Head: Dr Lorraine Earps
T 01823 340830
F 01823 338430
E admissions@queenscollege.org.uk
A mainstream independent school for pupils aged from 11 to 18 with a linked junior school
Boarding: Yes
Local authority: Somerset
Pupils: 495; sixth formers: 132
Religion: Christian Inter-denominational
Fees: Day £15,300- £18,450; Boarding £25,965 - £31,980 pa
FOCUSED COMPLIANCE AND EDUCATIONAL QUALITY INSPECTION REPORTS FOR SCHOOLS WITH RESIDENTIAL PROVISION
QUEEN'S COLLEGE, TAUNTON
SEPTEMBER 2017
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College |
Queen's College |
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DfE number |
933/6024 |
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Registered charity number |
310208 |
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Address |
Queen's College Trull Road Taunton Somerset TA1 4QS |
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Telephone number |
01823 272559 |
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Email address |
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Head |
Dr Lorraine Earps |
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Chair of governors |
Mr Mark Edwards |
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Age range |
0 to 19 |
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Number of pupils on roll |
700 |
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Boys |
368 |
Girls |
332 |
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Day pupils |
499 |
Boarders |
201 |
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EYFS |
16 |
Juniors |
163 |
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Seniors |
362 |
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Sixth Form |
159 |
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Inspection dates |
19 to 21 September 2017 |
1.1 Queen's College is a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged between 0 to 19 years, situated about a mile from the centre of Taunton. It consists of Highgrove Nursery, for babies to children aged 3; the Pre-Preparatory, for the Nursery School, aged 3 to 4, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) children and Years 1 and 2; the Junior School and Senior School. The school takes boarders from the age of seven; the youngest boarders are accommodated in a mixed junior and senior boarding house, and older pupils in three senior houses. Pupils transfer to the senior school at the age of 11.
1.2 The school was founded in 1843 in order to educate Methodist boys and prepare them for entry to university. It first admitted girls in 1972 and has almost equal number of boys and girls throughout. The school is a registered charity and is one of a group of schools owned by the Methodist Independent Schools' Trust (MIST).
1.3 Since the previous inspection, a new boarding wing for girls was opened in September 2015, and the purpose-built nursery was opened in January 2016. The head has been in post since September 2016.
1.4 The College aims to provide a caring family community in which members worship in the Methodist tradition, uphold Christian values in practice and embrace people of different backgrounds and cultures. It aims to develop thoughtful, confident and resilient young people with spiritual and moral fibre who are able to take their place as leaders of society in the future, and to maintain high educational standards in all academic, cultural and sporting activities.
1.5 Pupils come from a range of professional backgrounds, mostly white British families living within an hour's drive of the school. Boarders come from a range of overseas countries, primarily Hong Kong, China, Russia and Germany. A number of UK boarders come from military families. Nationally standardised test data provided by the school indicate that the ability profile of the senior school is above average, and that of the 6th form is broadly average.
1.6 The school has identified 168 pupils as having a wide range of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), which include dyslexia and processing disorders, 42 of whom receive additional specialist help. No pupil has an education, health and care (EHC) plan or a statement of special educational needs. English is an additional language (EAL) for 133 pupils, 107 of whom receive additional specialist help. Data used by the school have identified 99 pupils as being the most able in the school's population, and the curriculum is modified for them and for 63 other pupils because of their special talents in sport, music and performing arts.
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, and for registered settings the full range of the Early Years Foundation Stage provisions is considered. 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.
This inspection also contains specific judgements on the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools (‘boarding NMS'). It also comments on the progress made by the school in meeting the compliance action points set out in the most recent statutory boarding inspection and it judges the extent to which the school currently meets the boarding NMS. It identifies any standards which the school does not meet and requires action to meet them. Findings are distributed across sections relating to the eight Parts of the standards.
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, including the boarding NMS, 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 FOCUSED COMPLIANCE INSPECTION which was combined with an inspection of EDUCATIONAL QUALITY, the report of which appears later in this document. The COMPLIANCE inspection reports only on the school's compliance with the standards, including the boarding NMS. 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. In this focused compliance inspection, key regulations and standards have been inspected in detail. These are the regulations on safeguarding; measures to guard against bullying; arrangements for pupils' health and safety, arrangements to check the suitability of staff; the provision of information to parents; the handling of parents' complaints; and other related aspects of leadership and management, together with the NMS covering the same areas. The remaining standards and requirements are deemed to continue to be met unless evidence to the contrary has been found.
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, National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework.
2.1 The school meets the standards in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools 2015, 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.
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 2014 to 2016, performance has been above the national average for maintained schools.
2.4 In the sixth form, A-level results in the years 2014 to 2016 have been in line with 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.
2.7 Principles and values are actively promoted which facilitate the personal development of pupils as responsible, tolerant, law-abiding citizens. Boarders' views are actively encouraged and their opinions and concerns are appropriately considered by staff. Any prefect system operating in the school is suitably managed.
2.8 The standard relating to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development [paragraph 5] and NMS 17 and 19 are met.
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 An appropriate induction process for pupils new to boarding is implemented, and suitable provision is made for boarders' medical and health care, their food and drink and for managing boarders' laundry and possessions. Boarders have suitable contact with friends and family and access to a programme of activities. Boarding staff are appropriately trained and deployed.
2.11 The standards relating to welfare, health and safety [paragraphs 6-16], the requirement of Schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010, the ban on corporal punishment under section 548 of the Education Act 1996, and NMS 2-4, 6-12, 15 and 16 are met.
2.12 The school makes appropriate checks to ensure the suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors and a register is kept as required. Visitors to boarding accommodation are appropriately supervised and the school's arrangements for guardianship are suitably managed.
2.13 The standards relating to the suitability of those in contact with pupils at the school [paragraphs 17-21] and NMS 14 are met.
2.14 Suitable toilet, changing and showering facilities for pupils 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. Boarding accommodation is adequate for the needs of all boarders, and safeguards and promotes their welfare.
2.15 The standards relating to the premises and accommodation [paragraphs 22-31] and NMS 5 are met.
2.16 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 those 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, and its results in public examinations, 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. A suitable statement of boarding principles and practice is published by the school.
2.17 The standard relating to the provision of information [paragraph 32] and statement of boarding principles [NMS 1] are met.
2.18 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, and identifying those relating to the boarding provision.
2.19 The standard relating to the handling of complaints [paragraph 33] and NMS 18 are met.
2.20 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. Appropriate leadership and management of boarding ensure that the required policies and records are maintained and effectively monitored.
2.21 The standard relating to leadership and management of the school [paragraph 34] and NMS 13 are met.
The EDUCATIONAL QUALITY inspection reports on the quality of the school's work. It focuses on the two key outcomes:
- The achievement of the pupils, including their academic development, and
- The personal development of the pupils.
Since the school was last inspected, the framework for inspection has changed. The current inspection framework uses different criteria and arrangements for grading from those used in previous inspection frameworks. The judgements made on this inspection are, therefore, not directly comparable to judgements made on previous inspections.
All independent schools are required to meet the requirements of the Independent School Standards. However, different inspectorates apply different frameworks that are suited to the different types of schools they inspect. The ISI terminology reflects quality judgements that are at least equivalent to those used by the national inspectorate, Ofsted. ISI reports do not provide a single overarching judgement for the school but instead give a clear judgement about key outcomes for pupils and information on the quality of the school's work.
The headline judgements must include one of the ISI descriptors ‘excellent', ‘good', ‘sound' or ‘unsatisfactory'.
Where necessary, National Curriculum nomenclature is used to refer to year groups in the school.
3.1 The quality of the pupils' academic and other achievements is good.
• The pupils' attitudes to learning are strong.
• The pupils display excellent communication skills in the wide range of opportunities they are given across the curriculum and in activities.
• The pupils with SEND and EAL fulfil their potential through the sensitive and focused teaching they receive.
• The more able pupils do not receive consistent challenge and extend their learning across all areas of the curriculum.
• Opportunities for all pupils to undertake independent learning are inconsistent across the curriculum.
3.2 The quality of the pupils' personal development is excellent.
• The pupils' social development is excellent.
• The pupils benefit from the highly developed, tangible sense of community and inclusive culture which permeates all aspects of school life and grow into confident, tolerant, caring individuals.
• Behaviour across the school is excellent and pupils are extremely proud of their school.
• The pupils have a high level of awareness as to how to keep safe at school and in the wider community, and emphasise that they feel safe and secure at all times.
3.3 The school is advised to make the following improvements:
• Provide more consistent challenge for more able pupils across the curriculum.
• Provide more consistent opportunities for all pupils to undertake independent learning.
3.4 The quality of the pupils' academic and other achievements is good.
3.5 Pupils of all ages have highly positive attitudes to learning and, as such, achieve a high level of success. Pupils are keen to achieve well in their studies. Pupils have a strong desire to learn, encouraged by enthusiastic teaching in many areas, and the existence of an obvious rapport between pupil and teacher. They appreciate and act upon advice given, and take advantage of the extra support that is freely given by supportive staff. Pupils enjoy the variety in their lessons and take great pride in their learning. High expectations are embedded from an early age. Recent work done on measuring pupils' attitudes across the school has enabled staff to identify patterns in pupils' viewpoints, such as their general happiness at school, and act on them to improve the situation. Pupils are encouraged to learn from their mistakes so that their fear of failure is minimal, and praise is given for trying hard as well as for the correct answer.
3.6 From the earliest age, pupils develop good study skills. In the pre-inspection questionnaires, most pupils said the school gave them the opportunity to learn and to make progress, and a large majority felt they knew how well they were doing in their subjects, so they know what to do to improve. Pupils in the pre-prep apply problem-solving and thinking skills to real life situations in the weekly outdoor learning sessions. Junior school pupils are able to solve problems based in the real world during focus days devoted to the application of learning and thinking. Year 6 pupils analyse and hypothesise as they considered how animals such as polar bears had adapted to their habitats due to environmental conditions. Pupils generally think for themselves rather than simply accepting the opinions of others; this is promoted through open-ended questioning and encouragement to expand upon answers by the teacher. However, in some lessons, pupils were required to do only as the teacher directed so opportunities for open discussion and independent research were limited. Pupils develop higher-order skills across the core subjects of mathematics, English and science through the recent introduction of a cognitive acceleration programme, an approach to teaching designed to develop pupils' thinking ability. Sixth-form pupils further develop their research skills through the successful introduction of the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). In creative subjects such as art and music, older pupils analyse works methodically and use their knowledge to create their own pieces.
3.7 Throughout the school, pupils develop good knowledge in all areas of learning and acquire skills that help them to apply their understanding. Children in the EYFS develop good early literacy and numeracy skills and apply their knowledge of phonics to sound out new words. Pupils in the pre-prep readily absorb new information about topics that interest them, such as the Fire of London. Pupils in the junior school have enquiring minds and demonstrate strong research skills. They use mature vocabulary in both their speech and their written work, and show great creativity in music and art. Teachers have high expectations of all pupils, are enthusiastic about the subjects they teach and are keen to extend pupils' learning. The school's focus on developing pupils' understanding through thinking skills provides opportunities to develop these? skills across the curriculum. Senior school pupils apply new knowledge in order to make hypotheses in mathematics and science lessons. They show great sensitivity and a well-developed aesthetic appreciation, as seen in a discussion on texture in art. Pupils contribute fully in lessons, where staff encourage open discussion and value every contribution. However, in some lessons, the constraints of external examination specifications cause teachers to limit the scope of the activity and provide insufficient challenge for the more able.
3.8 Across the school, the pupils demonstrate strong communication skills and successfully apply these to all areas of learning. The culture of openness encourages pupils to speak their mind freely, as seen in high quality discussion on marriage in a GCSE religious studies class. They use their excellent speaking and listening skills in the many opportunities that exist for drama and debating, and in specific projects such as the EPQ and the Model United Nations. Good reading skills enable pupils to enjoy reading for information and pleasure, and to participate fully in activities such as reading play scripts and poetry. At times when the pace of the lesson is slow or the material presented is not engaging, pupils become passive and withdrawn. Pupils with little spoken English are generally confident in trying to communicate verbally and to make their views known in class. However, opportunities for these pupils to use their communication skills out of lessons is limited, as the language barrier between pupils naturally leads them to stay within their cultural groups. The school is aware of this and has introduced strategies to support even greater integration across the senior school.
3.9 The pupils' mathematical skills develop well for their age and they can effectively apply their knowledge and skills to other areas of learning. Children in the EYFS can count to beyond 20 and readily use numbers in their daily activities. Pupils in Year 6 confidently used measuring skills as part of a science experiment, and senior school pupils accurately apply mathematical knowledge to record data on a geography trip in Year 7. Pupils demonstrate a good level of ICT skills in some areas of the curriculum, but do not use it consistently. Children in the EYFS drew repeated patterns on the computer aided by the teacher. Year 3 pupils can word process a piece of writing using various functions on the toolbar. Year 6 pupils demonstrated high quality research skills using tablets in an English lesson on biographies. Senior pupils used software to create their own presentations, and explained how they successfully used software programmes to support their learning in modern languages and science. Excellent use of specialist ICT equipment is made in A-level music technology where pupils were impressive in their working knowledge of the advanced programmes required. Pupils' competence is further developed through extra-curricular activities such as touch-typing and the coding clubs.
3.10 Children's attainment in the EYFS is good. Most achieve the expected learning outcomes by the time they finish Reception, and in many cases exceed them. Knowledgeable, caring teachers, high quality resources and a bright, stimulating learning environment indoors and out ensure that individual needs are catered for, allowing children to make significant progress up to the age of 5. In the junior school, the school does not measure attainment using national curriculum tests. The comprehensive range of standardised assessments used in the junior school shows that pupils achieve well and make considerable progress over time. An effective system of performance tracking has been introduced in order to identify individual targets for pupils and, as a result, teachers have a very good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of their pupils.
3.11 In the years 2014 to 2016, the most recent years for which comparative data are available, results in GCSE examinations have been above the national average. Results in IGCSE examinations have been higher than worldwide norms, and similar to worldwide norms in IGCSE science examinations. Results in A-level examinations have been above the national average.
3.12 The results in GCSE and A-Level examinations and standardised measures of progress indicate pupils make appropriate progress in relation to the average for pupils of similar abilities. Observations in lessons, interviews with pupils and scrutiny of their work show that progress over time across all age groups is good, and pupils gain a deeper understanding of how they can improve their work by helpful marking from teachers in many subjects. Year 6 pupils confidently make the transition into the senior school, some winning scholarships and awards. At the end of Year 13, most pupils leave to go on to universities of their choice in Britain or abroad. Pupils with SEND and EAL achieve very good results compared to their varied starting points. Pupils who join the senior school with little spoken English receive dedicated EAL lessons, and join main stream English lessons when they reach the appropriate level of competence. Learning support interventions provided by specialist teachers at an early stage enable pupils to make significant progress over time and achieve well in external examinations. Pupils taking the EPQ in 2017 achieved a very high number of results graded A* to B, supported and encouraged by their motivating and dedicated teachers. More able pupils in the junior school have some opportunities for additional challenge through being given extension work in class, and in the senior school through participation in national competitions, but these opportunities are not consistent across the school.
3.13 Across the school pupils have excellent opportunities to achieve in a wide and varied range of activities outside the regular curriculum. In the questionnaires, a very large majority of parents felt the school provided a good choice of extra-curricular activities. Pre-prep pupils have many opportunities to perform in speech and drama, and achieve well in ballet examinations. Junior and senior pupils learn a variety of diverse skills in the well organised programme of extra-curricular activities, made possible by the support of energetic, committed teachers. In sport, school teams regularly win more matches than they lose, with teams from both the junior and senior school reaching national hockey finals. Individual pupils achieve highly in a number of sports, including biathlon, tennis, cricket, athletics and equestrian, with national honours awarded to pupils in hockey and fishing. Pupils achieve significant successes in other activities, occasionally achieving regional or national recognition. Pupils have been selected for the national youth choirs and orchestras, and are often successful in local art exhibitions, dance and music festivals and examinations. The strong culture of participation is well supported by staff and parents, enabling every pupil to find activities in which to learn new skills and to enjoy taking part in. The school celebrates success in intellectual activities such as the UK Schools Chess Challenge Megafinal, and others as diverse as sheep shearing and cookery. Pupils learn about themselves through the excellent range of outdoor activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme (DoE) and activity weeks in the junior and senior school. In all areas, staff encourage pupils to excel and share in their successes.
3.14 The quality of the pupils' personal development is excellent.
3.15 Pupils' considerate attitudes reflect the strong community ethos of the school, which permeates all areas of school life. Pupils are self-aware, confident and have a positive view of themselves. In discussion, junior pupils come across as confident and self-assured. As pupils progress through the school, they grow in self-esteem and are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. In the senior school, a highly effective tutor programme involves self-reflection and target setting, which the pupils value greatly. They appreciate that they may need to take small steps in order to make big improvements and give examples of times when they have been encouraged to persevere, in sport and music, or in understanding a difficult concept in academic study. Opportunities for developing resilience and self-discipline abound in activities outside the classroom, such as in the DoE and activity weeks. Pupils with EAL especially show resilience and perseverance as they learn to communicate in the English language, encouraged and supported by compassionate teachers and peers. They feel increasingly confident of their place in the school thanks to a helpful induction process. Excellent communication between all parts of the school ensures that each child has a seamless transfer between the different phases, and is ultimately well prepared for the next stage of their lives.
3.16 Pupils use well-developed thinking skills to make intelligent, informed decisions. Children in the EYFS are able to choose which activity to take part in, carefully guided by the teacher, who encourages them to keep focused on the chosen task. Pre-prep pupils were asked by the teacher to explain their thinking process in a history lesson in order to support and reinforce their decision making process. Year 4 pupils made sensible choices when sorting and classifying in science. Through the personal, social, health education (PSHE) curriculum, all pupils are encouraged to think about the impact of their actions on others. The senior school pupils are able make informed choices about examination courses, universities and careers due to the good information the school provides.
3.17 Pupils of all ages develop real awareness of spirituality. In the pre-prep, pupils reflect on the awe and wonder of the world on visits to the outdoor learning area. Junior school reflect on the similarities and differences of comparative religions such as Hinduism, Judaism and Islam, and visit places of worship including a synagogue and a mosque. Senior pupils are aware of the Methodist foundation of the school, and appreciate the school's guiding Christian ethos. They explore spiritual identity and understanding in weekly chapel services and assemblies in which the school shares its clear vision for its spiritual life, which centres around trust and relationships. Pupils reflect thoughtfully on the world about them in a number of appropriate ways, both in the curriculum through ethics, philosophy and religion, PSHE and religious studies lessons, and in extra-curricular sessions such as ‘Bit of Cake, Bit of God'. Pupils have many opportunities to appreciate the non-material aspects of life, for example in art, music, literature and drama where discussion often centres around generating emotions and inspiration. They value their friendships.
3.18 The behaviour of pupils across the school is excellent. They are polite, respectful and courteous towards staff and other pupils. Pupils have a well-developed moral code which enables them to distinguish right from wrong. In the EYFS, children know that rules enable them all to co-exist happily. Everyone in Year 6 is a monitor at some point over the year, which encourages them to take responsibility and act correctly at all times. Pupils have a strong grasp of systems of rules and laws, and can articulate why society needs these in order to work harmoniously together. They are able to explain in a well-balanced, mature way the challenges that will face them as the next generation of adults to be in charge of the world. They fully understand their responsibilities in this respect. The high degree of respect and rapport between staff and pupils provides a firm foundation for the pupils' understanding of moral issues and their ability to take responsibility for their own actions. They understand and follow closely school behaviour protocols, and senior school pupils appreciate why changes that appear to inhibit their freedoms have been made in response to the changing society in which they live.
3.19 Pupils' social development is excellent. They learn how to work well with others, to collaborate in solving problems and achieving common goals through the many opportunities available to them, both inside and outside the classroom. Pre-prep pupils develop excellent team working skills in their time in the outdoor learning area. Junior pupils were often seen collaborating effectively, engaging in lively discussion and enjoying successfully completed shared tasks. Pupils get on well with their teachers. They are positive about the school community and their place within it. Pupils in the senior school benefit from a recently improved house system that supports their social development and enables them to integrate well across all cultures and backgrounds. The strong culture of inclusion enables successful integration of pupils with EAL, as well as those with SEND, and is highly valued by pupils. Boarders act in a responsible way, knowing what it takes to live harmoniously in the boarding environment. Experienced boarders help new pupils integrate so that those of all ages and ethnicities settle in quickly, mix well and create firm friendships. Recent reorganisation to bring boarding pupils in closer contact with day pupils seems to be effective.
3.20 Pupils make a positive contribution to the lives of others within the school. Pupils of all ages relish the opportunities to demonstrate leadership skills within the school community, from special helpers in the EYFS, prefects in the junior school and a variety of roles including mentoring in the senior school. A well-organised hierarchy of roles enables different opportunities to be offered to different pupil groups, depending on their abilities. For example, senior pupils help out with junior school football club. Prefects take seriously their duty to look out for any pupil who appears unhappy and not thriving. Boarding pupils jointly take responsibility for common areas in boarding houses as well as for their personal space. Pupils respond positively to opportunities to contribute to the lives of others within the local community and wider society. They gain personal satisfaction from helping in the local community through giving concerts to the elderly, hosting tea parties and supporting local and national charities. Senior pupils do work experience in a variety of local settings including charity shops, care homes and retail outlets. Pre-prep and junior pupils raised money for charity during national fund-raising events and at other times. Pupils take part enthusiastically in a number of fundraising events, encouraged by the charity leaders in each senior house, including a triathlon to raise money for an MRI scanner for the local hospital, and the Queen's Christmas Sparkle, which raises money to buy toys for underprivileged children at Christmas.
3.21 Pupils have an excellent understanding of other cultures and are respectful and welcoming to all. Diversity is celebrated with pride, and cultural awareness is supported through assemblies and discussions in PSHE and in academic lessons. As such, the school meets its aim of being a community which embraces people of different background and cultures. Pre-prep pupils explore other cultures during themed days and festivals, such as Japanese Day and Chinese New Year. In discussion, junior pupils said that they view the cultural mix at school as normal. Pupils are acutely aware of problems that arise from lack of tolerance and understand the true value of freedom of thought, expression and action. Senior pupils in a tutor group discussion clearly showed dismay about the lack of respect shown by some world leaders to people in satellite states. The school provides opportunities for pupils to learn more about the effects of intolerance. Two pupils took part in the Holocaust Education Trust's ‘Lessons from Auschwitz' project, and shared their insight with their peers. In the senior school, pupils are empathetic towards international students who join the school with little English, and encourage them to integrate despite the problem of the language barrier. Pupils said they enjoyed each other's company regardless of background or tradition, which reflects the success of the pastoral system for all pupils and the school's shared values. Pupils are fully supportive of the school's close link with a charity to support refugees from war-torn communities, which supports the school's aim to provide an environment where international students from more supressed political regimes can understand the true value of freedom of thought, expression and action.
3.22 The pupils have a high level of awareness as to how to keep safe at school and in the wider community. Junior pupils had the opportunity to attend a cycling proficiency course and knew when and why it was important to wear high-visibility jackets. All pupils are very clear about how to stay safe online, which is regularly reinforced in lessons and assemblies, and feel confident in being able to share information and concerns if necessary with trusted staff to whom they can turn. They emphasise that they feel safe and secure at all times. Pupils have a strong awareness of healthy eating and the importance of a balanced lifestyle. The school actively encourages healthy eating, provides healthy meals with a range of choices and arranges tasting sessions for younger pupils to try different foods. All pupils enthusiastically take part in the many opportunities for physical exercise. Children in the EYFS understand that food gives them energy to run around, and why their heart beats faster after exercise. Junior pupils clearly understood the safest way to use equipment, such as using scissors to score card and how to carry furniture around safely. Older pupils fully understood the impact of sleep on their overall wellbeing. They make sensible lifestyle choices and have a positive attitude to keeping fit and healthy, both physically and mentally.
4.1 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 tutor groups and assemblies. Inspectors visited boarding houses and the learning support and educational resource areas. The responses of parents and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed, and the inspectors examined curriculum and other documentation made available by the school.
|
Dr Wendy Bowring Dr Ruth Weeks |
Reporting inspector Compliance team inspector (Headmistress, GSA school) |
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Mr Robin Badham-Thornhill |
Team inspector (Former head, IAPS school) |
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Miss Amanda Clark |
Team inspector (Director of studies, IAPS school) |
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Mr David Dawswell |
Team inspector (Second master, HMC school |
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Mr James Fowler |
Team inspector (Headmaster, HMC school |
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Mr Christopher Gatherer Mrs Louise Belrhiti |
Team inspector (Headmaster, IAPS school) Team inspector for boarding (Assistant head, HMC school) |
© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2017
Queen's College, Taunton - September 2017