Head: Mr Rick Clarke
T 01252 792561
F 01252 794335
E admissions@frensham-heights.org.uk
A mainstream independent school for pupils aged from 11 to 18 with a linked junior school
Boarding: Yes
Local authority: Surrey
Pupils: 391; sixth formers: 75
Religion: Non-denominational
Fees: Day £18,330 - £20,430; Boarding £26,370 - £30,810 pa
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DfE Number |
936/6038
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Registered Charity Number |
312052
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Address |
Frensham Heights School Frensham Heights Road Rowledge Farnham Surrey GU10 4EA |
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Telephone Number |
01252 792561 |
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Fax Number |
01252 794335 |
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Email Address |
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Headmaster |
Mr Andrew Fisher |
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Chair of Governors |
Mr Mike Chadwick |
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Age Range |
3 to 18 |
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Total Number of Pupils |
522 |
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Gender of Pupils |
Mixed (267 boys; 255 girls) |
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Numbers by Age |
0-2 (EYFS): 0 |
5-11: |
102 |
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3-5 (EYFS): 28 |
11-18: |
392 |
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Number of Day Pupils |
Total: 426 |
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Number of Boarders |
Total: 96 |
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Full: 57 |
Weekly: |
39 |
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EYFS Gender |
Mixed |
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Inspection Dates |
27 Jan 2015 to 30 Jan 2015 |
This inspection report follows the ISI schedule, which occupies a period of four continuous days in the school. The previous full ISI inspection was in March 2009. An ISI intermediate inspection of the school's boarding provision took place in March 2013.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. The range of these Regulations can be viewed on the website www.legislation.gov.uk. Additionally, inspections will consider the school's accessibility plan under Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and the ban on corporal punishment introduced by the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
The inspection was also carried out under the arrangements of the ISC Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership.
ISI is also approved to inspect the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which was introduced in September 2008 and applies to all children in England from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday. This report evaluates the extent to which the setting fulfils the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework published by the Department for Education (DfE) and follows the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006 as subsequently amended.
This inspection contains specific judgements on the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools. 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, personal development and welfare.
The inspection of the school is from an educational perspective and provides limited inspection of other aspects, although inspectors comment on any significant hazards or problems they encounter which have an adverse impact on children. The inspection does not include:
(i) an exhaustive health and safety audit
(ii) an in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features
(iii) an investigation of the financial viability of the school or its accounting procedures
(iv) an in-depth investigation of the school's compliance with employment law.
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 in the published report but will have been considered by the team in reaching their judgements.
Both Ofsted and ISI inspect and report on the Independent School Standards Regulations. However, they apply different frameworks and have different criteria for judging school quality that are suited to the different types of schools they inspect. Both use a four point scale when making judgements of quality but, whilst the ISI terminology reflects quality judgements that are at least equivalent to those used by Ofsted, they also reflect the differences in approach. ISI reports do not provide a single overarching judgement for the school but instead give a clear judgement on each aspect of the school's work at the beginning of each section. These headline statements must include one of the ISI descriptors ‘excellent', ‘good', ‘sound' or ‘unsatisfactory', and where Achievement is ‘exceptional' that term may be used for the top grade. Elsewhere in the report, inspectors may use a range of different adjectives to make judgements. For EYFS © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2015
registered provision (for pupils aged under three), reports are required to use the same terminology (‘outstanding', ‘good', ‘requires improvement' and ‘inadequate') as Ofsted reports.
The inspectors observed lessons, conducted formal interviews with pupils and examined samples of pupils' work. They held discussions with senior members of staff and with the chair of the governing body and with one other governor, observed a sample of the extracurricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and an assembly. Inspectors visited boarding houses and the facilities for sick or injured pupils. The responses of parents and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined regulatory documentation made available by the school.
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Mr Robin Gaff |
Reporting Inspector |
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Mrs Kathryn Benson-Dugdale |
Team Inspector (Senior Tutor and Director of Music, HMC school) |
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Mrs Janet Mitchell |
Team Inspector (Deputy Head, GDST school) |
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Mr Eddy Newton Mr Martin Reader |
Team Inspector (Headmaster, IAPS school) Team Inspector (Headmaster, HMC school) |
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Mr Martin Watson |
Team Inspector (Headmaster, HMC school) |
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Mrs Linda Smallwood |
Co-ordinating Inspector for Boarding |
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Miss Patricia Griffin |
Co-ordinating Inspector for Early Years |
2 THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL
(a) Main findings
(b) Action points
(i) Compliance with regulatory requirements
(ii) Recommendations for further improvement
3 THE QUALITY OF ACADEMIC AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
(a) The quality of the pupils' achievements and learning
(b) The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provision (including community links of benefit to pupils)
(c) The contribution of teaching
4 THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS' PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
(a) The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils
(b) The contribution of arrangements for pastoral care
(c) The contribution of arrangements for welfare, health and safety
(d) The quality of boarding 10 5 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
(a) The quality of governance
(b) The quality of leadership and management, including links with parents, carers
and guardians
1.1 Frensham Heights School is a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged three to eighteen. It is an incorporated charity whose proprietor is Frensham Heights Educational Trust Limited. The school was founded in 1925 on the site which it still occupies near Farnham in Surrey. The board of governors, which has established separate committees including finance, health and safety, education and human resources, aims to maintain and to promote the founders' aim of establishing a liberal and progressive ethos. There is a strong focus on matching provision to pupils' individual needs and abilities. The school seeks to enable all its pupils to fulfil their potential in the creative and performing arts, as well as in traditional academic subjects and sports and to value others irrespective of their faiths, abilities or backgrounds. It selects pupils on the basis of their ability, but also according to the extent to which they are likely to benefit from the type of education which it offers.
1.2 The school's previous full inspection took place in March 2009. Since its intermediate boarding inspection in March 2013, the school has continued to develop its premises, including its boarding houses, as well as providing new facilities for the creative and performing arts, such as studios and recital rooms. All three of the school's boarding houses, one of which caters for sixth-form pupils, are now co-educational.
1.3 There are 522 pupils in the school, of whom 130 are in the junior school (up to Year 6), including 28 in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). There are 293 in the middle school (Years 7 to 11), together with 97 in the sixth form. Ninety-six pupils are boarders: 57 are full boarders and 39 board on a weekly basis. About two-thirds of boarding pupils are from the United Kingdom, while the remainder come from a variety of overseas countries. Most day pupils travel from the surrounding area.
1.4 The school has identified 11 pupils as having special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Eighty-two pupils receive specialist support according to their individual needs. No pupil has a statement of special educational needs. Eleven pupils speak English as an additional language (EAL), ten of whom receive additional language support because they are at an early stage of learning English.
1.5 The ability profile of pupils in the junior school is above the national average. In the middle school, the ability level varies from year to year but overall is slightly above average. In the sixth form, it is in line with the national average for pupils in sixthform education. Pupils join the school at different stages of their education, so that by Year 11 the size of the year group has almost doubled from that in Year 7.
1.6 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school.
2.1 The school is successful in its aim of ensuring that its pupils are well educated. Children in the EYFS make good progress in their learning and their skills development because the staff give them stimulating activities which correspond to their individual needs and interests. Pupils' academic achievement throughout the school is good, and in some areas excellent. Pupils benefit from consistently good teaching. Teachers are passionate about their subjects and the stages of education where they teach. They form cordial and productive working relationships with their pupils and make good use of the resources available to them. In a very small number of cases, teachers do not always provide pupils with sufficiently demanding work. While most marking is thorough, a small amount fails to give sufficient written guidance on how work can be improved. The curriculum and extra-curricular provision, including special activities for boarders, make an excellent contribution to pupils' personal development. The curriculum strongly supports the school's aims of matching its provision to individual pupils' abilities and developing their talents.
2.2 Pupils' personal development is excellent. The school's promotion of all aspects of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. It is integral to the distinctive ‘Frensham ethos', and exemplifies the way in which the school successfully fosters fundamental British values, including consideration and respect for others. The school takes extremely good care of all its pupils. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are of high quality, and the school ensures that all requirements with regard to pupils' health and safety are met. The quality of boarding provision is excellent. Boarders benefit from staff who look after them extremely well and from a wide range of extra activities. These pupils develop as mature and self-reliant individuals who make a very strong contribution to the school and wider community.
2.3 The quality of governance is excellent. Governors have a detailed knowledge and understanding of their school. They are determined to preserve what makes it special, while making sure that the school continues to develop. Governors ensure that the school fully complies with all regulatory requirements. Leadership and management are good, with excellent features. These include the school's links with parents, many of whom strongly express their satisfaction with the school. Senior leaders' accurate analysis of the school's strengths, together with their wholehearted adherence to the school's founding principles, has enabled them to bring about significant improvement in relatively weaker areas. Middle leaders are knowledgeable and enthusiastic in fulfilling their roles. Not all leaders are ensuring that provision in their areas of responsibility is consistently as good as the best practice to be found in the school. The school responded positively and swiftly to its previous inspection report in remedying the regulatory failing which this identified.
(i) Compliance with regulatory requirements
2.4 The school meets all the requirements of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.
2.5 The school meets all the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools 2013.
(ii) Recommendations for further improvement
2.6 The school is advised to make the following improvements.
1. Improve teaching so that it is of a consistently high quality, by ensuring that all teachers provide all pupils with stimulating activities which meet their needs.
2. Make sure that leaders at every level implement fully the measures which the school has developed to improve the quality of teaching.
3.1 The quality of the pupils' achievements and learning is good.
3.2 Pupils are well educated in line with the school's aims. In the EYFS, children reach and many exceed the age-related levels of development. Children of all abilities and with different needs make good progress in relation to their individual starting points because of the encouragement and support they receive. This ensures that they are well prepared for each stage of their learning. Children enjoy school and are particularly enthusiastic when they can be active and creative learners. They express themselves clearly and confidently in their conversations and generally listen attentively.
3.3 Children in the EYFS develop their knowledge of phonics, which they use with increasing confidence when reading and writing simple words and sentences. They work confidently with numbers up to 20 and can do simple addition and subtraction sums. Children use computers with increasing skill and independence for a range of tasks.
3.4 Throughout the school, pupils acquire good knowledge, understanding and skills in a range of subjects. Pupils learn to express themselves clearly, accurately and with increasing confidence in reading, writing, speaking and solving mathematical problems. Pupils' contributions to classroom discussions, as well as their responses to teachers' questions, demonstrate their good powers of reasoning and analysis. In the sixth form, many pupils' oral communication skills are well above those expected for their age.
3.5 Pupils gain a variety of awards in, for example, music, drama and speaking. Many develop a wide range of skills through their participation in outdoor activities, including as part of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme (DofE).
3.6 The quality of pupils' artwork, in a range of media, is excellent. In line with the school's aims and its motto, ‘Think, Create, Explore', they reflect and draw deeply on their own experience and interests in creating highly sophisticated and thoughtprovoking paintings, drawings and sculptures. This work demonstrates pupils' very well-developed technical ability, as well as their skill in conveying their emotions and opinions.
3.7 In the junior school, pupils' attainment cannot be measured in relation to average performance against national tests, but, on the evidence available, it is judged to be good in relation to national age-related expectations. This level of attainment, together with evidence from lessons, the scrutiny of work, examination of the school's own data and discussions with pupils, indicates that pupils make appropriate progress compared to that of pupils of similar ability.
3.8 The following analysis uses the national data for the years 2011 to 2013. These are the most recent three years for which comparative statistics are currently available. The pupils' GCSE performance has been good in relation to the national average for maintained schools. Performance in the IGSCE has been above worldwide averages. In the sixth form, A-level results have been above the national average for maintained schools. Pupils' levels of attainment in both GCSE and A-levels show that they make good, and sometimes excellent, progress in relation to those of similar ability in other schools, a view backed by wider inspection evidence
3.9 Examination results in 2014 confirm that pupils' attainment at the end of Year 11 and in the sixth form is continuing to rise.
3.10 Pupils who have EAL, as well as those with SEND, achieve at least as well as, and sometimes better than their peers. Their progress is at least good and sometimes excellent in relation to their starting points. This is because teachers pay close attention to their individual needs and, with the help of teaching assistants, ensure that they are met. Pupils who have been identified as being able, or having particular gifts or talents also make at least good progress overall, including in those areas where their special abilities lie. When, in a very small minority of lessons, learning is slower, this is often because teachers have given pupils work which is not sufficiently demanding. This restricts the capacity of pupils to make rapid and sustained progress during the lesson.
3.11 Pupils' attitudes to learning are almost always positive, and in many cases, extremely so. Pupils are attentive to their teachers and to each other, as they respond to teachers' questions or take part in classroom debates. By the time they leave the school, almost all pupils gain qualifications and skills which show that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education and for their future careers. For the vast majority, this includes gaining places on a range of university courses, including at institutions which have demanding entry requirements.
3.12 The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provision is excellent.
3.13 The curricular and extra-curricular provision from the EYFS onwards is excellent and strongly supports the school's aim to provide a holistic education for its pupils, treating all subjects and activities equally. The breadth of the academic curriculum and variety of activities outside of the classroom gives pupils the opportunity to develop strengths in many areas.
3.14 The school makes good provision in meeting the needs of the range of children in the EYFS. The committed and caring staff know all the children very well and cater for their individual needs. There is a suitable balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning to match individual needs and stages of development. Highly appropriate emphasis is placed on children's physical, as well as their personal, social and emotional development. Staff make extremely good use of the school's grounds in this respect.
3.15 The curriculum, which is suited to all ages, abilities and needs, covers effectively all required areas for pupils from Year 1 to Year 11, as well as providing excellent opportunities in the sixth form. A wide range of GCSE courses is available to, and meets the needs of, pupils of all abilities. A particular strength of the school is the emphasis on the creative subjects such as art, dance, music, design, drama and photography. A well-designed programme for pupils who have been identified as having particular gifts and talents has been introduced in Years 1 to 6, while both double and single sciences are now offered at GCSE. Pupils in the sixth form benefit from a wide range of appropriate courses, including further mathematics and the Extended Project Qualification. The personal, social and moral education (PSME) programme from Year 7 onwards, including the sixth form, has been enhanced in recent years, and remains an important factor in supporting the ethos of © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2015 the school. The curriculum and extra-curricular activities ensure that political issues are covered in a balanced manner.
3.16 Pupils with SEND are identified early in their time at the school and are very well supported, both individually and in small groups.
3.17 Children in the EYFS and pupils in Years 1 to 6 benefit strongly from specialist teaching in, for example, physical education (PE) and French. Arrangements for transition from the junior to the middle school are very well conceived, while the careers programme helps to prepare older pupils successfully for the next stage of their education and for work.
3.18 The curriculum is supplemented by an excellent range of extra-curricular activities, with pupils able to choose freely from a range of sports and creative and performing arts, as well as more unusual activities such as Young Magicians' club. Excellent facilities support the school's aim to encourage the pupils to engage in an extremely broad range of creative pursuits.
3.19 A wide variety of trips and visits, including theatre trips, a Year 9 trip to the First World War battlefields and a visit to Barcelona, enhances the pupils' experience of school life and strongly develops their awareness of different cultures. Pupils are able to enjoy the school's beautiful grounds, both formally and informally, for example through lessons in the outdoor classroom, admiring the sculptures in the gardens or watching plays in the Outdoor Terrace theatre.
3.20 The curriculum is enhanced by strong community links, both near and far. The school's partnership work with two schools in Malawi enables pupils both to learn about and to contribute to a different community. Locally, a long-standing creative arts partnership with a sheltered accommodation unit for adults in Farnham is of considerable benefit to all those concerned.
3.21 The contribution of teaching is good.
3.22 The quality of teaching fulfils the school's aim of allowing the pupils to develop as individuals within a mutually supportive environment. Teachers know their pupils very well. Relationships between pupils and teachers are very positive, engendering a relaxed but purposeful atmosphere in which pupils feel very well supported, engendering tolerance and respect.
3.23 In the EYFS, adults enthuse and motivate children through a variety of learning opportunities, both indoors and outside, although in a small minority of lessons, not all children are suitably challenged and extended by the all activities available to them. Teachers' very good use of the school's extensive grounds gives children many exciting opportunities for active learning and risk taking.
3.24 Most teaching throughout the school is at least good; the very best is inspiring. In most teaching, teachers show their excellent subject knowledge and appropriately high expectations. In almost all lessons, planning is good. Such lessons include a variety of activities and proceed at a suitably demanding pace, so that pupils of all abilities maintain interest and make rapid progress.
3.25 In the best lessons, teachers seamlessly incorporate effective strategies, including use of different types of questions, to monitor and assess pupils' learning and progress. This was the case, for example, in a junior school mathematics lesson where the teacher used questioning well both to check and to extend pupils understanding of algebra. In the very small number of less successful lessons, teachers' expectations were less ambitious, and activities did not always provide sufficient challenge for all the pupils. As a result, some of them made slower progress because their interest waned.
3.26 The learning support department provides all staff with detailed information which helps them to provide suitable activities for individual pupils with SEND. This includes advice on effective strategies for meeting these pupils' needs within lessons. Strategic grouping of pupils, for example by prior attainment and the careful selection of activities often incorporates appropriate support seamlessly into the teaching, thus enabling the pupils to make at least good progress. Pupils with EAL benefit from specialist teaching, as well as from extra help in the classroom when they need it.
3.27 The quality of marking varies across the school. Most marking is thorough and contains detailed feedback, including specific comments which enable pupils to appreciate which areas in which they have succeeded, as well as indications of what they can do to improve their work. Where marking is particularly thorough, pupils show they have benefited from teachers' comments by, for instance, correcting their own errors. Less effective marking is often too cursory. Although they correct pupils' errors, not all teachers give pupils sufficient advice to help them to take the next steps to reach their targets. Pupils report, however, that they often receive valuable oral feedback during lessons. They say that, if they need help or advice, it will be willingly provided by teachers both within and outside the classroom.
3.28 Teachers use a variety of computer-based resources to enhance their teaching. Use of a recently introduced virtual learning environment (VLE) is being championed by a small number of staff. This already provides exciting opportunities for sharing pupils' work, as well as discussion documents, presentations, images and educational videos to enhance learning. Sets of tablet computers facilitate speedy and in-depth research. This was the case in a Year 13 biology lesson, where pupils were able to explore applications of stem cell research. In a Year 10 drama lesson on stage make-up, the teacher enhanced pupils' learning by enabling them to record images of the results of the activity. Teachers make good use of interactive whiteboards to provide pupils with visual stimuli. This is particularly effective for those pupils who learn best from images rather than words, and is very much in line with the school's aim of meeting pupils' individual needs.
4.1 Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.
4.2 This confirms the school's success in meeting its own aims by actively instilling in pupils its particular ethos, with its focus on developing the individual within a wider society. As a result, pupils leave the school as well-rounded, tolerant and self-reliant individuals, suitably equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead of them, and extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain. As they move through the school, pupils develop the ability to question things that might hamper their development.
4.3 The personal development of children in the EYFS is excellent. Children are happy, well-behaved and self-confident. They develop extremely good relationships with one another and with the adults who care for them. Children learn the importance of showing respect for others. They know right from wrong, share toys and equipment and co-operate productively with adults and with one another.
4.4 Pupils throughout the school display very strong spiritual awareness, and their selfconfidence and self-esteem is developed most effectively. Pupils are encouraged to be reflective; they report how much they are spiritually uplifted by their surroundings, and show a keen appreciation of beauty through their involvement with the creative arts. While the school is not affiliated to any particular faith, individual pupils are free to practise their religious beliefs without fear of discrimination. Pupils benefit from excellent opportunities for reflection in, for example, yoga and meditation sessions. Religious education (RE) lessons, and aspects of the Year 9 PSME programme, allow them to consider values and beliefs thoughtfully. In a Year 8 RE lesson, for example, pupils benefited strongly from the opportunity to reflect on the nature of suffering when discussing the life of the Buddha.
4.5 Pupils' moral development is excellent. Pupils have a clear sense of right and wrong, understand the need for rules and appreciate that the civil and criminal law of England is over-arching in its scope. They have a very strong awareness of ethics, and take a keen interest in debating issues, speaking confidently and maturely about sensitive and controversial themes. Sixth-form pupils contribute strongly to and learn a great deal from discussions on morality and ethics. Pupils' extensive participation in raising funds for charities helps them to understand and respond to the needs of others. Pupils at the school are given ‘freedom with responsibility'; they value this highly, and the vast majority demonstrate that they have the maturity to make the right decisions in going about their daily routines. Pupils are appreciative of the opportunity to become involved in planning for the school's future.
4.6 The pupils' social development is excellent. The non-hierarchical structure of the school encourages pupils to show respect, compassion and empathy for one another and with others in society. This ensures a harmonious community experience for both day pupils and boarders. Most pupils show a profound sense of loyalty to the school and a genuine sense of belonging. Through their enthusiastic involvement in extra-curricular activities, pupils are able to demonstrate excellent personal growth and development. They welcome the opportunity to undertake a wide variety of leadership roles. Sixth-form mentors provide valuable support for younger pupils, who in turn have excellent opportunities to take on responsibility.
4.7 Pupils' cultural development is excellent. The displays of pupils' artwork, talks by guest speakers, regular drama productions and theatre visits all broaden pupils' experience of the arts. Opportunities to participate in trips abroad, as part of their academic studies and extra-curricular activities, widen pupils' knowledge and understanding of other cultures and traditions. British values such as respect for the rule of law and democracy are effectively promoted in the PSME programme, and pupils from overseas told inspectors that British traditions came across very strongly at the school. Pupils value the achievements of those from backgrounds different from their own. Mixing with pupils from other cultures within the school community, and the school's partnership work and fundraising activities, further enhance pupils' excellent appreciation of cultural diversity.
4.8 The contribution of arrangements for pastoral care is excellent.
4.9 The pastoral care systems fully support the school's aim to create a safe, happy environment where individuality is valued. Hard-working and committed staff provide high quality care and guidance for all groups of pupils. The vast majority of parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire agree that the school looks after their children well.
4.10 In the EYFS, provision for children's well-being is excellent. Dedicated staff and generous staffing ratios mean that all children, including those with additional needs, are very well known to adults and are extremely well looked after by them. The key person system is highly effective in ensuring that all children form strong relationships with staff.
4.11 Many pupils say that that staff are kind, approachable and sensitive to their needs. In their pre-inspection questionnaire responses, a small minority of pupils felt that the school does not pay sufficient attention to their opinions, or give them sufficient opportunities to take on responsibility. Inspectors judge that most pupils feel that their voice is heard, that the school acts upon their concerns, and that the range of responsibilities is appropriate. Older pupils have a high regard for the senior school council as a vehicle to express their views. Junior school pupils say that they feel able to talk to any of their staff, confident that their concerns and opinions will be taken seriously. Pupils greatly benefit from the supportive atmosphere of the medical centre and from access to the independent listener.
4.12 In all areas of the school, pupils are encouraged to be healthy. All dietary needs are accommodated and a wide range of nutritious, healthy food is readily available. The curriculum offers considerable opportunities for pupils to benefit from regular exercise. The importance of adopting healthy lifestyles is consistently reinforced in lessons and through appropriate wall displays.
4.13 The school has a suitable policy and procedures to promote good behaviour and to prevent bullying. During discussions with inspectors, pupils reported that bullying is extremely rare, and that staff deal extremely effectively with any issues that may arise. The school's detailed records of incidents and sanctions support this view. Although a minority of pupils who responded to the questionnaire did not agree that the school deals well with bullying, inspectors found no evidence that indicated that these concerns were well founded.
4.14 The school has a suitable plan in place to ensure educational access for pupils with SEND.
© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2015
4.15 The contribution of arrangements for welfare, health and safety is excellent.
4.16 Extremely thorough safeguarding policies and procedures take fully into account current official guidance, and staff at all levels have received suitable training in this area. Excellent induction programmes for new staff ensure that up-to-date information about the school's procedures is effectively disseminated. The school liaises closely with local agencies, including children's services, when appropriate. The safe employment policy and procedures are thoroughly implemented and all required records of checks on staff are carefully maintained.
4.17 In the EYFS, children's well-being and safeguarding are given extremely high priority, and arrangements for keeping children safe are rigorous.
4.18 The school has appropriate measures in place to reduce the risk from hazards, including for fire safety. The policy covers all required areas, the fire risk assessment is undertaken by a qualified external professional, and regular checks, reviews and servicing are fully recorded. Fire drills take place at regular intervals, and detailed records show the school's success in ensuring that pupils are evacuated rapidly and safely from school buildings.
4.19 All matters relating to pupils' health and safety are given high priority by staff. Comprehensive risk assessments are in place for areas of the school and for off-site activities, such as school trips. The rigorous implementation of health and safety policies and procedures is extremely well managed by the school's health and safety committee, and is carefully overseen by governors.
4.20 Arrangements for pupils who are sick or injured are thorough and highly appropriate. Medical care, provided by fully qualified nurses in the very well-equipped medical centre, is excellent. Medicines are securely stored, and comprehensive medical information is kept confidentially. Many staff have first-aid training, including some at the higher paediatric level. Excellent provision is made for pupils requiring support for specific disabilities.
4.21 The admission and attendance registers are accurately administered and stored appropriately for the required period of time.
4.22 The quality of boarding is excellent.
4.23 The outcomes for boarders are excellent. The aims of boarding, widely published on the noticeboards and school website, as well as in handbooks for parents and pupils, are very much achieved. A healthy balance for boarding pupils is struck between freedom and responsibility. The boarders develop confidence and independence in a safe environment where their individual welfare and well-being are paramount, and their needs are clearly identified and very well met. Pupils greatly appreciate the atmosphere of trust and mutual respect in the boarding houses.
4.24 Boarders are confident and articulate in expressing their views. Strong and happy relationships are prevalent and social interaction in the houses helps to develop mature discussion and listening skills. Although a small minority of responses to pupil pre-inspection questionnaires suggested unfair treatment, in boarders' interviews, inspectors became aware of some misunderstandings but no significant issues. Recent restructuring of the boarding provision has unsettled some individuals, but pupils are beginning to reap the rewards of the new systems that the school has put in place.
4.25 Parents' views on the quality of boarding, as indicated by the responses of those who completed the questionnaire, are for the most part extremely positive, especially with regard to, for example their children's safety and their enjoyment of boarding. A very small minority indicated that they did not agree that the experience of boarding helped their children's progress and development. Inspectors judged, on the basis of a great deal of evidence, that boarding plays an extremely positive role in promoting pupils' achievement, as well as their personal development.
4.26 The quality of boarding provision and care is excellent. Pupils say that they are very well looked after and confirm that they have a choice of adults with whom they can discuss personal matters. Contact numbers for helplines, the independent listener and the Children's Commissioner are readily available. All the accommodation, including the two recently-refurbished houses, is bright and comfortably furnished. A successful effort has been made to use the space to its best advantage and to give all groups of pupils an equally high quality of accommodation. The bathrooms are clean and well appointed, and ensure the boarders' privacy. The boarding houses provide pupils with a variety of attractive social and recreational areas, which are very well stocked with books, television sets and other equipment. A phone booth with a landline and access to house mobile phones ensure ease of communication with parents. Boarders benefit from an extremely wide choice of evening and weekend activities.
4.27 The catering provision is of high quality. The kitchen areas are efficient, clean and well-managed, as are storage areas, the dining room and the washing-up area. Boarders benefit from the variety and choice of food, and ample quantity, on offer. Staff carefully consider and provide imaginatively for pupils' special dietary needs. Despite there being a minority of negative responses concerning this matter in the pupil questionnaire, during the inspection, interviews and observations provided no evidence to support such views. Indeed there was much praise, some of it fulsome, for the food provided for boarders. Snacks and drinking water are readily available in the boarding houses.
4.28 Medical matters are extremely well overseen by a team of qualified nurses who provide 24-hour cover, at least one of them being on call overnight. The storage and administration of medication is careful and efficient, and staff ensure that parents give their permission for its use, when appropriate. Communication between medical and house staff is extremely good, ensuring that appropriate attention is paid to boarders' health needs, including the issuing of any required medication. Patients who need to self-medicate are carefully assessed before being allowed to do so. The confidentiality of patients is respected and record-keeping is thorough. High-quality accommodation is provided for the care of sick pupils in the daytime or overnight if necessary. The laundry service is efficient and effective. Appropriate care is taken of boarders' possessions. Each boarder has a lockable cupboard and valuables can be securely stored. Pupils reported that they were confident that their personal property was secure. Pocket money is carefully managed with the help of the accounts department.
4.29 The arrangements for the welfare and safeguarding of boarders are excellent. A well-qualified team of safeguarding officers ensure that all boarding staff benefit from appropriate training, so that the safety of all boarders is promoted and managed very effectively. The behaviour management policy is implemented consistently by all house staff and is used to assist boarders to resolve swiftly the very infrequent minor conflicts.
4.30 The school's database is used effectively for record-keeping. Appropriate risk assessments are fully in place. Comprehensive health and safety, and fire safety policies and procedures, are implemented very efficiently. Staff regularly and thoroughly review and evaluate them, introducing updates and improvements when appropriate.
4.31 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the boarding provision is excellent. The board of governors and the senior management team are strongly committed to regular reflection on and evaluation of provision, policies and procedures and to planning for improvement. Communication with and between boarding and academic staff is extremely good, so that development is collaborative with regard both to minor everyday improvements and the major restructuring and refurbishment which the school has undertaken.
4.32 The school has responded appropriately to the recommendation from the 2013 intermediate boarding inspection and now has a suitable formal induction process for new boarders and those who board on a casual basis.
5.1 The quality of governance is excellent.
5.2 Governors show an extremely strong commitment to ensuring that the school's aims are realised as fully as possible, and that the ‘Frensham ethos' pervades every aspect of the school's work. They also help to ensure that the school continues to develop in response to the challenges of the modern world.
5.3 Governors bring a wide range of experience and expertise to their roles. This enables them to make sure that the school meets all regulatory requirements, including with regard to safeguarding. They review the school's safeguarding policy annually, as well as its implementation and effectiveness, as required. The governing body ensured that the school fully addressed the regulatory issue identified by the intermediate inspection report, and acted appropriately upon the recommendation it included.
5.4 Governors have an accurate, in-depth knowledge and understanding of the school's performance in all areas, including its strengths, as well as its priorities for development. Governance of the EYFS is extremely effective and is based on a thorough knowledge of statutory requirements.
5.5 Governors are willing both to challenge and to support the school's leaders, and to set them demanding but realistic targets. Governors work very productively with leaders on strategic planning, to ensure that the school's aims are realised.
5.6 Parents are strongly represented on the governing body. Governors, in making decisions about the school's future direction, take full account of parents' views as well as those of pupils.
5.7 The governing body exercise strong oversight of the school's finances. This has enabled resources to be deployed efficiently and the school to develop its premises and facilities.
5.8 The quality of leadership and management is good.
5.9 The school is fully committed to the liberal, tolerant aims and ideals of its unique founding ethos. Senior leaders, with the full support of the governing body, strongly articulate a reflective, creative and innovative vision for the community. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school's ethos and the way it is being promoted.
5.10 In the EYFS, senior leaders and staff share a good knowledge of the quality of provision, and have an ambitious but realistic vision for future development, through accurate self-evaluation. Leaders have already identified the outdoor classroom as an area for further development to provide more opportunities for challenging active learning and risk-taking across all areas of learning. Managers support members of staff through effective supervision arrangements and appraisals. Training needs are identified and provided, and this has a positive impact on the children's learning and development. Staff have established strong partnerships with parents and, when appropriate, with external agencies, ensuring all children receive the support they need. Staff work hard to promote a positive and inclusive atmosphere and good teamwork contributes positively to the progress and development of all children.
5.11 Self-evaluation is accurate and has allowed senior leaders to establish a clear plan for improvement, which is based on a collaborative approach. The implementation of plans is monitored carefully at regular timetabled meetings, and strong progress towards meeting goals is being made. This is particularly evident in the successful restructuring of and improvements to the boarding provision. The excellent quality of the new facilities for the creative arts is helping to enable the pupils to achieve at the highest levels in this area.
5.12 Management provided by boarding house staff and by many middle leaders is highly effective in delivering the school's aims. Senior leaders have recently introduced new procedures for in-service training, scrutiny of the quality of pupils' work and of teachers' marking, lesson observation, and for the appraisal of staff. Leaders share a clear focus on enhancing teaching, learning and achievement. However, these initiatives are not yet always being implemented sufficiently quickly by all leaders at all levels.
5.13 Leaders have made good use of the recommendations from both its previous full and its intermediate inspection reports. For example, they have introduced well-conceived improvements to the monitoring of individual pupils' progress to ensure that provision for all is consistently at least good. Where high expectations are set and rigorous monitoring is consistently applied by all leaders, the aims of the school are most successfully achieved.
5.14 In line with its founding ethos, formal pupil hierarchies do not exist. However, the school strongly encourages leadership and initiative. Many of the older pupils are very productively involved in coaching and teaching younger pupils, and in running extra-curricular activities. Sixth formers, for example, regularly lead assemblies and there are many occasions on which pupils of all ages voice their opinions through, for example, the school council and house meetings. Many pupils grasp these opportunities with relish, strongly supported by their teachers, whom the pupils respect as role models.
5.15 The school is successful in recruiting, supporting and developing staff at all levels. Procedures for the safe recruitment of staff, governors and volunteers and the management of safeguarding are implemented rigorously. The school provides suitable training for staff to enable them to fulfil their roles in meeting the needs of all pupils, and to promote their welfare, health and safety.
5.16 Links with parents, carers and guardians are excellent. Most parents are highly satisfied with the education and care from which their children benefit, and the support and communication they receive. The school provides parents with the required information, which is well presented and appropriately detailed. It has adopted a range of media by which to communicate with parents, including weekly bulletins for the parents of older pupils and emails from class teachers in the Junior School. The school has also instituted a parent portal, updated its website and is using social media platforms to ensure parents are kept very well informed.
5.17 Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in the school at all levels and are consulted about its progress and future developments. The school handles parents' concerns carefully and thoroughly. A very active parents' committee, with © Independent Schools Inspectorate 2015 representatives from different pupil year groups, meets termly with the senior management team and a governor to raise matters of concern or ideas for the school's consideration. The headmaster uses formal parents' consultation evenings effectively to keep parents well informed about topics of interest such as curriculum reform. Parents appreciate the invitations they receive to attend talks from visiting speakers on various pastoral and social issues, including those relating to pupils' well-being.
5.18 The Friends of Frensham organisation fulfils its aim to engage parents, and is actively involved in supporting the school's aims through the organisation of social and fundraising events. Parents are also very much involved in careers events, networking and work experience for pupils. The number of parents volunteering for activities such as helping children in the EYFS with their outdoor learning, is increasing. On a more informal level, the theatre cafe provides parents with a warm welcome after they have dropped off their children, and parents strongly support the annual whole-school sponsored walk.
5.19 Parents receive regular reports which are personalised to pupils with specific praise. Reports are detailed, informative and subject-focused, and include advice on what is required for pupils to improve their work and to fulfil their potential. Parents are mostly content with the information they receive about their children's progress.
5.20 The school has developed strong links with the local community, for example by hosting local heritage days. Primary school staff and pupils regularly visit the school to attend performances by visiting theatre companies, dance events and art exhibitions. Of particular note is the link with a centre for adults with learning difficulties, in which pupils work together with the centre on a termly dramatic production or film. Further afield, a well-established partnership with two schools in Malawi is of significant benefit to all three communities.
What the school should do to improve is given at the beginning of the report in section 2.
© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2015