INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE

INSPECTION REPORT ON

Bancroft’s School

 

Full Name of the School

Bancroft’s School

DfES Number

317/6063

Registered Charity Number

1068532

Address

Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0RF

Telephone Number

0208 505 4821

Fax Number

0208 559 0032

Email Address

headmaster@bancrofts.essex.sch.uk

Headmaster

Dr Peter R. Scott

Chairman of Governors

Major General A. W. Lyons, CBE

Age Range

7 to 18 years

Gender

Male and female

Inspection Dates

6th to 9th February, 2006

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 162A(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, as amended by the Education Act 2005, 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 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.

1.              INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the School

1.1            Bancroft’s School aims to provide all its pupils with a first-rate academic education and to offer them a rich variety of opportunities outside the classroom.  The prospectus states that boys and girls are encouraged to be inquisitive and enthusiastic in their studies, self motivated and self confident, and to learn to live and work with others with mutual tolerance and respect.  It claims that what binds Bancroftians together is high ability, academic ambition, and the desire to develop their talents over a wide range of experience.

1.2            Founded in 1737 as a small boys’ school in the Mile End Road, the school moved to its present location in Woodford in 1889 and is today a coeducational school with nearly a thousand pupils aged between 7 and 18.  The main school buildings have retained their architectural integrity and form an attractive and imposing quadrangle, opening on one side to playing fields, beyond which the preparatory school occupies its own self-contained building.  Throughout its history Bancroft’s has benefited from the support of the Worshipful Company of Drapers, who provide half the members of the governing body.

1.3            The school has just completed a major building project which has provided better dining facilities, a new sixth-form centre and classrooms to house the history department.  Work is in progress to provide a sports hall before the end of the year.  Other significant changes since the last inspection have been the refurbishment of the music school and the development of the curriculum, especially in the sixth form with the introduction of sports science and critical thinking as examination courses.

1.4            At the time of the inspection there were 942 pupils in the school, 493 boys and 449 girls.  Of these 200, 92 boys and 108 girls, aged from 7 to 11, were in the preparatory school; the remaining 742, aged 11 to 18, were in the senior school with 210, 103 boys and 107 girls, in the sixth form.

1.5            Scores in standardised tests taken on entry to the preparatory school and those taken at age 11 indicate that the average ability of pupils in the school is well above the national average, with virtually all being in the top quarter of the national ability range.  Where pupils are performing in line with their abilities, their results are expected to be well above the national average, with senior school pupils achieving results in line with those achieved in maintained selective schools.

1.6            Most pupils are admitted at one of four ages: 7, 11, 13 or 16.  Of these the entries at ages 7 and 11 are by far the largest.  Admission at all ages is by competitive examination, interview and school report; the examination at age 7 being less formal than those at subsequent stages.  Those admitted at age 7 have guaranteed entry to the senior school.  No pupil has a statement of special educational need.  The school has identified 39 pupils in the senior school and none in the preparatory school as being in need of particular learning support.  Twelve pupils, 4 in the senior school and 8 in the preparatory school, do not have English as their principal language.  The school contains pupils of a wide range of social, economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds.  Other than Europeans, those of Asian origin constitute the largest group with approximately 13% of the school population being of Indian origin, and a similar number being of other Asian or mixed origin.

1.7            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 tables.

Preparatory School

 

 

School

NC name

Alphas

Year 3

Betas

Year 4

Prep 1

Year 5

Prep 2

Year 6

Senior School

 

 

School

NC name

Third Form

Year 7

Remove

Year 8

Lower Fourth

Year 9

Upper Fourth

Year 10

Fifth Form

Year 11

Lower Sixth

Year 12

Upper Sixth

Year 13

2.              THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The Educational Experience Provided

2.1            The school successfully meets its aim of providing a highly academic, coeducational, all-round education.  In both preparatory and senior schools, the academic programme is well balanced by the strong emphasis on extra-curricular activities.  The wide range of opportunities provided is conducive to enabling all pupils to flourish.  Pupils feel well supported by teachers, who give freely of their time and talents and are fully committed to the school’s aims and ethos.  Pupils are confident and enthusiastic advocates of their school.  They particularly value the tolerance and mutual understanding of each other's values and cultures that permeate school life.  Since the last inspection, significant building has enhanced the school’s provision, especially for the sixth form, and the role of special educational needs coordinator has been developed.  However, provision for pupils needing additional support for particular learning or linguistic difficulties remains insufficiently developed, particularly in the senior school, where the school’s current policy is that able pupils can be adequately supported in normal lessons by teachers alerted to their needs.  The school’s overall provision produces enthusiastic young adults, fully equipped and eager to face life beyond school.

In the Preparatory School

2.2            Pupils in the preparatory school receive a good and broadly based education.  The school fulfils its stated aims by providing a curriculum that enables pupils to acquire a wide range of knowledge and skills, enabling their linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, aesthetic and creative development, and resulting in confident, articulate young people with good literacy and numeracy skills.  Since the last inspection, information and communication technology (ICT) and art have become successful and lively features of the curriculum and are popular with the pupils.  Although design and technology is not included in the weekly timetable, a limited but good quality opportunity for pupils to develop their technology skills is provided in a series of one-day workshops at the end of the summer term.

2.3            To complement the formal curriculum, a comprehensive range of activities is provided that is heavily subscribed to in lunch breaks and after school.  Most are available to all pupils.  They include a thriving cub pack.  Pupils’ experience is further enriched by the numerous local sporting events in which the school participates, as well as by national competitions in handwriting, poetry, mathematics and general knowledge and by the annual ski trip.

2.4            Close liaison between staff in the two parts of the school, and careful analysis of the standards achieved in the entrance examinations to the senior school, ensure a smooth transition between Years 6 and 7.  The curriculum is carefully planned throughout so that skills and knowledge are developed logically.  Good quality schemes of work and policy documents have been written for each subject, together with long- and medium-term plans.  Subject coordinators revise these documents regularly.  For example, the ICT policy has recently been revised to include cross-curricular links and the use of resources.

2.5            Although the school has formally identified no pupils in the preparatory school as being in need of particular learning support, support for pupils who have English language or other learning needs is available, following referral from a class teacher, and appropriate procedures are established for those requiring specialist assessment.  No similar procedures exist to identify the gifted or talented, and no evidence was seen of special provision being made for these pupils in the lessons observed or work scrutinised.  However, pupils in Year 6 are taught in groups selected by ability for mathematics and English, enabling teachers to adapt their lessons to suit the ability of pupils in each group.

In the Senior School

2.6            The senior school’s wide curriculum and extensive programme of extra-curricular activities give pupils access to a far-reaching combination of experiences, which provide a first-rate academic education and a rich variety of opportunities for personal development, in line with the school’s aims.

2.7            The senior school is very successful at promoting linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and creative, development.  The breadth of study is wide ranging, although choice for General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and General Certificate of Education at Advanced level (A-level) examinations is restricted to predominantly traditional subjects.  Pupils are articulate, responsive to the views of others, and numerate.  Many pupils sit some GCSE examinations early, enabling the more able to be stretched and challenged to progress more rapidly.

2.8            The school has a vibrant extra-curricular life and pupils are encouraged to involve themselves in a variety of activities.  Some show considerable initiative, with squash being run and coached by a Year 12 student, and some senior pupils offering guitar lessons to younger boys and girls.  Extra-curricular sport, music and drama thrive, providing opportunities for all, whatever their talent.  Many organised trips and expeditions enrich pupils’ experience by, for example, enabling the musicians to perform at the Drapers’ Hall or the rugby players to compete in New Zealand.

2.9            Whatever their ultimate destination, pupils are carefully prepared and advised.  The programme of careers advice, still developing, is much valued by pupils.  The quality of the higher education advice available is good.

2.10         In general, the curriculum provides well for all pupils.  However, opportunities for reflecting on philosophical and spiritual matters are limited beyond the end of Year 9, when formal lessons in religious education cease except for those pupils who choose the subject for GCSE or A-level study.  The status, provision and resourcing of drama, both as a curricular and an extra-curricular activity, is currently under review.  Some high quality drama, including house drama, occurs and an enhanced provision would be welcomed by both parents and pupils.  Although the current curriculum is successful, its development and planning is reactive and lacks regular review within the context of a whole-school development plan.

2.11         Pupils are screened on entry to the senior school to identify those with particular learning needs; however, the subsequent provision made for such pupils is inadequate.  The current policy emphasises the provision of any necessary support by teachers within lessons.  In practice such support is sporadic and lacks a coherent and consistent approach.  Too much reliance is placed on bright pupils learning to cope.

In the Whole School

2.12         The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].

Pupils’ Learning and Achievements

2.13         Pupils achieve high standards in public examinations and extra-curricular activities and are well grounded in knowledge, skill and understanding of their academic subjects.  They are enthusiastic about and enjoy their studies and activities, and they live and learn together with mutual tolerance and respect.  Most, as was identified at the time of the last inspection, are highly motivated, self-confident learners who express their ideas fluently both in oral and written work; some reflect the school’s aim to encourage inquisitive learners and have well-developed independent learning skills.

In the Preparatory School

2.14         The school successfully realizes its aim of achieving high standards for able pupils.  Pupils leave the preparatory school with strong foundations in both the subjects and the many activities provided.  High standards of numeracy and very high standards of literacy are reached throughout the school.  Many pupils display good creative ability, as demonstrated in their English writing, in art and in history.  On a number of occasions, for example in a personal, social and health education (PSHE) lesson, they demonstrated their ability to respond critically during discussions.

2.15         Boys and girls achieve similarly high standards, and standards of achievement are broadly similar across the different subjects of the curriculum.  Unexpectedly little difference occurs, however, between the overall attainment of the able and most able pupils, indicating scope, of which the school is aware, for the most able to be extended even further in most subjects if suitably challenged by teachers with specialist subject expertise.  This occurs, for example, in sport and music.

2.16         Results in national tests in English, mathematics and science at age 11 are high relative to pupils’ abilities, and far above the averages achieved nationally in all maintained schools.  Each year a significant number of pupils achieve considerable success in activities.  A large number, for example, are successful in music and drama performance examinations.

2.17         The school has a good reputation for the calibre of its sports teams and pupils are successful in numerous events outside the school.  For example, in 2005 a Year 6 boy represented Essex in the under-11 county cricket team and a second played for the ‘B’ team; the girls’ under-11 netball team won the Redbridge league, the Essex Metropolitan league and the Redbridge and Chigwell rallies; and the boys’ swimming team won the Redbridge local schools’ gala, with two boys going on to compete at national level.

2.18         Pupils develop good skills and attitudes.  They are highly and consistently articulate.  They listen effectively to their teachers and to each other.  They read intelligently and can often be found maturely selecting a book from the library in break time; and they write fluently in their notebooks and in their creative writing books.

2.19         Literacy skills are excellent throughout the school.  Numeracy skills are also high.  Pupils apply their skills well both in mathematics lessons and elsewhere.  Pupils in Year 6, for instance, effectively calculated the average quantity of sugar required to make a saturated solution with a given quantity of water from their experimental results.

2.20         Pupils develop good ICT skills during lessons in this subject and use these skills well in some other subjects.  For example, pupils in Year 3 were able, without help, to add data from a science experiment into a spreadsheet which they then converted into a line graph, while pupils in Year 5 proudly demonstrated their interactive slide presentations on work that they had done on the earth in space.  French and English classes both use word processing to produce final drafts of written work, and good use is made of subject-specific software in Years 5 and 6 in French.  In some subjects, however, only limited use is made of ICT.

2.21         When pupils have cause to reason and argue a case in their lessons, they do so effectively.  They answer questions willingly and with conviction, and think and speak for themselves.  In Year 6 science notebooks, for example, pupils evaluated results for a practical experiment, with some noting that their readings were almost certainly incorrect.

2.22         Although some notes are copied, in Years 5 and 6 notes are frequently written by the pupils themselves.  Pupils organise their work neatly and record data in carefully constructed tables.  Some books and wall displays show good independent learning by pupils, who have clearly enjoyed the challenge of finding information for themselves.

2.23         Pupils are good at working with each other.  Whether positioning gymnastics apparatus for a particular activity or working in small groups to prepare for a performance, boys and girls collaborate well with each other, completing tasks with a minimum of fuss.  Lessons start promptly and pupils arrive and prepare for a lesson clearly expecting to settle and to learn.  Concentration levels are very high and most pupils clearly derive considerable enjoyment from their work and activities.

In the Senior School

2.24         Pupils in the senior school are effective and well-motivated learners who achieve well in relation to their abilities, both in their academic work and in a wide range of sports and activities.  High standards of numeracy and literacy are achieved, and the work of individual pupils reveals good levels of knowledge, skills and the ability to think both critically and creatively.  Pupils’ books, for example, reveal excellent creative writing skills.

2.25         Results at GCSE over the three years 2001 to 2004 are high relative to pupils’ abilities and well above the averages achieved nationally in maintained selective schools.  At A level over the same period, results are good in relation to pupils’ abilities, above the averages achieved nationally in maintained selective schools.  The school is aware that results at A level, whilst good, are not as high as GCSE results indicate that they could be.  Inspectors concluded that this is because teaching at sixth-form level is often focused on securing sound grades and insufficiently adventurous to inspire the most able to reach their full potential.

2.26         Girls achieve better than boys at GCSE, in line with national trends, but in the sixth form boys and girls achieve broadly similar standards, again in line with national trends.  Almost all subjects of the curriculum achieve GCSE results that are above the national average in maintained selective schools, with German and science being the furthest above.  The exception is design and technology, for which results are in line with those in selective schools.  A-level results in most subjects are above those achieved in selective schools.  In German and business studies they are well above, whilst in art, biology, chemistry, French, mathematics and religious studies they are in line with those in selective schools.  Statistical analysis of the progress made by pupils from Year 7 to GCSE confirms the positive progress made by pupils in all subjects.

2.27         The school can boast significant achievements by both individuals and groups of pupils in a broad range of sports and activities.  Eighteen pupils completed the Duke of Edinburgh gold award in 2005, about 20 participate in the Engineering Education Scheme each year – making the school contingent consistently one of the largest of any school in the country, 3 boys played rugby for England at under-16 or under-18 level and one athlete represented England at the Commonwealth Youth Games.  Many other pupils experienced success through participation in school teams, the combined cadet force, mathematics and physics Olympiads or by helping to raise over £20,000 for charity last year.  Two pupils have gained Arkwright engineering and technology scholarships in the last three years.

2.28         Pupils develop the essential skills and attitudes for work and study.  They are articulate, listen effectively, read intelligently and write fluently.  Pupils apply mathematics and mathematical concepts effectively.  Their use of ICT is variable, with younger pupils more confident than some of the older ones, reflecting the school’s improved provision of ICT since the last inspection.  They reason and argue cogently and organize their notes and exercises exceptionally well.  They study effectively both on their own and cooperatively.  They come to lessons promptly and expecting to work.  They are very good learners whose purposeful approach is conducive to high achievement, satisfaction and enjoyment.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils

2.29         The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is outstanding throughout the school.  The school is highly successful in promoting its values of tolerance and mutual respect, and the excellent quality of relationships at all levels within the community supports this ethos, as was reported to be particularly notable at the time of the last inspection.  Pupils exhibit confidence, self-awareness and open-mindedness, and clearly understand the needs of others and respond to them.  They have a highly developed sense of right and wrong and are able to discuss ethical issues with knowledge and insight.  The varied cultures and faiths within the school coexist very successfully.

In the Preparatory School

2.30         The spiritual development of pupils in the preparatory school is very strong.  Boys and girls from different cultural and religious backgrounds show great self-confidence and self-esteem as well as a considerable degree of self-knowledge.  Religious education lessons and school and house assemblies reinforce this development strongly, as do a host of visits out-of-school, including to a diverse range of places of worship.  The school is highly successful in enabling its pupils to reflect on the meaning and purpose of life in a context that evidently values and respects the beliefs and opinions of other people.

2.31         Pupils clearly know the difference between right and wrong and the importance of making choices, and their very good understanding of moral issues and respect for the law are carefully nurtured through the PSHE programme.  They are well aware of the simple, but good and very straightforward, school rules which are displayed in corridors and in some classrooms.  They respect them and understand that they exist for their own benefit.  By being involved in raising money for charities, pupils clearly demonstrate well-developed understanding of their obligations to one another as well as to those who are less fortunate than themselves.

2.32         The school provides very good opportunities for pupils to learn to play their part in the community.  Boys and girls are able to raise and to solve issues through ‘circle time’, when they discuss matters concerning school life with their teacher, and the school council, and they can give examples of cases when their concerns have led to change.  They appreciate that their ideas are taken seriously and sometimes put into effect.  They respond well to opportunities to take responsibility, such as being a monitor, a buddy or a guardian angel.  The PSHE programme, which contains elements of citizenship, including knowledge of public institutions and services in England, contributes effectively to their good understanding of how human society functions.

2.33         Cultural development is very strong.  Pupils show excellent understanding of the diversity of their harmonious community and the world in which they live, and are genuinely respectful of the different cultural heritages that they encounter at school.  The school is careful to include experiences of the music, art and literature of many cultures in its life.

In the Senior School

2.34         Pupils in the senior school continue to develop very effectively in their spiritual awareness, in self-knowledge, self-worth and self-confidence.  This development is strongly supported and promoted by the work of the chaplaincy, which actively encourages experience of a variety of styles of worship in chapel: Taizé chants being used, for example, during the week of the inspection.  The pupils are very tolerant of the faith, personal beliefs and religious observance of other people, an ethos that is powerfully promoted by the religious studies lessons that all pupils receive up to the end of Year 9, in which knowledge and understanding of different faiths and practices are carefully nurtured.  However, such opportunities for pupils to discuss their emerging ideas and philosophies in a formal setting do not exist after Year 9 except for those pupils who choose the subject for GCSE or A level, an issue that was raised at the time of the last inspection, particularly with respect to the sixth form.  The number of pupils choosing to continue religious studies for GCSE and A level has increased markedly since the last inspection, although such pupils are a minority.

2.35         Pupils have a strong moral sense and accept the importance of personal responsibility for ethical decision making.  All ages are able to distinguish right from wrong, and appreciate the need to respect both the rules of the school community and the law of the land.  Very good opportunities are available to air moral issues in class discussion through the PSHE programme, and in other lessons, such as geography, where moral issues like caring for the environment arise.  Such issues are often effectively highlighted in assemblies and tutor meetings.  Pupils responding to the pre-inspection questionnaire accepted that sanctions in the school are fair.

2.36         The pupils have a huge sense of social awareness, take responsibility for their own behaviour, and contribute to community life with enthusiasm.  They have very good empathy for the needs of others.  They develop into confident young people through opportunities for cooperative work, and in the initiatives for leadership, such as instructing in the cadet force, participating in the school council or being a prefect.  A well-planned PSHE programme teaches them about public institutions and services in England and promotes informed awareness of social issues beyond school, such as interpersonal relationships, marriage and divorce, and alcohol and drug dependency.

2.37         Cultural diversity is positively embraced and is an essential part of the make-up of the school.  Pupils relate very well to each other, regardless of cultural differences, in a comfortable coeducational environment.  The tolerance, mutual respect and understanding of their own and other cultural influences are significant features of the school.  Appreciation of European culture is actively promoted through modern languages and the humanities.  Pupils are very aware and appreciative of a rich variety of cultural traditions in religious studies, history and art.

In the Whole School

2.38         The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].

The Quality of Teaching (including Assessment)

2.39         Overall, teaching is effective in enabling pupils of all abilities to make good progress and to achieve high standards, in line with the school’s aims.  Although some teaching is outstanding, and none is less than satisfactory, a significant proportion is sound, allowing able pupils to learn and achieve well but often missing the opportunity to challenge the most able.  At the time of the last inspection, the teaching was judged to be predominantly good but a proportion was unsatisfactory.  No teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory in either part of the school during this inspection.  However, capable teaching is insufficiently adapted to meet the needs of pupils with particular learning needs and the school is not aware enough of this, particularly in the senior school, where the policy for such pupils is to support them in class by adapting teaching to match their needs.

In the Preparatory School

2.40         Teaching in the preparatory school is always satisfactory or better.  In the first half of the inspection most teaching seen was satisfactory but as teachers became more confident the quality of teaching was good, and occasionally excellent.  Teaching is effective in enabling pupils to acquire new knowledge.  Teachers encourage their pupils to apply themselves purposefully to their work and some independent learning is promoted; pupils in Year 6, for example, researched their own information on specific decades as part of their history studies.

2.41         Lesson objectives are well planned and clearly stated, with useful references to prior learning and next steps.  A good variety of teaching methods is used within each subject.  The pace of lessons varies.  Many are briskly taught, with well-used plenary and summary sessions; other lessons lack sufficient pace and pupils make the prescribed tasks fill the time available.

2.42         Teaching is not often adapted to meet the particular needs of individual pupils by, for example, setting different tasks for pupils of differing ability or with special needs.  A small number of pupils, identified by class teachers as having particular learning or linguistic needs, receive help from a support teacher.  The aim is to move pupils back into mainstream lessons as soon as possible.  The amount of support available for such pupils is limited, any serious problems being referred for outside specialist help.

2.43         Teachers’ own knowledge of their subject is generally sound but, with the range and depth of the curriculum, particularly in Years 5 and 6, occasions arise when specialist subjects would benefit from a teacher with specialist knowledge and enthusiasm to challenge and inspire the most able pupils, and the school is aware of this.

2.44         Resources are plentiful and well used in all areas of the curriculum.  ICT resources are particularly good for the size of the school and are used extensively for cross-curricular work, as well as for teaching ICT skills.

2.45         Pupils’ work is regularly marked.  The quality of marking is uneven, with some constructive comments but too little evidence of targets to improve performance, except on the termly grade cards and reports.  End-of-module tests are given in some subjects, and marks for these and for weekly tests in spelling and mental arithmetic, are entered into grade books to encourage progress.

2.46         Standardised tests taken by all pupils during the year after entry provide teachers with an important reference point for monitoring under-achievement and predicting future attainment.  Attainment tests taken each year enable comparison with national levels of achievement.  The results of the senior school entrance examination taken in Year 6 are a further useful indicator of strengths and areas for improvement in teaching.

2.47         Teachers expect pupils to behave responsibly and to work hard and give them every encouragement to do so.  Such expectations are fulfilled, creating a very positive learning environment in the preparatory school in which pupils thrive intellectually.

In the Senior School

2.48         The quality of teaching in the senior school is good; some is outstanding and none is unsatisfactory, although a sizeable portion is merely satisfactory.  Teachers are hard working, committed, and help to create a positive learning environment, which enables pupils to become effective learners and high achievers.  Pupils requiring support for particular learning or linguistic needs are identified by the school, although only a few minor support measures are provided.  Marking is regular and generally effective, although inconsistencies in assessment within and between departments, identified at the time of the last inspection, persist.

2.49         Teaching is effective in enabling pupils of all ages and abilities to acquire new knowledge and develop skills.  Standards achieved in the sixth form are good, although not as good as high GCSE grades might predict, indicating that too much of the teaching at this level is focused on securing satisfactory examination grades rather than risking more challenging and inspirational teaching styles in the sixth form to gain rewards in terms of even higher standards.

2.50         Since the last inspection, the role of coordinator of special needs has been developed.  Pupils with these needs are identified and teachers are given general guidelines about how to support them in the context of their lessons.  The school policy is that able pupils do not need additional support outside lessons.  However, little evidence was seen during the inspection, either in lessons or in pupils’ written work, of teachers adapting work to meet pupils’ particular needs.  No objective evaluation of the progress made by these pupils at different stages has been conducted to check whether their progress is in line with that of other pupils and that the assumption that able pupils will cope without specialist support is accurate.

2.51         Teaching encourages pupils to take a pride in their achievements and the presentation of their work.  In many lessons, pupils are helped to be investigative and independent learners, in line with school aims.  Teaching is often well planned and well paced, with good use of time.  However, in some lessons, approaches to teaching are less varied with a restricted range of activities.

2.52         Teachers know their pupils very well.  The atmosphere in lessons is supportive, and pupils are confident in expressing opinions.  Teachers are knowledgeable.  They have access to a good quality, quantity and range of resources, which are mostly used well.  ICT is frequently and effectively used to enhance teaching in most departments, although in some restricted access to computers in lessons inhibits their use.

2.53         The lack of a school policy for assessment and marking leads to inconsistencies of approach by departments, which were identified at the time of the last inspection.  Frequent, helpful marking which identifies strengths and weaknesses and suggests strategies to improve performance is the good practice in some departments.  Some departments, such as geography, make effective use of pupil self-assessment and individual target setting.  In other departments, marking is more variable, sometimes cursory, and although work is corrected, corrections are not followed up by pupils.

2.54         All pupils take standardised ability tests on entry to Year 7.  The results of these tests, together with the twice termly grades, are used effectively by staff to monitor pupils’ progress.  In the sixth form, baseline grades are used to monitor progress against potential and promote achievement.

2.55         Teaching encourages pupils to behave responsibly, to take charge of their own learning and to develop good learning attitudes and skills.

2.56         The school meets the regulatory requirements for teaching [Standard 1].

3.              THE QUALITY OF CARE AND RELATIONSHIPS

The Quality of Pastoral Care, and the Welfare, Health and Safety of Pupils

3.1            The quality of the pastoral care throughout the school ensures that pupils are well supported and looked after.  The measures taken to safeguard their welfare, health and safety are thorough and effective.  The structures, policies and procedures established to support and secure the well being of pupils are well thought out and efficiently applied.  Pastoral care was judged to be good at the time of the last inspection and it remains so, enabling the development of self confidence that is one of the aims of the school.

In the Preparatory School

3.2            Pupils in the preparatory school are well cared for.  They feel well supported in and out of the classroom and say that they are treated fairly.  Pupils trust their teachers, who take their pastoral duties seriously.  The staff handbook gives clear guidance on this role and teachers are well supported by the management structure in fulfilling this part of their function.  The good relationship between pupils and staff is based on mutual trust and respect.

3.3            Pupils are familiar with school procedures and clear about what they should do if they have concerns.  Measures to promote good and responsible behaviour are clear, and focus on encouragement and positive reinforcement rather than punishment.  Pupils respond very well to the extensive range of rewards such as stickers, house points, certificates, privileges and the head’s highly esteemed ‘curly wurlies’.

3.4            The anti-bullying policy operates effectively.  Pupils and parents say that bullying rarely occurs, but that should they encounter it, pupils are aware of the action they should take and are confident that the matter would be sensitively and effectively resolved.

3.5            The general provision for the welfare, health and safety of pupils is good.  The school has a clear understanding of the guidelines and is vigilant about the safety and welfare of its pupils.  Risk assessment is carried out well.  The preparatory school has a substantial number of people trained in first aid.  Good and effective procedures for child protection are in place.  All necessary measures have been taken to minimise the risk of fire and other hazards.  Arrangements to ensure health and safety are effective and proper regard is paid to regulatory requirements.

3.6            Pupils in the preparatory school are well nurtured, their welfare is carefully fostered and they are happy and proud of their school.

In the Senior School

3.7            The school provides effective care for pupils throughout the senior school.  Members of staff understand and are committed to fulfilling their responsibilities towards the academic and personal development of the pupils in their care, in line with the aims of the school.  The channels of support for pupils are clearly defined, well understood and effective.  The house and tutor systems enable pupils to be appropriately encouraged and advised.  Parents are well satisfied with the quality of the care and guidance given to their children.  Pupils are happy to be at the school and feel well valued and supported.