St John's College
Grove Road South
Southsea
Hampshire
PO5 3QW

Head: Mrs Mary Maguire

T 023 9281 5118

F 023 9287 3603

E info@stjohnscollege.co.uk

W www.stjohnscollege.co.uk

An independent school for boys and girls aged from 2 to 18.

Boarding: Yes

Local authority: Portsmouth

Pupils: 555

Religion: Catholic

Independent Schools Inspectorate

EDUCATIONAL QUALITY INSPECTION

ST JOHN'S COLLEGE

JANUARY 2017

SCHOOL'S DETAILS

College	St John's College
DfE number	851/6001
Registered charity number	1162915
Address	Grove Road South Southsea Hampshire PO5 3QW
Telephone number	023 92815118
Email address	info@stjohnscollege.co.uk
Head of College	Mr Timothy Bayley
Chair of governors	Mr Timothy Forer
Age range	2 to 18
Number of pupils on roll	577
Boys 377	Girls	200
Day pupils 494	Boarders	83
EYFS         38	Juniors	140
Seniors        318	Sixth Form	81
Inspection dates	25 to 26 January 2017

PREFACE

The registration authority for independent schools is the Department for Education (DfE), which directs inspection according to a specified frequency or at any time where the DfE has particular concerns about a school. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of inspecting schools which are, or whose heads are, in membership of the associations which form the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and reporting on the extent to which they meet the Independent School Standards (‘the standards') in the Schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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 following their inspection 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.

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 indepth 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.

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 an EDUCATIONAL QUALITY inspection, reporting 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.

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 the published report but will have been considered by the team in reaching its judgements.

All inspections of independent schools in England are conducted according to the requirements of the Independent School Standards Regulations. 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'.

INSPECTION EVIDENCE

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

Inspectors

CONTENTS

Page

• 1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

About the school

What the school seeks to do

About the pupils

Recommendations from previous inspections

• 2  KEY FINDINGS

Recommendations

• 3  THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS' ACADEMIC AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

• 4  THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS' PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

About the school

• 1.1 St John's College is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls between the ages of two and eighteen, situated in Southsea, Hampshire. It is a registered charity. Since the previous inspection, a main teaching block in the senior school has been refurbished and a new sixth form centre has been opened. A garden complex has been developed with specific play areas for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

• 1.2 The school was founded in 1908 by a community of Catholic brothers established by John Baptiste De La Salle. In September 2015 the school left the De La Salle trust and responsibility for governance is now held by a board of governors. The school comprises a Nursery, a junior school which caters for pupils from Reception to Year 6, and a senior school for pupils in Years 7 to 13.

What the school seeks to do

• 1.3 The school aims to offer a rounded education supported by a wide range of activities, where pupils may develop talents and become confident young people for the future. Founded on Catholic principles and adhering to Christian values, the school encourages each pupil to foster a spirit of endeavour and achieve his or her full potential through a philosophy of striving to be the best in every endeavour, whether academic, creative, emotional or physical. The school provides a balanced curriculum which supports the pupils as they develop the skills needed for adult life. This nurtures a spirit of academic curiosity and a desire to learn in an environment where diligent application is expected, and allows pupils to mature into tolerant members of society. By developing a ‘through school' strategy of sharing teachers and facilities across all year groups, the school seeks to make transition arrangements a positive experience for pupils.

About the pupils

• 1.4 Pupils come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, which fully reflect the ethnic diversity of the surrounding environs of Portsmouth. The majority live within a 10-mile radius of the school. The school has identified 91 pupils as having special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) which include dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, of whom 85 receive additional specialist support. No pupils have an education, health and care plan. English is an additional language for 59 pupils and 48 receive additional support for this. Data used by the school identifies 53 pupils as the most able on roll.

• 1.5   National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school.

• 1.6 The previous full inspection of the school by ISI was a standard inspection in March 2011. The recommendations from that inspection were:

• •   Improve teaching and learning, particularly in the upper school, by ensuring that the marking of pupils' work is undertaken consistently across all subjects.

• •   Enable pupils to develop their ideas in extended form.

• •   Seek ways, particularly in the upper school, to engage parents in the life and work of the college.

• •   Improve the management skills of heads of departments in the upper school, so that they can evaluate and challenge the performance of pupils within their subjects.

• •   Ensure that in the EYFS the setting of work appropriate to children's needs, and the next steps in their learning, are recorded appropriately.

• •   Improve provision in the EYFS to encourage a consistent approach facilitating independence in all aspects of children's learning.

• 1.7   The school has successfully met most of the recommendations of the previous inspection and partially addressed the recommendation to challenge the performance of pupils within all subjects. Further detail is in given in the main text of the report.

• 1.8   The recommendations of the intermediate boarding inspection and of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) inspection in 2014 were:

• •   Ensure that all boarders have access to showers with good water pressure and plentiful hot water.

• •   Provide consistent standards of decoration and furnishing in all boarding houses.

• •   Provide all boarders with individual lockable storage facilities.

• •   Provide Nursery children with increased support for investigative learning and problem solving, in both indoor and outdoor environments.

• •   Ensure that snack time procedures in Reception are appropriate for the needs of the children and provide opportunities for increasing independence.

• 1.9   The school has successfully met all the recommendations of these inspections. Further detail is in given in the main text of the report.

2. KEY FINDINGS

• 2.1 The quality of the pupils' academic and other achievements is good.

• •   Pupils demonstrate excellent attitudes towards their learning, undertaking independent and collaborative work with confidence and maturity.

• •   Pupils of all abilities respond positively to academic challenge; however opportunities for the more able to extend their learning are not provided consistently across all subjects.

• •   Pupils in Years 5 and 6 engage enthusiastically with specialist teaching but this is not yet provided in all core subjects.

• •   Pupils across the school enjoy participating in enrichment activities; however opportunities for educational trips are limited in Years 7 to 11.

• 2.2   The quality of the pupils' personal development is excellent.

• •   Pupils have a strong appreciation for the non-material aspects of life and a mature spiritual response to the world about them, nurtured by the Christian ethos of the school.

• •   Pupils develop a strong moral understanding of their actions and this is reflected in their respectful behaviour towards one another and the staff who teach them.

• •   Pupils enjoy the diversity of their community, showing their appreciation for other cultures as well as their own. They are tolerant and sensitive towards each other.

• •   Pupils relish opportunities to help each other. They work effectively together to promote a happy and caring community.

Recommendations

• 2.3   The school is advised to make the following improvements:

• •   Ensure greater consistency of challenge for the more able across all subjects.

• •   Fully implement the ethos of through school teaching into Years 5 and 6.

• •   Provide further enrichment opportunities for Years 7 to 11.

3.  THE QUALITY OF PUPILS' ACADEMIC AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

• 3.1 The quality of pupils' academic and other achievements is good.

• 3.2 Pupils of all ages develop good knowledge, skills and understanding in accordance with the school's aims to foster a spirit of endeavour. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children are encouraged to extend their learning skills through high-quality planning. Both Nursery and Reception children are engaged in their learning as teachers demonstrate a thorough understanding of their needs, employing a wide range of resources and pacing the lessons appropriately to stimulate a desire to learn. The school has been successful in fulfilling the recommendations made in the previous inspection. Children are consistently encouraged to be independent in their learning with a strong classroom focus on tasks which encourage independent learning and problem solving. Children are able to broaden their understanding of the world around them and extend their independent learning in the new garden environment. Children are encouraged to be more independent at snack times, fetching their own snacks and clearing away afterwards.

• 3.3 In accordance with the school's aim to provide a through school experience, carefully devised arrangements are implemented to facilitate the transition into the junior school where pupils continue to build upon the excellent start they receive in the EYFS. Pupils in the senior and junior schools are focused and attentive learners, able to work effectively, both collaboratively and independently. The ability profile of the pupils in the junior and senior schools is above the national average, and in Years 12 and 13 it is in line with the national average.

• 3.4 The following analysis uses the national data for 2013 to 2015, which are the most recent three years for which comparative statistics are currently available. Results at GCSE, most International GCSE subjects and at A level, have been in line with the national average overall and demonstrate consistent progress over time. Pupils up to GCSE and A level progress well in relation to their starting points. The more able pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those with English as an additional language (EAL), make progress that is good relative to their ability and comparable to that of other pupils in the school. More emphasis on evaluation and monitoring, particularly in the senior school, has enabled greater challenge for most pupils; however the more able pupils are not always offered opportunities to extend their learning. Clear marking with effective targets, either written or through helpful verbal feedback given to pupils, has improved pupils' learning. Pupils are confident in their progression into the upper school and this is enhanced by the pattern of specialist teaching in Years 5 and 6, however this has not yet been extended into every subject.

• 3.5 Pupils develop confident communication skills. They are mature and competent communicators, with excellent speaking and listening skills. This is because of the encouragement pupils receive to articulate their thoughts and ideas, which is fully demonstrated in the classroom ethos of positive reinforcement. Pupils in Year 1 were eager to demonstrate their ability to recall and recount the main points from yesterday's story. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils eloquently described the special foods prepared for the Passover. Pupils show fluency and accuracy in their writing, evident in pupils' books across the school. They enjoy reading aloud in lessons and benefit from the encouragement they receive to broaden their understanding by choosing suitable texts in class and in the school library. Pupils participate enthusiastically in debate, arguing their case with appropriate language and examples. They listen attentively to each other and to their teachers. For example, children in the EYFS showed excellent understanding of letters and the sounds they make after listening carefully to their teacher. In a Year 5 art lesson, pupils were able to construct working quills based on clearly delivered instructions. Small class sizes enable pupils to participate freely in their lessons and pupils say they appreciate the opportunities to share their ideas and learn from their mistakes. Throughout the school pupils demonstrate high-level skills in analysing and applying their oral skills, as when pupils prepare and deliver presentations to the class, and as a result, develop into articulate young people well able to build upon and extend their ideas.

• 3.6 The pupils achieve good numeracy skills throughout the curriculum. They demonstrate competency in their mathematics lessons, reinforcing their numerical skills through application in other subjects such as the sciences, computer science and geography. Children in the EYFS extend their understanding of number patterns to include competent addition of single and double digits. Pupils in Year 3 add three digit numbers accurately and those in Year 4 demonstrate competence working with fractions. Year 8 pupils were confident they could tackle a line graph to project China's population for homework, while in a Year 12 accounting lesson, pupils were able to produce mathematical analyses of balance sheets and income statements. Supported by well-planned teaching and good resources, pupils are able to make good progress in their mathematical skills.

• 3.7 Children confidently use information and communication technology (ICT) in the EYFS to produce e-books and design advertisements. Older pupils throughout the school develop their skills through specialist teaching in designated computing lessons. They are able to utilise technology to enhance their speaking and listening skills in modern foreign languages, and routinely use computers in research projects. Pupils in a Year 11 lesson used two-dimensional software to design products for manufacture. From Year 7 upwards, pupils competently employ ICT to enrich their class presentations and pupils feel this helps them prepare for their GCSE examinations.

• 3.8 Most pupils who responded to the inspection questionnaire say that they appreciate the way the school provides opportunities for them to learn and make good progress. A small minority of pupils felt the lessons are not interesting. Pupils make excellent progress, when lessons are well paced and stimulating. Pupils in a junior English lesson demonstrated a mature understanding of grammatical techniques to enhance suspense in fictional writing, for example, while in a senior Chemistry lesson, pupils confidently explained the use of a blast furnace to extract metal from a variety of elements. The more able are sometimes not sufficiently challenged because tasks are too easy for them. Pupils' progress is supported by a balanced curriculum successfully covering linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technical, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative aspects, in line with the school's aims. Pupils extend their interests and hobbies through a wide range of extra-curriculum activities. Pupils are highly appreciative of the dedication of their teachers. In discussions, pupils were eager to share the way they value the extra help they receive through subject clinics and one-to-one support, in addition to the assistance they routinely receive in lessons. Most parents responding to the inspection questionnaire agreed that teaching enabled their child to make good progress and develop skills for the future.

• 3.9 Pupils throughout the school become increasingly confident in the development of their study skills. Children in the EYFS develop good study skills as they engage in independent and collaborative learning. Older pupils relish opportunities to work collaboratively, for example, in Year 6, pupils worked in pairs to produce life-size working bone joints, while groups of pupils in a Year 10 Spanish class, enjoyed working on memory tasks together. Research skills are developed through a range of independent tasks incorporating an element of choice, for example Year 10 were challenged with creating individual artefacts in a history lesson. Pupils utilise their analytical skills through hypothesizing, encouraged by well-directed questions from their teachers. Discrete study skills lessons in small class sizes provide pupils with the opportunity to develop an increasingly broad study skill base in addition to offering individual assistance as required.

• 3.10 The pupils participate successfully in a range of competitive activities outside the academic day, including inter-house competitions and sports matches. Clubs offer opportunities for pupils to explore their interests and many pupils enter competitions at local and national levels, for example in mathematics, chemistry, geography and poetry. Pupils develop their creative awareness and skills through internal events such as competitive quizzes in modern foreign languages, and through musical activities when they are able to participate in the school orchestra and other ensembles, art clubs and a photography club held in a nearby venue. Pupils gain an awareness of the world around them through educational trips, however these opportunities are limited for those in Years 7 to 11. A very large majority of parents responding to the questionnaire felt that the school provides a good choice of extra-curricular activities. All who responded were satisfied with the information they receive from the school.

• 3.11 Throughout the school, pupils display excellent attitudes to learning. Children in the EYFS are independent learners eager to discover how the world works around them. They persevere in their tasks and enjoy opportunities to work and play together. Older pupils are highly attentive learners, frequently displaying initiative and imagination in their learning. They are focussed and self-disciplined, willing to work collaboratively or independently. When engaged in collaborative tasks, their willingness to help each other learn is exceptional. The education the pupils receive, enables the school to fulfil its aim of offering a fully rounded educational experience in all aspects, including academic, creative, emotional and physical. This is underpinned by the ethos which celebrates personal success and achievement and urges pupils to strive to reach their potential in all they do.

4.  THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS' PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

4.1 The quality of the pupils' personal development is excellent.

• 4.2 Pupils demonstrate excellent levels of self-awareness and have a clear understanding of how to improve their learning and performance. In accordance with the school's aims to foster a spirit of endeavour, pupils are encouraged to give of their best in all their activities, both within and beyond the classroom. Through the positive support they receive from their teachers and from those who look after them in their boarding houses, pupils flourish and grow in selfconfidence. They develop qualities of resilience and perseverance through the culture of praise and encouragement, and are confident in the help and guidance of their teachers. The scrutiny of pupils' work displayed good examples of feedback from teachers, enabling realistic targets for improvement. Pupils sustain their focus in lessons and understand what they need to do to make progress in their learning.

• 4.3 Throughout the school, pupils are confident making decisions which affect their learning and help to shape the community in which they live and work. They develop excellent judgement, understanding that individual choices are important both to themselves and their peers. They support their school as prefects and monitors and are highly committed representatives on the junior and senior school councils. House captains help to look after younger boarders, helping them to make a positive contribution to their boarding houses.

• 4.4 Pupils apply high levels of self-discipline to their studies. They settle quickly to their work and persevere in order to fulfil the tasks they are set, for example, children in the EYFS demonstrated great perseverance learning to work with a variety of materials to produce unusual shapes. Older pupils develop their ability to persevere through participation in an award scheme which encourages them to select a charity and organise fund raising events in support. Through inter-house competitions, boarders work towards gaining points to win the boarding cup. Pupils of all ages move about the campus in a disciplined and mature manner, holding doors for each other and for visitors. They are disciplined in the way they share facilities in their boarding houses, clearing kitchens after cooking and tidying common rooms.

• 4.5 Pupils develop a high level of spiritual awareness and this is fostered by the Christian ethos of the school, which continues to embrace the Catholic tenets of its foundation. They reflect carefully on many aspects of life and appreciate assemblies where they are encouraged to explore less tangible issues, such as the power of friendships and the destructive nature of unkindness. Year 6 pupils expressed their understanding of the sanctity of all life forms when writing about aliens on Earth, although still taking appropriate measures to save the planet. In a Year 13 lesson, pupils delineated the importance of finding satisfaction in a job, appreciating benefits which are non-monetary. Both senior and junior school pupils value the meditation sessions arranged by the school, finding these an opportunity for further reflection and calmness. Senior pupils take pride in the acronym ‘LEAD', formed by taking the first letters of their house names, and using this to embrace the concept of leading by example.

• 4.6 Pupils are extremely well behaved both in lessons and around the school. All parents responding to the questionnaire expressed themselves as highly satisfied with the way the school promotes good behaviour. Pupils are actively engaged in formulating class rules and fully appreciate the need for a code of conduct. They are morally aware and able to distinguish between right and wrong. They understand and appreciate British values and learn the value of honesty and respect. This is reinforced through an excellent personal, social, health, and citizenship education (PSHCE) curriculum and the regular assemblies. Pupils gain a further understanding of how consistently applied codes of behaviour enable societies to function successfully, through the religious education programme. Pupils in Years 12 and 13 use their study skills lessons to gain an understanding of human rights and the British democratic system. Pupils accept roles of responsibility with a desire to do their best and undertake their roles as prefects, monitors and buddies seriously. They work together very successfully, for example, when prefects organise the annual ball, deciding the venue, theme and catering arrangements. As buddies, they generously give of their time to help younger pupils.

• 4.7 Pupils have a clear understanding of safeguarding generally and of how to stay safe on-line, because the school implements excellent measures to enable the pupils to develop their understanding of personal safety. They appreciate the need to eat healthily and exercise regularly, and are aware of the need to approach life with a positive physical and mental outlook, because the school is meticulous in undertaking its responsibility to safeguard its pupils and promote their health and well-being. Alongside the effective PSHCE programme, a strong pastoral system is enhanced by a fully qualified nursing staff and a school counsellor. Pupils say that they receive the support and help they need. Pupils understand the need for safety on the school campus and know what to do in the event of fire. Both in the classroom and around the school, pupils show high levels of concern for each other.

• 4.8 The population of the school reflects the culturally diverse wider community of the environs and pupils are exceptionally tolerant of one another's different faiths and backgrounds. They treat others with acceptance, kindness and respect. Children in the EYFS chat happily to one another, as they share their activities. Junior school pupils say they enjoy learning about other religions in their religious education lessons and through talks given by guest speakers in assembly time, and that they value their special prayer table and prayer area where they can go to be quiet and reflect. Older pupils display an excellent understanding of a range of faiths and celebrate religious feast days such as Chinese New Year and Diwali respectfully. In their questionnaire responses, a small minority of pupils felt that teachers do not always provide a balanced view regarding the discussion of politics and current affairs. Scrutiny of curricular plans and discussions with pupils found that this was not the case. Pupils display a strong personal commitment to the school. They are proud of their school and loyal to their boarding houses. They appreciate the need to help those less fortunate than themselves and are generous in their charitable work, supporting local ventures to provide for the hungry and homeless.

• 4.9 Pupils are very well prepared for the next stage in their education. With the through school ethos, staff work diligently to support individuals as they progress upwards through the school. A few pupils felt that they are not provided with appropriate advice about selecting choices of subjects or careers, however inspection evidence found that detailed information was available. The new sixth form centre which caters for Years 12 and 13 contains a specialised area where pupils may access information. In discussions, pupils confirmed that this was well supported by individual tutorials and personal guidance. Through its teaching and ethos, the school provides opportunities for pupils to develop the skills needed to make academic progress and become mature young people ready to embrace the challenges of the next stage of their lives.

© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2017

January 2017