidelines and has been adapted to suit the needs of the pupils. The curriculum in the senior school is broadly based, well balanced and provides appropriately for the examination needs of pupils. At all ages, the curriculum contributes effectively to pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal attainment and development. A good range of extra-curricular activities, including sport, enhances the curriculum. In the sixth form especially, the curriculum enrichment programme provides valuable opportunities to enhance pupils’ personal development.
Teaching and Non-teaching Staff
1.14 The staff are well qualified and experienced for the roles they are required to undertake and are effectively deployed. Overall, the number of the teaching and non-teaching staff is sufficient and meets the requirements of the curriculum throughout the school. Staffing ratios for children under five are appropriate in relation to current legislation and guidance. Arrangements for the deployment of teaching and non-teaching staff are good. Policies and procedures for induction, appraisal, training and professional development are all well in place and contribute to a well-managed and effective staff. Procedures for the appointment of staff and for the induction of newly-qualified teachers (NQTs) meet regulatory requirements.
1.15 Resources, including those for ICT, are very good in the senior school and good in the junior school, the infant school and the nursery. They are plentiful, varied and, in most areas, are readily available to support teaching, learning, study and recreation. Funding for departmental resources is good.
1.16 The provision for ICT is generous; the range, availability and quality of ICT resources are very good in the senior school and good from the nursery through to Year 6. The latest addition of a whole school intranet is a commendable innovative resource. Other resources are wide and varied and of good quality.
1.17 Library facilities in the infant school are sound and, in the junior school, are good; they offer appropriate support to the curriculum and are effectively used. The stock is generally well organised and displayed. In the senior school, within the constraints imposed by space, library facilities are good and very effectively used.
1.18 The premises and accommodation are of good quality and support the curriculum well. Purpose-built to a high specification in the 1920s, the imposing main building has been well cared for and provides very suitable accommodation for the ages and abilities of the girls. All subjects have designated teaching areas or specialist facilities. The more recent additions of a splendid Arts and Conference Centre, Sports Hall and Swimming Pool and a purpose-built day nursery, the extensive grounds and playing fields including the Leverhulme Pavilion, and a field centre at Patterdale Hall in the Lake District, all enhance the pupils’ opportunities and also contribute significantly to the education, personal development, behaviour and welfare of the pupils. The Girls’ Division shares an historic site with the adjacent Boys’ Division.
Links with Parents and the Community
1.19 The school has good links with parents and very good links with the local and wider community. Parents are provided with a good range and depth of information, both about the broader life of the school and about their children’s work and progress. Opportunities for parents to be involved in the life of the school are good. Parents’ responses to the questionnaire were extremely positive and supportive. The school’s involvement in the local and wider community is very good, with numerous examples of ways in which pupils help charitable organisations and people less fortunate than themselves at home and abroad, all of which contribute significantly to the caring ethos of the school.
1.20
The aim of the school to
support the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of its pupils at
every stage is very well fulfilled and the personal development of the pupils
is a definite strength. A sense of community
and benevolent concern for the individual are evident, fostered chiefly by the
example set by the dedicated staff, and especially by the management style of
the headmistress. The school is based on
non-denominational principles and recognises the value of cultural and
religious diversity. Pupils are very
considerate, also understanding and respectful of the differing values in
society. Pupils leave as balanced and
confident young women, aware of the importance of compassion, truth and honour.
1.21 The school looks after its pupils very well. Very effective systems of pastoral support and guidance complement the opportunities for personal development and are apparent at all stages. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good. Staff are approachable and pupils of all ages feel secure, happy and confident in a caring environment. The comprehensive policies in place to promote welfare, health and safety are very good. Careers education and guidance are of high quality and support pupils’ decision-making about their future.
1.22 The school benefits from very good, supportive leadership and management. The governors and the senior management of the school work hard together to ensure that the school’s aims are met, that a suitable quality of education is provided and that secure financial planning is in place to provide the resources required for teaching and learning, both now and in the future. The arrangements for governing and management provide a very suitable framework for the educational direction of the school and its future development; virtually all statutory requirements are met.
Achievement and Quality in Activities
1.23
The school offers a wide range
of activities each
week; they are very suitable for the ages and abilities
of the pupils. The level of pupil
participation and achievement is very good, with sports teams gaining
significant success at district, regional and national levels. Music and drama performance are also
acknowledged as major areas of strength in the school. In addition, the subject-based and special interest activities
contribute to the good personal development of the pupils.
Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection
Independent Schools Joint
Council Inspection, 2nd
to
1.24 The recommendations of the previous report have been successfully acted upon. Significant development planning now takes place at school and departmental level, which is supported by details of time-scales for action. Additional rooms were made available to the library. Suites of rooms were arranged for departments to the greatest extent possible. Increased provision for art and ICT in the senior school and for art and technology in the junior school has been made. The office of the headmistress’s secretary is now adjacent to that of the headmistress. Playground and toilet provision in Beech House has been improved. The year groups in the infant and junior departments are now logically divided. A revised appraisal scheme is well in place.
Nursery Inspection OFSTED,
1.25 The most recent OFSTED Nursery inspection reported no significant weaknesses.
Nursery Inspection SSD/OFSTED,
1.26 No significant weaknesses were reported.
Compliance with the Regulations for Registration
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DfES Standard |
Does the school meet the regulatory requirements? |
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1. |
Quality of education: |
1.(2) Curriculum |
Yes |
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1.(3)-(5) Teaching |
Yes |
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2. |
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils |
Yes |
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3. |
Welfare, health and safety of pupils |
Yes |
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4. |
Suitability of proprietors and staff |
Yes |
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5. |
Premises and accommodation |
It meets almost all of the requirements |
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6. |
Provision of information |
Yes |
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7. |
Manner in which complaints are to be handled |
Yes |
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Actions Required for Compliance with the Regulatory Requirements
1.27 In order to meet all the requirements, the school must:
(1) Attend to, by sound-proofing or time-tabling, the few areas where ICT, PE and music activities may cause disturbance to others.
1.28 In addition to the actions set out above, the school is asked to address any issues highlighted in What the School Should Do Better. These are set out as recommendations for the school in Section 2 of the report.
2.1 The body of the report contains a number of recommendations for the school to consider in its next stage of development. The main recommendations are listed below.
R1 Develop the new teaching and learning policy to strengthen teaching further by:
· extending the role of the head of department in the senior school to include greater emphasis on monitoring day-to-day teaching,
· extending the role of the subject co-ordinators in the infant and junior schools.
R2 Develop further the policy to ensure that the extremes of the ability range are consistently catered for, in the senior school in particular.
R3 Consider ways in which more space can be provided for *
· ICT across the whole school to allow greater access for class groups,
· science, especially in the junior school,
· music, art and technology, especially in the senior school,
· the library in the senior school.
2.2 Please note: when the new junior and infant schools’ building project is completed in 2006, more space will become available to the senior school and the problems in the third recommendation above will be solved.
3.1 Bolton School Girls’ Division is a day school for girls aged from three to eighteen years of age and boys from three to seven years of age. It was founded in 1877 on non-denominational principles; it was jointly endowed with Bolton Grammar School for Boys in 1913 by Viscount Leverhulme on condition that the schools should be equal partners and known as Bolton School (Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions). The two schools or divisions work as separately managed but linked institutions under the same governing body and within the same Foundation, the executive committee of which is under the overall direction of the headmistress of the Girls’ Division. The schools share a magnificent building set in spacious grounds on the outskirts of town; other more recent facilities include an impressive arts centre and sports hall.
3.2 At the time of the pre-inspection visit, the Girls’ Division had 1225 pupils on roll plus the mixed nursery of 47 boys and 47 girls of whom 45 were between three and four years old; the mixed infant school, known as Beech House, had a total of 205 pupils, 85 boys and 120 girls, with 66 pupils in the Reception class and 139 in Years 1 and 2; the junior school had 191 girls in Years 3 to 6; the senior school had 829 girls in Years 7 to 13, of whom 230 were in the sixth form. The school is selective; assessments indicate that ability levels are above to well above the national average. Children entering the infant school are given informal tasks and assessments. For entry into Year 3, the junior school, pupils are given formal assessment tests in English, mathematics and reasoning and also have an interview. All senior school pupils are selected on the basis of an entrance test in English, mathematics and verbal reasoning, an interview and references; 70 per cent of standardised test scores at this stage are between 115 and 135, where the national average is 100. The majority of junior school pupils proceed to the senior school where they form less than half the year group. For entry to the sixth form, pupils require a minimum of six good passes at GCSE, with high grades expected in subjects to be studied at AS and A level. Approximately two per cent of pupils have additional support for various learning difficulties; no pupils have statements of special educational needs. About 15 per cent of pupils come from ethnic groups other than English; 7 per cent have English as an additional language but are confident and fluent in its use; only eight pupils receive regular specialist help. Pupils come from a wide area including the northern sector of the Greater Manchester conurbation, mid- and south Lancashire and north Cheshire. Generally they come from a range of business and professional backgrounds.
3.3 About 10 per cent of pupils have assistance with fees, mainly from Foundation grants and bursaries provided by the school. The year 2003/2004 is the final year of the assisted places scheme; 22 Year 13 pupils receive this and a further 24 have a local authority grant. Approximately 40 children receive the nursery Early Years grant. The majority of senior school pupils continue into the sixth form and subsequently enter higher education. Over the past three years, 16 per cent of Year 11 pupils, on average, have left after their GCSE course; all have gone into further education.
3.4 The school aims to enable pupils in each year group to reach the highest standards in their personal and academic development. It seeks to encourage pupils to learn for themselves, stimulated by lively and interesting teaching across a broad and balanced curriculum which incorporates the national curriculum. It places a particular emphasis on the care and pastoral support of its pupils, welcoming and valuing pupils from other cultures and faiths.
3.5 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school. The year group nomenclature used by the school and its National Curriculum (NC) equivalence are shown in the following table:
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School |
NC |
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School |
NC |
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Caterpillar, Butterfly |
Nursery |
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Y7 |
Y7 |
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Reception |
R |
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Y8 |
Y8 |
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Y1 |
Y1 |
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Y9 |
Y9 |
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Y2 |
Y2 |
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Y10 |
Y10 |
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Y3 |
Y3 |
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Y11 |
Y11 |
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Y4 |
Y4 |
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LVI |
Y12 |
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Y5 |
Y5 |