Bury Grammar School (formerly Bury Grammar School Girls)

About the school
Bury Grammar School Girls
Bridge Road
Bury
Lancashire
BL9 0HH

Head: Mrs Jo Anderson

T 01617 972808

F 01617 634658

E girlsoffice@burygrammar.com

W www.bgsg.bury.sch.uk

An independent school for girls aged from 4 to 18.

Boarding: No

Local authority: Bury

Pupils: 1127; sixth formers: 133 (joint sixth form)

Religion: Non-denominational

Fees: £7,992 - £10,755 pa

ISI Report

Regulatory Compliance Inspection Report

Bury Grammar School

November 2018

School's Details

School

Bury Grammar School

DfE number

351/6008

Registered charity number

526622

Address

Bury Grammar School

Tenterden Street

Bury

Lancashire

BL9 0HN

Telephone number

0161 696 8600

Email address

info@burygrammar.com

Principal

Mrs Jo Anderson

Chair of governors

Mrs Gillian Winter

Age range

3 to 18

Number of pupils on roll

1,127

Boys          535

Girls

592

EYFS            45

Juniors

311

Seniors         640

Sixth form

131

Inspection dates

28 to 29 November 2019

1. Background Information

About the school

  • 1.1   Bury Grammar School is a day school for boys and girls aged from three to eighteen, situated in Greater Manchester. Bury Grammar School Boys was founded towards the end of the sixteenth century and Bury Grammar School Girls in 1884. They merged formally in May 2018. The school now comprises a shared kindergarten and infant school, separate junior and senior schools and a co-educational sixth form. Each section of the school has its own head and the principal is the head of the girls' senior school. The school is a registered charity and is overseen by a board of governors.

What the school seeks to do

  • 1.2   The school's aims are about scholarship, character, enrichment and partnerships: to challenge and inspire pupils to work hard, aim high and achieve and to provide an excellent learning environment where each pupil values academic success and where achievement is celebrated by all; to foster intellectual curiosity and generosity of spirit, self-belief, confidence, a sense of responsibility and a caring and tolerant outlook; to encourage all pupils to participate in a wide range of activities, developing an all-round approach to their education and a life-long love of learning and to support parents in raising well-rounded, ambitious and happy children who play a positive role in society, develop a sense of duty and service and are well prepared for lives in an ever-changing world.

About the pupils

  • 1.3   The majority of pupils come from Bury, the surrounding towns, Manchester and the Rossendale Valley. They come from a wide range of social backgrounds, mostly of white British origin, with around a quarter from a mix of minority ethnic groups. Data provided by the school indicate that the ability of the pupils in the junior schools is broadly average; in the senior schools it is well above average and in the sixth form above average for pupils taking A-level courses nationally. The school has identified 81 pupils as having special educational needs and/or disabilities, 26 of whom receive additional specialist help. One pupil has an education, health and care (EHC) plan. English is an additional language for 31 pupils, whose needs are supported by their classroom teachers. The school identifies 191 pupils as being the more able in the school's population, and the lessons are modified for them and for 40 other pupils because of their special talents in sport.

2. Regulatory Compliance Inspection

Preface

The registration authority for independent schools is the Department for Education (DfE), which directs inspection according to a specified frequency or at any time where the DfE has particular concerns about a school. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of inspecting schools which are, or whose heads are, in membership of the associations which form the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and reporting on the extent to which they meet the Independent School Standards (‘the standards') in the Schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. Accordingly, inspection records whether the school meets each of these standards, which are arranged in eight Parts, each of which is divided into separate paragraphs. The inspection of schools that have early years settings not requiring registration similarly records whether the school complies with key provisions of the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework. Additionally, the inspection reports on the school's accessibility plan under Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and the ban on corporal punishment under section 548 of the Education Act 1996. It comments on the progress made by the school in meeting the compliance action points set out in the school's most recent statutory inspection.

All association independent schools will have an inspection within three years from April 2016, in accordance with the Framework and DfE requirements. The inspection may be of COMPLIANCE ONLY or a combined inspection of EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND COMPLIANCE depending on a number of factors, including findings from their most recent inspection. Schools judged not to meet the standards may also be subject to a progress monitoring visit before their next routine inspection. The progress monitoring visit will judge whether the school has taken the necessary action to meet any un-met standards identified at their previous inspection.

The inspection was also carried out under the arrangements of the ISC Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership.

This is a COMPLIANCE ONLY inspection and as such reports only on the school's compliance with the standards. The standards represent minimum requirements and judgements are given either as met or as not met. All schools are required to meet all the standards applicable to them. Where the minimum requirements are not met, this is clearly indicated in the relevant section of the report and the school is required to take the actions specified.

Inspections do not include matters that are outside of the regulatory framework described above, such as: an exhaustive health and safety audit; compliance with data protection requirements; an in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features; contractual arrangements with parents; an investigation of the financial viability of the school or its accounting procedures.

Inspectors may be aware of individual safeguarding concerns, allegations and complaints as part of the inspection process. Such matters will not usually be referred to specifically in published reports in this document but will have been considered by the team in reaching its judgements.

Links to the full regulations and requirements can be found here: The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework.

Key findings

2.1 The school meets the standards in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, and relevant requirements of the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, and associated requirements, and no further action is required as a result of this inspection.

PART 1 - Quality of education provided

2.2 In the junior school, the school uses its own framework to determine attainment, instead of the national framework.

  • 2.3 At GCSE in the years 2015 to 2017, performance has been well above the national average for maintained schools.

  • 2.4   In the sixth form, A-level results in the years 2015 to 2017 have been well above the national average for sixth formers in maintained schools.

  • 2.5 The curriculum is documented, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work for the pupils and covers the required breadth of material. The teaching enables pupils to make good progress, encompasses effective behaviour management and is supported by suitable resources. A suitable framework for the assessment of pupils' performance is in place.

  • 2.6   The standards relating to the quality of education [paragraphs 1-4] are met.

PART 2 - Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

  • 2.7   Principles and values are actively promoted which facilitate the personal development of pupils as responsible, tolerant, law-abiding citizens.

  • 2.8   The standard relating to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development [paragraph 5] is met.

PART 3 - Welfare, health and safety of pupils

  • 2.9   Arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils by means that pay due regard to current statutory guidance; good behaviour is promoted; bullying is prevented so far as reasonably practicable; health and safety requirements are met, including those relating to fire safety; provision is made for first aid. Pupils are properly supervised; admission and attendance registers are maintained, as required, and there is a strategic approach to risk assessment. A disability access plan is in place.

  • 2.10  The standards relating to welfare, health and safety [paragraphs 6-16], the requirement of Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010, and the ban on corporal punishment under section 548 of the Education Act 1996 are met.

PART 4 - Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

  • 2.11  The school makes appropriate checks to ensure the suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors and a register is kept as required.

  • 2.12 The standards relating to the suitability of those in contact with pupils at the school [paragraphs 17-21] are met.

PART 5 - Premises of and accommodation at schools

  • 2.13 Suitable toilet and changing facilities, and showering facilities where required by the standard, and appropriate accommodation for their medical and therapy needs are provided. The premises are maintained to a standard commensurate with health and safety; acoustics and lighting are appropriate; water provision is adequate. Suitable outdoor space is provided for physical education and outdoor play.

  • 2.14  The standards relating to the premises and accommodation [paragraphs 22-31] are met.

PART 6 - Provision of information

  • 2.15  A range of information is variously published, provided or made available to parents, inspectors and the Department for Education. These include details about the proprietor, the ethos of the school and the curriculum, and of the school's arrangements for admission, behaviour and exclusions, bullying, health and safety, first aid, details of the complaints procedure, and the number of complaints registered under the formal procedure during the preceding school year, and the provision for any with education, health and care plans or English as an additional language. They also include particulars of the school's academic performance during the preceding school year, inspection reports and (for parents only) a report at least annually of their own child's progress. The safeguarding policy is posted on the school's website.

  • 2.16  The standard relating to the provision of information [paragraph 32] is met.

PART 7 - Manner in which complaints are handled

  • 2.17  Parental complaints, if any, are handled effectively through a three-stage process, (informal, formal and a hearing before a panel of three, one of whom is independent of the school). Each stage has clear time scales, and at the third stage the panel can make findings and recommendations which are communicated to the complainant. Records are kept appropriately, including of any action taken, whether or not a complaint is successful.

  • 2.18  The standard relating to the handling of complaints [paragraph 33] is met.

PART 8 - Quality of leadership in and management of schools

  • 2.19  The proprietor ensures that the leadership and management demonstrate good skills and knowledge, and fulfil their responsibilities effectively, so that the other standards are consistently met and they actively promote the well-being of the pupils.

  • 2.20 The standard relating to leadership and management of the school [paragraph 34] is met.

3. Inspection Evidence

3.1 The inspectors observed lessons, conducted formal interviews with pupils and examined samples of pupils' work. They held discussions with members of staff and with the chair of governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended year assemblies and form meetings. Inspectors visited the facilities for the youngest pupils, together with the learning support and educational resource areas. The responses of parents, staff and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined curriculum and other documentation made available by the school.

Inspectors

Mr Stephen Cole

Mrs Daphne Cawthorne

Mr Carl Blint

Reporting inspector

Accompanying inspector

Compliance team inspector (Bursar, HMC school)

© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2019

Bury Grammar School - November 2018

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