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Teaching
& Learning
| Bedales > Prospectus > Teaching & Learning > Inspection Report |
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| Inspection Report |
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This inspection report is based on a framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and agreed with the DFES and OFSTED for the purposes of ensuring that standards are maintained and that the school complies with relevant legal requirements. Recommendations are included to help the school improve. The report will be lodged with the ISI, the Head of the School, the Proprietors, the DFES and OFSTED. The school will provide a summary for all parents free of charge and the full report on request. Other interested parties may have the summary or full report, subject to a charge for copying and postage. The report may not be selectively quoted in the school prospectus or other promotional literature but may be used selectively within the school.The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school's health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination.
Main Findings
Overall Summary
This is a very good school with many strengths and very few weaknesses, in which standards of attainment in relation to pupils' capabilities are high and progress rapid across all subjects and abilities, and in which the public examination results are significantly better than those of maintained selective schools, and in line with those similar wide-entry independent schools. The governors, headmaster and senior management work well together and provide positive leadership for the school. All staff are hard working and committed to the education, care and welfare of the pupils. The school has good levels of pastoral care, and relationships among pupils and between staff and pupils are of a very high order. The school provides an environment in which the unconventional is valued, individuality is truly recognised and a diversity of interests encouraged.
What the School Does Well
* In relation to their capabilities, the attainment of pupils across all
subjects and stages is very good, and results in the General Certificate
of Secondary Education (GCSE) and Advanced Level (A level) are above those
for maintained selective schools, and in line with independent schools
with similar intakes. Good progress is made at all stages.
* The pupils' behaviour is very good; they have positive attitudes to
each other and to their environment, and are proud of their school. Relationships
among pupils and between the pupils and their teachers are friendly and
very supportive.
* The school has a very good, broad and generally well-balanced curriculum
that provides very well for pupils of all ages and abilities. The provision
for pupils who require support for special needs and English as an additional
language is good.
* Teaching is very good across all age groups. Teachers are well qualified,
and they and the non-teaching staff form a very good team that works hard
and with dedication to the benefit of the education and care of the pupils.
* The school's setting is a great asset; it is very attractive and provides
a very good environment for work and recreation. All members of the school
community look after it very well.
* The school provides well for pupils' personal development; parents are
supportive of the school, and the standards of care and welfare in boarding
are high.
* The school has developed a very strong and effective partnership with
parents and excellent links with the community, both locally and abroad.
* The governors, headmaster and members of senior management provide positive
and supportive leadership for the school and create a very friendly and
harmonious ethos.
* The school has an excellent range of activities including opportunities
to take part in sport, cultural activities and service in the community.
These are well supported and appreciated by the pupils and make a major
contribution to the school's corporate life.
What the School Should Do Better
* The school does not fully comply with legal requirements over the daily
registration of its day pupils.
* The provision of religious education (RE) is poorly represented in the
curriculum.
* Risk assessment procedures are not fully developed and completed in
all departments.
* Links with the Junior School are not fully developed.
Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects
In relation to their ages, abilities and aptitudes the attainment of the
pupils in lessons is very good, and they make rapid progress in developing
their knowledge, understanding and skills. In the GCSE and A-level examinations,
results are better than those in maintained selective schools across all
subjects. Pupils make rapid progress in lessons and over longer periods.
The Quality of Pupils' Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour
Across all ages, the quality of pupils' attitudes to learning and their
behaviour is very good. They are well motivated and co-operative in lessons,
and they enjoy their work and activities. Pupils are proud of their school
and use the facilities with respect. The school has an atmosphere of co-operation,
support and friendliness.
The Quality of Teaching
Teaching of all age groups is very good. Four-fifths of the teaching seen was good or better. The great majority of lessons are well planned; they have clear objectives and make good use of resources and provide effectively for pupils' learning. Teachers have a secure and confident command of their subjects and create an atmosphere of intellectual challenge that promotes good attainment and progress. Teachers and pupils have a friendly rapport and this creates a positive working atmosphere in class.
Other Aspects of the School
Attendance
The level of attendance is very good enabling pupils to take full advantage
of the opportunities provided by the school. The admissions register conforms
to legal requirements, but the registration of day pupils does not comply
fully with statutory requirements.
Assessment and Recording
Procedures used for assessing and recording pupils' attainment and progress
are generally accurate and effective. Although pupils' work is usually
marked positively and with sufficiently detailed comments to assist and
encourage progress, some inconsistency in quality occurs across departments.
The school has a very useful internal system of 'Month's Marks' that allow
teachers and tutors to discuss and monitor pupils' progress very well.
Curriculum
The curriculum is well constructed and offers a broad and generally well-balanced
education for all age groups and the ability range within the school.
It allows equality of access for all pupils, including the most able,
to learn and make progress. The provision for pupils who require support
for English as an additional language and those with special needs is
good, and they receive their curriculum entitlement. The curriculum is
much enriched by a very good range of sports and other activities provided
by the school. The provision for RE in the curriculum is poor. The curricular
links with the Junior School are not yet fully developed.
The Teaching and Non-teaching Staff
The school is very well staffed, and teachers are appropriately qualified
in their specialist subjects. The commitment, enthusiasm and hard work
of the teachers are the major factors in ensuring the quality and range
of pupils' achievements and progress both within and outside the academic
timetable. In all areas, non-teaching staff contribute most effectively
to the smooth running of the school, and are valued members of the community.
The new appraisal system for teaching staff is well linked to training
and professional development. No formal appraisal is yet available for
non-teaching staff.
Resources for Learning
Resources are plentiful and they are used well to support teaching and learning. In the past two years, the school has made considerable investment in information and communication technology (ICT) equipment. However, the implementation of the new system is not yet fully completed.
Libraries
The main school library is well staffed but book stocks are uneven from
subject to subject. As a grade 1 listed building, it cannot be adapted
for ICT. Nevertheless, it gives good support to teaching and learning.
Some departmental libraries represent very good additional provision.
Premises and Accommodation
The range, extent and quality of buildings and grounds are conducive to
good learning and make a very valuable contribution to pupils' personal
development. Subject accommodation is generally good, although art and
technology have limited space and storage for current use. Pupils are
aware of the quality of their environment and treat it with respect. The
standards of caretaking and the care for the grounds are very good, although
some of the single storey buildings are nearing the end of their useful
life. The standard of display of subject material and pupils' work varies
in quality but good examples much enhance work in art, English and special
needs.
Links with Parents and the Community
The school has succeeded in developing a good and effective partnership with parents. Parents are supportive of the school, as revealed in their response to the pre-inspection questionnaire. Close to half the parents responded and across the whole range of topics they are appreciative of what the school is providing for their children. Reports to parents reflect the depth of knowledge that staff have about pupils. Bedales' links with communities both at home and abroad are well rooted and inspire strong commitment from pupils and staff. These are very good and effectively broaden the cultural and geographical horizons of many pupils.
Personal Development
Pupils' personal development is well catered for, although the opportunities for the growth of individual spirituality are limited. The overall ethos and expectations of the school and the positive influence of the staff provide a very good basis for pupils to develop a moral code along with their personal, social and cultural growth.
> Many opportunities are provided for participation in a wide range of cultural experiences. Planned visits in the British Isles, the excellent exchange visits with pupils from India, the theatre visit to Dubai and other trips overseas are of great value and extend both the cultural knowledge and experience of the pupils.
Full participation in school life and positive relationships are strongly promoted. Opportunities are provided for pupils to exercise responsibility and leadership in houses, cultural activities, sports teams, community service and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
Pastoral Care, Support and Guidance
The school provides excellent support and guidance for pupils by means of its form-based tutorial system. The arrangements for subject choice are well organised and implemented. Advice on higher education is effective.
Pupils' Welfare, including Health and Safety
> Policies and procedures for the welfare and care of pupils are well established. The welfare of pupils is carefully safeguarded and promoted by their implementation, although some easily remedied potential health and safety hazards exist, for example in art and science. The school has good anti-bullying guidance and an effective child protection policy.
Boarding and Day Arrangements
The standards of care and welfare in the boarding houses are very high. Pupils are happy and are proud of their houses. The atmosphere in the houses is very positive and relaxed. Housemasters and housemistresses, supported by their house tutors and matrons, are particularly committed to the well being of the pupils. Accommodation is generally of a very high standard
.
Governance and Management
The governors, headmaster and those in management rôles work well together to ensure that the school's academic and educational intentions are met and that a good quality of education is provided. The headmaster consults widely and provides clear direction to staff and pupils regarding the balance of the educational experience offered. His clarity of view strengthens the themes of tolerance, diversity and all-round achievement already well established in the culture and practice of the school.
Achievement and Quality in Activities
The school provides an extensive range of academic, cultural and sporting activities for the pupils. These activities are greatly enjoyed by all who take part. In addition, the 'Outdoor Work' programme is a remarkable feature of the life of Bedales and much in keeping with the founder's original intentions for the broader curriculum of the school. The standard of attainment in sports and other activities is high. A very high proportion of pupils take part in an excellent and valuable community service programme. Drama and music activities are of a high standard and offer a wide range of opportunities for pupils.
Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection
The school has made good progress since the last inspection by an HMC inspection team in the spring term, 1996, following which ten recommendations were made. Almost all have been more than satisfactorily dealt with by the school. The allocation of rôles within the management structure of the school remains to be completed. Where other recommendations were made elsewhere in the body of that report appropriate reference to these is made in the succeeding sections.
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