Inspection Report

Focused Compliance and Educational Quality Inspection Report: April 2023

The school received a glowing report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate which looked at our compliance with the teaching standards and the quality of education provided at Highclare School.

 

The report lists the teaching standards and confirms whether or not those standards are met or not met. The report found that we had met all of the teaching standards. These standards are below:

  • Quality of education provided
  • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils
  • Welfare, health and safety of pupils
  • Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors
  • Premises of and accommodation at schools
  • Provision of information
  • Manner in which complaints are handled
  • Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The quality of education provided is measured by two key areas and the headline judgements apply one of the ISI descriptors ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sound’ and ‘unsatisfactory’. The two key areas and decisions are below:

  • The quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent
  • The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent

Monitoring Inspection: May 2019

We were found to be fully compliant in all areas required by the Department for Education, which relate to standards in 8 key areas:

  • Quality of education provided
  • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils
  • Welfare, health and safety of pupils
  • Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors
  • Premises of and accommodation at schools
  • Provision of information
  • Manner in which complaints are handled
  • Quality of leadership in and management of schools

The main visit followed the initial inspection in October 2018. They were impressed with our response to their previous findings and the report confirms that we have acted swiftly to address the few action points raised.  We have successfully demonstrated that we fulfil all our compliance responsibilities thereby actively promoting the well-being of the boys and girls in our care.

Inspection Report

Regulatory Compliance Inspection: October 2018

The ISI inspection team concluded that:

  • The School met the standards required for:  the Quality of Education Provided; Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils; Suitability of Staff; Premises: Provision of Information: and the Manner in which Complaints are handled.  The report also makes it clear that the standard relating to Welfare, Health and Safety was largely met.
  • During ISI’s visit they identified two areas for improvement which are in relation to clerical based factors.
    • The first related to a fire risk assessment for the changing rooms at the sports field, which we rectified before the end of the second day of the inspection, and which the inspectors stated ‘did not have a potential impact on children in the registered setting’.
    • The second factor referred to the way in which details are reported and logged in certain safeguarding situations, and staff have now received training in this regard to satisfy the recommendation given by the ISI.
  • The ISI team were very complimentary of Highclare School, our superb pupils and the work of staff, both teaching and non-teaching.

Inspection Report

Full, integrated inspection: November 2014

Highclare School was inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (the body approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council), in November 2014. At the same time, the Nursery and Pre-School settings were inspected by the same team with regard to the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework provided by the Department for Education.

The ISI inspection team concluded that:

  • The quality of the pupils’ achievements and learning is good
  • The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provision is good
  • The contribution of teaching is good
  • The quality of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent
  • The contribution of arrangements for pastoral care is excellent
  • The arrangements for welfare, health and safety are excellent
  • The quality of governance, leadership and management is good

With regard to the effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the inspectors concluded that:

  • The quality of the provision is outstanding in meeting the needs of the children who attend
  • The contribution of the early years provision to the children’s well-being is outstanding
  • The leadership and management of the early years provision are good
  • The overall quality and standards of the early years provision are outstanding

Inspection Report