INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE

Transcription

1 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE WINDLESHAM HOUSE SCHOOL STANDARD INSPECTION Independent Schools Inspectorate 2011

2 INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE WINDLESHAM HOUSE SCHOOL STANDARD INSPECTION Full Name of School Windlesham House School DfE Number 938/6028 Registered Charity Number Address Windlesham House School London Road Washington Pulborough West Sussex RH20 4AY Telephone Number Fax Number Address Head Chair of Governors Mr Richard J Foster Mrs Christina Maude Age Range 4 to 13 Total Number of Pupils 330 Gender of Pupils Mixed (193 boys; 137 girls) Numbers by Age Number of Day Pupils Total: 145 Number of Boarders Total: 185 Head of Pre Prep Gender Mrs Shirley Mead Mixed Inspection dates 01 Feb 2011 to 02 Feb Mar 2011 to 04 Mar 2011 Windlesham House School (standard inspection)

3 PREFACE This inspection report follows the STANDARD ISI schedule. The inspection consists of two parts: an INITIAL two-day inspection of regulatory requirements followed by a three-day FINAL (team) inspection of the school s broader educational provision. The previous ISI inspection was in May The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Government for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010*. The range of these Regulations is as follows. (a) Quality of education provided (curriculum) (b) Quality of education provided (teaching) (c) Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils (d) Welfare, health and safety of pupils (e) Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors (f) Premises and accommodation (g) Provision of information (h) Manner in which complaints are to be handled *These Standards Regulations replace those first introduced on 1 September Legislation additional to Part 3, Welfare, health and safety of pupils, is as follows. (i) The Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA). (ii) Race, gender and sexual discrimination legislation. (iii) Corporal punishment. 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 31st 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 Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and follows the requirements of the Childcare Act 2006 as subsequently amended. The inspection of boarding was not carried out in conjunction with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), Children s Services and Skills, and the report does not contain 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 and development in general. The full Ofsted report refers to an inspection in June 2010 and can be found at under Children s social care/boarding school. The inspection of the school is from an educational perspective and provides limited inspection of other aspects, though inspectors will comment on any significant hazards or problems they encounter which have an adverse impact on children. The inspection does not include: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) an exhaustive health and safety audit an in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features an investigation of the financial viability of the school or its accounting procedures an in-depth investigation of the school s compliance with employment law. Independent Schools Inspectorate 2011

4 CONTENTS 1 The Characteristics of The School 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 their learning, attitudes and skills (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 welfare, health and safety (c) The quality of boarding education 5 The Effectiveness of Governance, Leadership and Management (a) The quality of governance (b) The quality of leadership and management (c) The quality of links with parents, carers and guardians 6 The Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage (a) The overall effectiveness of the early years provision how well the school meets the needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (b) The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage 12 (c) The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 12 (d) Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 13 Inspection Evidence Windlesham House School (standard inspection)

5 1 THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL 1.1 Windlesham House is a co-educational boarding and day school for pupils between the ages of four and thirteen. It is situated in its own spacious grounds in the Sussex countryside, near Pulborough. It was originally founded in 1837 in the Isle of Wight by Charles Malden at the suggestion of Dr Arnold, headmaster of Rugby School. It moved to Brighton a year later and eventually to its present site in 1934.It became a charitable trust in The governing body consists of fourteen members and the chair is a direct descendant of the founder. At present there are 330 pupils on roll, 193 boys and 137 girls. There are 185 full boarders and 145 day pupils. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) has nineteen pupils. These pupils share their building with Years 1 and 2 and the three year groups form the pre-prep section, which has been a part of the school since 1997 when day pupils were admitted for the first time. Since the previous inspection the facilities for information and communication technology (ICT) have been extended, improvements have been made to the outdoor facilities for the pre-prep and to the golf course and tennis courts. A new library has been created in the heart of the school, along with a new staff room, offices and meeting room. The front hall has also been totally renovated. An informative parents portal has been developed on the school website. 1.2 The school s aim is that every pupil is encouraged to achieve his or her full potential whether that is an academic scholarship or the ability to assimilate the basic curriculum with confidence. Each pupil is valued as an individual and the school aims to teach its pupils to value others within a warm atmosphere where the ethos of the school is evident to all. For boarders the aim is to make school like home, whilst home is not like school. 1.3 The ability range of the pupils is wide with the majority being above average. English is an additional language (EAL) for nineteen pupils, all of whom receive support and 77 pupils have been identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD). Of these, 67 receive support from the school. Three pupils have statements of special educational needs. 1.4 The majority of pupils come from the south of England, from families with professional or business backgrounds but a minority are either the children of British expatriates or foreign nationals. Almost all of the pupils transfer to independent day and boarding schools at the end of Year 8, some with scholarships. 1.5 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school. The year group nomenclature used by the school and its National Curriculum (NC) equivalence are shown in the following tables. Preparatory School School NC name Transition Year 3 Fives Year 4 Fours Year 5 Threes Year 6 Twos Year 7 Ones Year 8 Independent Schools Inspectorate 2011

6 2 THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL 2 (a) Main findings 2.1 From the EYFS upwards pupils at Windlesham House are successful in their learning and personal development. The school meets its aim to enable every pupil to achieve his or her potential whatever their ability level. This succeeds in an atmosphere of warmth and encouragement. The school does not enter pupils for national tests but standardised test results show that the ability range of the pupils is above average overall, with small minorities being below average and far above average. Pupils attitudes to their work are excellent. They are interested in their studies and thoroughly enjoy the many and varied opportunities which are provided for them both within and outside the curriculum. Extra-curricular activities are excellent and all pupils, but especially those who board, report that they enjoy them greatly. At the age of thirteen the pupils transfer to a wide range of independent boarding and day schools, appropriate to their particular needs and abilities. Good and sometimes outstanding teaching contributes to the individual success of the pupils. Marking is regular, and in some cases contains helpful advice on how work can be improved, but it does not always adhere to the school s marking policy, and this can, for example feed through to impact on the quality of pupils written work. 2.2 The personal qualities of the pupils are excellent and the emphasis on promoting a happy, caring and warm atmosphere results in pupils who are welcoming, well mannered and unfailingly polite. A sense of community pervades the whole school and the pupils are very proud to be a part of it. Parents responses to the preinspection questionnaires were overwhelmingly supportive of the school. Pupils were also very positive but at the time of the initial visit some older pupils felt that teachers were not always fair. This proved to be connected to the distribution of reward stars and has now been fully rectified by the school. Both teaching and nonteaching staff provide excellent pastoral care and safeguarding for pupils and their example leads to the purposeful atmosphere in all parts of the school. 2.3 Leadership and management are excellent and the school benefits from the examples set by the leadership team, who are dedicated to upholding the traditions and ethos of the school. Governors are fully committed to the school, and by regular visits and informed discussion, play an important role in its development. They take their legal responsibilities, which include the safeguarding of pupils, very seriously and ensure that all statutory policies and procedures are in place and reviewed regularly. 2 (b) Action points (i) Compliance with regulatory requirements (The range of the Independent School Standards Regulations is given in the Preface) 2.4 At the time of the initial visit, the school met all the requirements of the Independent School Standards Regulations (ii) Recommendations for further improvement 2.5 The school is advised to make the following improvements. 1. Review the arrangements for the teaching of personal, social and health education (PSHE) for the older pupils. 2. Improve the monitoring of pupils work to ensure consistency and adherence to the school s marking policy. 3. In the EYFS, adopt the recommendation from moderation to use the e-profiles in order to monitor progress. 4. In the EYFS, use assessment scales to report the achievement of pupils in the end-of-year reports. Windlesham House School (standard inspection)

7 3 THE QUALITY OF ACADEMIC AND OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 3 (a) The quality of the pupils achievements and their learning, attitudes and skills 3.1 Pupils achievement is good. The school successfully fulfils its aim to encourage every child to achieve his or her full potential, whether that is an academic scholarship or the ability to assimilate the basic curriculum with confidence. 3.2 Pupils are well educated and successful in their learning in all subjects and activities. In lessons, activities and their written work, they show understanding of the topics presented to them and they make good progress. Pupils are educated in the broadest sense. Several pupils each year gain academic, music, art or drama awards to their senior schools and all pupils move on at the age of thirteen to the senior school which is most appropriate for their particular needs and skills. Pupils listen to each other very well. They speak and read at their own level with confidence and self-assurance, whether in a classroom discussion, reporting in a house meeting or speaking to an adult. High standards of presentation of the spoken word are achieved by those pupils entering for drama awards at their next school. Pupils acquire sound mathematical skills from an early age and are able to use these in problem solving. Well-developed creative skills are evident in pupils artwork, and all around the school attractive and interesting displays use a wide variety of media. In every age group pupils have good opportunities to develop their thinking skills. They achieve good levels of competence in ICT and are able to use their skills in many curriculum subjects, both for research and for presenting their work. School teams have been successful in local, regional and national competition in a range of sports. Musical talent is highly valued and pupils benefit from opportunities to perform in school concerts and to hear their peers performing in assemblies and musical productions. Pupils spoke with great enthusiasm about the recent production in which all members of the school took part, together with many others from the local community. 3.3 The school does not enter pupils for national tests; standardised testing indicates that the ability of the pupils overall is above the national average, but with a very wide spread, which ranges from well below average to far above average. Pupils progress over time is tracked and the data are used to inform planning. Those pupils who have been identified as having LDD or EAL are extremely well catered for by specialist teachers both within and outside the classroom. 3.4 Pupils thrive in the atmosphere of hard work, enjoyment and effort. They make good progress. Their attitude to their work is good and they take pride, both in their own achievements and the successes of others. Pupils sustain good levels of concentration during lessons, maximising all opportunities that are presented to them. They work very well together. 3 (b) The contribution of curricular and extra-curricular provision (including community links of benefit to pupils) 3.5 The contribution of the curriculum and extra-curricular activities is excellent. It fully supports the aim of the school to develop each child s potential. The curriculum is broad and balanced, well planned and carefully tailored to suit all ages, abilities and needs. It covers all the required aspects of learning and is greatly enriched by the excellent opportunities provided in creative subjects and the range of modern foreign languages. PSHE has a planned scheme of work for all year groups but discrete lessons are only timetabled up to Year 5. After this the provision is not consistent and pupils in the older year groups do not benefit from all that the scheme offers to further assist their personal development. The library is well stocked and welcoming and offers the pupils the opportunity to select their reading material from a broad range of texts. Fiction texts are well used but at present the library is under-used for research and independent study. ICT resources are used effectively in a range of subjects; for example, older pupils analyse and present data for their geography fieldwork projects and younger pupils animate words. 3.6 Throughout the curriculum, pupils with learning difficulties receive excellent support through withdrawal and in-class help. Targets are identified for pupils with difficulties and highlighted for all staff. Extension work is Independent Schools Inspectorate 2011

8 built into the lesson plans and opportunities such as the scholars evenings and the Young Einsteins programme extend the thinking of the most able. All pupils are able to benefit from the excellent range of academic enrichment activities on offer, which range from Spanish to additional Latin. Setting for Mathematics and English allows the curriculum to be taught at the appropriate level for all pupils. Curriculum planning is detailed and good links between the various sections of the school ensure continuity of education and progress. Links between sections have improved since the previous inspection. 3.7 The extra-curricular programme is excellent and pupils, especially those who board, spoke highly of the opportunities they get to enjoy a wide range of activities after school and at the weekend. Day pupils are able to come to school to take part in weekend activities. 3.8 Excellent links have been established with the local community and further afield. The school supports many local charities and pupils visit local clubs and homes for older people. The school choir regularly sings in local churches and the school has recently become the county music centre, providing accommodation for the county orchestras, choirs and ensembles. The theatre is used by local schools and they are also able to borrow the school minibuses. Pupils in Year 3 in local schools are invited to take part in a challenge programme, and a science road show has been developed and is performed in local schools. In recent years groups of pupils have ventured abroad to assist with projects for children in Ethiopia and India. Pupils reported that they much enjoy these links with the wider community and they benefit from the opportunities to make contact with those whose lives are different from their own. The school raises considerable sums for charity. 3 (c) The contribution of teaching 3.9 Teaching is good overall and sometimes outstanding. It enables all pupils, including those with LDD and EAL, to make good progress. This fulfils the school s aim to provide opportunities for all pupils whatever their ability. Teachers know their pupils well, and detailed information about pupils is shared and taken into account when lessons are planned. Pupils benefit from the enthusiasm, commitment and good subject knowledge of their teachers, which fosters the pupils interest at all levels. Pupils enjoy being given the opportunity to learn in many different ways. Individual study, pair work, hot seating and collaborative problem solving all offer pupils the chance to think for themselves and to discuss and share their ideas with others. Excellent relationships exist between teachers and the pupils The most successful lessons are typified by a brisk pace, enthusiasm and, at times, humour. This teaching makes use of effective and sympathetic questioning pitched at a level to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to answer. Realistic expectations by teachers of their pupils encourage them to feel pleased with their success and they are eager to learn and participate. In the few less successful lessons the pace is not brisk enough or the teaching is over-directed. Insufficient challenges are offered to the pupils for them to think for themselves and there is an over-emphasis on worksheets, which vary considerably in quality and challenge. Not all work produced is well presented and some poor presentation is ignored by teachers The school s brief marking policy, which devolves responsibility to departments, results in great inconsistency in marking between subjects and year groups. In the best examples marking is positive and contains targets for future improvement. However, in some cases marking is perfunctory and shallow, typified by ticks or short, uninformative comments. Regular assessment, tests and progress reports provide teachers, pupils and parents with a record of achievement and progress. Target setting is used very effectively by the learning support department and helps pupils with difficulties to understand what it is they are aiming to achieve Teachers make good use of the ICT facilities available and pupils are helped and encouraged to research using the internet and generate work using ICT. The school has a wealth of resources for all curriculum subjects which are put to good use. Many teachers make effective use of the interactive whiteboards which are in every classroom. Windlesham House School (standard inspection)

9 4 THE QUALITY OF THE PUPILS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 4 (a) The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils 4.1 The personal development of the pupils throughout the school is excellent. Pupils work together in harmony, developing a sense of responsibility to others and the wider world and benefiting from the supportive and warm environment. This fulfils that aim of the school that pupils should learn in an atmosphere where everyone is valued as an individual. 4.2 Pupils spiritual development is excellent. Pupils appreciate their beautiful surroundings and enjoy using the grounds. They are also appreciative of the location of the chapel at the heart of the school where regular services provide them with opportunities for reflection and prayer. Individuality is respected and nurtured alongside opportunities to grow and flourish. Pupils respect the beliefs and values of others and are happy to discuss matters of faith, speaking about abstract issues with confidence. Pupils express pride in both their own successes and those of others and are visibly proud of their school. 4.3 The moral development of pupils is excellent. From an early age pupils know right from wrong and are actively encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions. Pupils behave well and appreciate the need for the school rules which take account of the feelings of others. They show great respect for their teachers and empathy for their peers. Links with charities worldwide help the pupils to understand that not all children lead lives like their own where a sense of fairness prevails. Pupils are keenly aware of their responsibility for the environment and the eco council is active in encouraging recycling and urging pupils to purchase ethical products. 4.4 Pupils social development is excellent. They are gregarious, care for each other and show highly developed social skills. When greeting visitors they are unfailingly polite and welcoming. The strong sense of community which is fostered throughout the school develops pupils social awareness. When new pupils join the school they are assigned buddies to look after them. The oldest pupils can apply to be peer listeners. They are trained to help younger pupils who may be worried or unhappy. Pupils take responsibility through being a member of the school council, a sports captain, or one of the reporters who provide information to their peers at house meetings. Topics covered by the reporters include current affairs, the weather, world financial reports and reports of success in individual and group competitions. 4.5 The cultural development of the pupils is excellent. Their awareness of our multicultural society is very good and is enriched by the diversity within the school population. Pupils understanding of the wider world and the cultures from which their peers come is enhanced by the world awareness week, which is held annually. Provision for pupils to prepare for bar mitzvah or to attend mass is much appreciated by individuals. Outstanding provision for the arts within the school ensures that pupils awareness of their own and other cultures is developed strongly. Pupils have a good understanding of world faiths and spoke with knowledge and understanding about a visit to a synagogue or the celebration of Chinese New Year. Groups of older pupils have visited Ethiopia and India and deepened their awareness of the lives of children who live in these countries 4 (b) The contribution of arrangements for welfare, health and safety 4.6 The school provides excellent support and guidance for the pupils in accordance with its aim of making itself the pupils home, with every staff member committed to making the school just that. Responses to the pre-inspection questionnaires by parents were overwhelmingly supportive of the pastoral care and guidance given by the staff and appreciative of their concern for the pupils welfare, health and safety. At the time of the initial visit some older pupils expressed concerns about the fairness of the distribution of reward stars. The school has responded to these concerns and pupils now feel that the system is fair. Independent Schools Inspectorate 2011

10 4.7 Pupils are well supported by tutors, form teachers, older peer listeners and subject staff and they feel secure that if they need help there are many people to whom they can easily turn. Every pupil has twice-weekly meetings with a personal tutor. Effective systems for rewards and sanctions are in place and understood by the pupils. They reported that bullying issues are very rare and that if any arise they are dealt with quickly and effectively. Staff hold regular meetings devoted to pastoral matters and any concerns raised are recorded and action taken. The quality of relationships between pupils and adults and between pupils themselves is strong. Staff provide excellent role models. 4.8 All staff are trained at the appropriate level in safeguarding, and health and safety policies are up to date and implemented correctly. All necessary measures are taken to reduce risk from fire and other hazards. Regular fire drills are held and staff receive clear guidelines on fire safety. Arrangements for pupils who are ill or injured are appropriate and the medical facilities are of a high quality. The health and safety committee meets regularly and measures to protect pupils and keep them safe are sensible and appropriate. The school has a suitable plan to improve the educational access for pupils with disabilities. Educational visits are planned meticulously with suitable and thorough risk assessments in place. Admission and attendance registers are correctly maintained and stored. 4.9 Food provided is of good quality with an excellent choice of dishes and healthy eating is promoted. Pupils understand the need for exercise and safe and healthy living. 4 (c) The quality of boarding education 4.10 The boarding experience is excellent and plays a very important role in the pupils education and personal development. Boarders feel very well supported and enjoy the opportunities which boarding offers them to participate in a rich community life, gain a degree of independence and develop friendships. Boarding fulfils the hopes expressed by the school that children will later look back on that time as the best days of their lives. Since the previous inspection a matron has been appointed with responsibility for both the boys and girls boarding houses Leadership of the boarding community is strong and clear, giving direction and support to all boarding staff. High quality supervision is provided, enabling a consistent and effective level of care which is greatly appreciated by both boarders and their parents. The two houses offer a comfortable, homely environment where pupils feel safe and well cared for. Pupils can personalise their own space with photographs, pictures and posters Boarding staff care deeply about the welfare and happiness of the boarders, and a clear statement of aims and an impressive handbook outlining welfare procedures and policies are in place. Special events are arranged each term in addition to the wide variety of weekend and evening activities on offer. These vary from debating and pottery to knitting and badminton. Prospective boarders can experience taster sessions and boarders can invite friends who are day pupils to join in with activities. Windlesham House School (standard inspection)

11 5 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 5 (a) The quality of governance 5.1 Governance is excellent. The governing body ensures that the school is successful in its aims that each pupil strives for excellence at whatever level is appropriate to the particular individual and that each pupil receives the support and care of the staff. Members of the governing body have a valuable blend of experience and expertise, which enables them to give effective support to all areas of school life, including the oversight of educational standards. They exercise prudent financial control and have ensured that the school benefits from high quality buildings, resources and staff. A strategic plan for the long-term development of the school is in place and is reviewed and updated regularly. 5.2 Governors take their legal responsibilities very seriously and have excellent oversight of the policies and procedures for safeguarding and safer recruitment. They have attended courses on safer recruitment and child protection and review all required policies regularly. Governors spend time familiarising themselves with the staff and pupils of the school by making regular visits. 5 (b) The quality of leadership and management 5.3 Leadership and management are excellent. The school is led with vision and a deep commitment, promoting the aim that every pupil should be encouraged to fulfil his or her potential at the appropriate level. The excellent personal qualities of the pupils are a direct result of the ethos which has been created within the school and the example which is set by the senior leaders. In their responses to the pre-inspection questionnaires and in interviews, pupils reported that they enjoy being at Windlesham House and that they are very proud of their school. Parents were equally supportive, especially of the school s leadership. 5.4 The senior managers have a sharp focus for continuous future improvement, reflected in the school development plan. They provide clear educational direction, whilst encouraging individual members of staff to present and develop new ideas which benefit the pupils. Individual subject leaders play an important role in developing teaching and learning but insufficiently rigorous monitoring of pupils work exists to ensure consistency of marking and presentation. Peer observations are arranged and the sharing of good practice is encouraged. Appraisal systems are robust and are linked to staff professional development. 5.5 The school s leaders ensure that appropriate attention is given to the welfare, health and safety of the pupils. All staff receive the appropriate training in safeguarding. Safer recruitment procedures are followed when new staff are appointed and these are recorded accurately on the central register. Induction procedures for new staff are thorough. 5 (c) The quality of links with parents, carers and guardians 5.6 The school enjoys an excellent relationship with parents. Responses to the preinspection questionnaire showed that parents are strongly supportive of all aspects of the school s provision. All of the required information for parents of prospective pupils is available on the informative school website and the portal for parents of current pupils provides a wealth of information on the curriculum, recent news, details of matches and activities and departmental information. Parents are most appreciative of the portal. The school has a detailed and correct complaints procedure, although this is hardly ever used, as the vast majority of parental concerns are dealt with quickly and informally via the excellent links which the school has built up with the parents. Independent Schools Inspectorate 2011

12 5.7 Each year group has one formal parents consultation evening each year, but staff are readily available should the need for further discussion arise. Parents of boarders are offered the opportunity to speak with houseparents if necessary when boarders return after a weekend at home. Grade cards are sent home three times each term, giving information about both pupils effort and their achievement, and a full report is written at the end of each term. Full reports give detailed information about pupils attainment and progress and indicate where and how improvement could be made. 5.8 Parents have many opportunities to support their children and the school. They are welcomed to matches, concerts, plays and whole-school events such as that organised recently which involved every child in the school together with pupils from other local schools and a number of outside organisations. The event was linked by video to the International Space Station and the army parachute display team landed in the grounds. Parents of day pupils who attend matches often keep in close contact with parents of boarders using text messaging to let them know the scores. This is much appreciated. What the school should do to improve is given at the beginning of the report in section 2. Windlesham House School (standard inspection)

13 6 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE 6.1 The effectiveness of the EYFS is outstanding. The warm and welcoming environment and exceptional opportunities for outdoor activities and exploration ensure a creative and challenging learning experience. Staff know the children very well and meticulous use of assessments to plan learning ensures that each child progresses successfully towards achieving the early learning goals. Links with parents are strong. Parents are well informed about activities and are strongly supportive of the school, recently providing a sensory garden. Children s safeguarding and safety are assured. Rigorous self-evaluation promotes planning for continuous improvement. Since the previous inspection effective schemes for record keeping and an information booklet for new parents have been introduced. 6 (b) The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage 6.2 Leadership and management are outstanding. Regular review and implementation of policies and procedures ensure that children are safeguarded. Equality is promoted and the uniqueness of each child is celebrated. Appropriate appointment checks ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Risk assessments are thorough. The shared vision and positive response to self-evaluation of the cohesive staff team have enabled realistic targets for improvement. Well established appraisal systems are closely linked to personal development. Outside agencies are consulted if necessary and their training provision is used to good effect. Links with parents are excellent and their responses to pre-inspection questionnaires indicate strong support. Good quality resources support children s learning, and the attractive display and easy accessibility of these resources foster independence. 6 (c) The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 6.3 Provision is outstanding. Passionate teachers with secure knowledge ensure that the needs and interests of each child are assessed and met. Regular observations are recorded effectively and used to inform the next steps for learning. Planning incorporates the children s suggestions, and direct access to the outdoor class room and the exceptional opportunities offered by the school grounds permit free flow, allowing children to explore their environment and meet challenges not frequently encountered. A good balance of child-and adult-initiated activities exists and role play areas provide imaginative experiences. Physical co-ordination is promoted through physical education sessions and fine motor tasks within the classrooms. A range of after-school provision enriches children s learning and the facility provides a homely, comfortable atmosphere. Relationships are relaxed and key persons ensure that children are well cared for. Water is always available and a good choice of fresh food provided for lunch. Good behaviour and good hygiene are encouraged and children thrive in the atmosphere of praise and celebration of success. 6 (d) Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage 6.4 Outcomes for children are outstanding. They are happy and confident learners, keen to share their experiences. Staff have begun to use the analysis of results from moderation to inform planning and identify areas for development but do not at present use e-profiles or assessment scales in the end of year reports. A topic approach develops children s literacy skills and many write confidently using their emerging phonic skills. Their love of stories is developed through regular reading.their mathematical skills include a secure knowledge of the properties of shapes. They demonstrate good skills in ICT. They show a mature confidence when choosing activities and they work well together to solve problems. Independence is encouraged, as is their curiosity about the natural world. Children understand the need to abide by rules and to wash their hands and choose a balanced lunch. Section 2 includes what the Early Years Foundation Stage should do to improve its provision. Independent Schools Inspectorate 2011

14 INSPECTION EVIDENCE 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 governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and assemblies. 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. Inspectors Mrs Penny Horsman Reporting Inspector Mr Neil Pockett Former Head, IAPS School Mr Ross Settles Director of Studies, IAPS School Mrs Gillian Venn Head of Pre Prep, IAPS School Mrs Gillian Bilbo Early Years Co-ordinating Inspector Windlesham House School (standard inspection)

15 Windlesham House School Inspection report for boarding school Unique reference number Inspection date Inspector Type of Inspection SC June 2010 Liz Driver Key Address Telephone number Registered person Head / Principal Nominated person Date of last inspection Windlesham House School London Road Washington Pulborough West Sussex RH20 4AY office@windlesham.com Malden Trust Limited Richard Foster 4 December 2007

16 Inspection Report: Windlesham House School,10 June of 10 About this inspection The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcome for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards for the establishment. The inspection judgements and what they mean Outstanding: Good: Satisfactory: Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality this aspect of the provision is strong this aspect of the provision is sound this aspect of the provision is not good enough

17 Inspection Report: Windlesham House School,10 June of 10 Service information Brief description of the service Windlesham House School is a preparatory boarding school for girls and boys situated afew miles north of Worthing, West Sussex. The school is operated by The Malden Trust, a company limited by guarantee. Children between the ages of eight and 13 are accommodated at the school. Boarding is on a full-time basis and accommodation is provided in the main part of the school building, with separate houses for each gender. Summary This full announced inspection as carried out over three days. A boarding sector additional inspector also took an active role in the inspection. All key standards for boarding schools were addressed and three recommendations made at the last inspection in 2007 were revisited. Boarder and parent feedback have been taken into account whilst carrying out the inspection. All boarders had the opportunity to complete aquestionnaire and numerous boarders were spoken with throughout the inspection. This is a very caring school that is child-centred and achieves high standards throughout. The majority of pupils are boarders and the whole school is run with the welfare of the boarders in mind. There are numerous excellent aspects of the school that has resulted in five of the six outcome areas being judged as outstanding The one area judged as good has also been identified by the school as needing development. This is in relation to accommodation standards with a five year development plan in place to address this. The school has continued to develop since the last inspection and is committed to raising standards further in the future. Children receive excellent health care with 24 hour qualified nurse cover. There is areal and confident focus on child protection and safeguarding that results in the children feeling very safe at the school. Facilities' for children to achieve and enjoy are numerous with exceptional levels of support for each child. Systems and avenues for children to have a voice and input into their lives at the school are actively engaged in by children, whose opinions are listened to and acted on. The management of the school is highly effective and coordinated. Staff are respectful of and sensitive to children's needs and wishes. Overall a happy school, with happy children and lots of smiling faces. The overall quality rating is outstanding. This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection. Improvements since the last inspection At the last inspection carried out in 2007 three recommendations were made. The school was advised to ensure all gap students have a criminal record bureau check or equivalent in place. Currently the school has five gap students who have all supplied overseas police certificates or criminal records bureau checks in this country. It was also recommended that the school consider replacing the plastic crockery. Discussion with the headmasters wife shows that this is still being looked at. Finally the school was recommended to continue with plans to upgrade the boys accommodation. The schools five year development plans clearly identifies this as an on going programme with improvements already made since the last inspection and further improvements planned.

18 Inspection Report: Windlesham House School,10 June of 10 Helping children to be healthy The provision is outstanding. The boarders have access to high quality medical treatment and responsive first aid provision. The medical centre, located in the heart of the school, is very efficiently run by qualified nurses who provide cover 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All qualified nurses have yearly checks to ensure they are currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and are eligible to practice. All procedures and policies relating to health matters have been enhanced since the last inspection and enable staff to practice tovery high standards. The boarders are very positive about the facilities and care given. The medical centre is modern with outstanding hygiene standards. The medical centre and its staff can clearly respond to outbreaks of illness. As aresult of the swine flu epidemic the school has now installed 100 hand gel dispensers, located around the school buildings, providing enhanced health protection. Health information for each boarder is requested from parents and updated on a regular basis. This information is shared with staff on a need to know basis and enables staff to care appropriately for the children. Record keeping throughout the medical centre is excellent. This has been enhanced, since the last inspection, due to connection with the National Health Service information technology link with the local General Practitioner's practice. The boarders have access to health surgeries twice aweek when local General Practitioners visit the school. The nursing staff are highly trained and very suitably qualified to administer health care including first aid. Consents for the administration of first aid and medication administration are in place providing protection for the boarders and staff. The nurses are committed to keeping up to date with school health issues and regularly attend conferences and training. Policies and procedures, updated since the last inspection, are of an outstanding standard. Boarders who are ill receive constant supervision by the qualified nurses in verycomfortable surroundings. The school has a very effective personal, social and health education programme that is age appropriate and relevant to the needs of the children. Feedback from the boarders is that they feel comfortable with accessing the medical centre if necessary. The catering staff responsible for the provision of meals have a very good understanding of children's dietary needs and wishes in relation to a balanced diet. The variety, quality and quantity of food is very good. The school excels in its practice of having designated staff who monitor the food taken by each child at meal times, and who encourage each individual child to have a healthy balanced meal. The school caters for many different diets, for cultural and medical reasons. The children can access fresh vegetables, salad and fruit at all meal times, with cereals available before bed time. The boarders are actively involved in the food provision via the food committee that meets regularly with the catering department. Suggestions brought to the forum by the boarders have been acted on. All boarders have access to drinking water, juice, and snacks outside of meal times. Feedback from the boarders was, in general, very positive about the food provision. The school has addressed actions and recommendations made at the last environmental health department inspection. Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe The provision is outstanding. The school has arobust and responsive anti-bullying policy. The boarders feel confident that issues associated with bullying behaviour are rigorously addressed. The vast majority of boarders state they have never been bullied; those that said they had, also said that the school acted

19 Inspection Report: Windlesham House School,10 June of 10 immediately to resolve the issues. The boarders have a clear understanding of what constitutes bullying or intimidating behaviour, as seen in surveys and discussion groups. The school provides excellent education to both boarders and parents around cyber bullying. Bullying issues identified in the boarders surveys were fed back to the school and had already been identified and addressed. The boarders are protected from the risk of harm or abuse by appropriately trained and experienced staff with robust polices and procedures that staff are fully informed of. Suitable child protection training is provided on aregular basis to all staff employed at the school including non-teaching or boarding staff and gap students. The staff have a clear understanding of key child protection matters and the action they need to take if they suspect a child is at risk of, or is, being harmed. The school liaise with the local authority child protection and safeguarding team in respect of producing robust policies, practices and procedures. The school's child protection policy has been enhanced, since the last inspection, by introducing a safeguarding policy and information about the newly implemented Independent Safeguarding Authority. There is areal and confident focus on safeguarding and child protection with competent and experienced designated staff taking overall responsibility for this. The boarders surveys evidenced that they feel safe at the school and have a variety of adults they can talk to. Overall the behaviour of the children seen throughout the inspection was exemplary. The children were relaxed and very open about their experiences as a boarder. The school addresses inappropriate or negative behaviour in a sensitive and very suitable manner. Much emphasise is placed on positive behaviour and living together in a family environment, with outstanding outcomes and happy children. The boarders understand what sanctions can be implemented and feel these are fair and only used when necessary. The use of sanctions is kept to a minimum within a general ethos of rewarding boarders for positive actions, effort and displaying responsibility. Any parental concerns raised about sanctions given are fully addressed by the headmaster. Parents feel very comfortable that they can raise concerns. Complaints are extremely low in number and this is areflection of the very close relationships staff have with parents and carers. Parents can easily access the school's complaints policy on their website. The boarders feel confident in raising any issues with a variety of staff. The governors are kept fully informed of any on going complaints in progress. The boarders are protected from the risk of fire. All aspects of fire safety are addressed in a suitable manner with regular drills, tests and servicing ensuring the wellbeing of pupils and staff alike. Improvements to the fire alarm system have been made since the last inspection. A fire alarm activated, by accident, during this inspection and resulted in a full evacuation drill, was observed to be extremely well handled. The school strives to maintain a safe environment and continues to make improvements. The boarders clearly know how to evacuate in the event of an alarm being activated. The school has akey-pad entry system to all building entry points thus maximising the safety of pupils and the general security of the premises. More closed circuit television cameras have been installed since the last inspection enhancing protection for boarders and staff around the whole school site. The recruitment of a very experienced head of facilities has also enhanced this area together with an improved maintenance response.

20 Inspection Report: Windlesham House School,10 June of 10 Suitable changing and bathing facilities provide boarders with very good privacy. No concerns were raised by boarders around lack of privacy. Children are treated with dignity and respect; this was the same for the manner in which the children responded to staff too. The school has in its development plan identified the need to update the day changing areas and showers for children. Recruitment procedures continue to develop in line with changing legislation. Staff with responsibilities for recruitment procedures have attended safer recruitment training. The boarders are protected by the robust recruitment procedures in place. All visitors are checked and supervised if moving around the school providing enhanced protection for children. The school ensures that any risks posed to boarders are addressed in a comprehensive fashion. Excellent risk assessments address all environmental, activity and leisure matters without limiting opportunities for boarders to engage in an active and fulfilling experience; for example, tree climbing and playing in the schools woods. This allows children to be children and enjoy age appropriate play. Arobust system monitors the level of incidents and subsequently allows the school to reduce the risks further wherever possible. High risk activities are equally well addressed and risk assessed, for example, the on site climbing wall and overseas trips. Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do The provision is outstanding. The school excels in its approach to offer all children an outstanding variety of activities and continues to strengthen and expand the activities programme in the evenings and at weekends. The support given to children and the organisation involved in enabling them to access activities is outstanding. The boarders were seen to actively engage in a wide range of activities with pleasure. This is supported by a very good system that monitors which activities each child is participating in each day. Personal support toindividual children is an area that the school excels in. The staff are very committed to ensuring all boarders have someone to talk to if they need to and this is confirmed by the boarders. There is clear guidancefor staff and boarders, for example the role of the peer listeners, regarding how support is given and how it can be accessed. The school employs a highly experienced and effective female counsellor who can see any child within a short referral time. The Headteacher's wife plays a very important role in the pastoral side of the school and is highly visible and accessible for both staff and children throughout the school and boarding houses. Staff communicate with the children at ease, and children are at ease talking to staff. The school's tutor system adds to the high level of support and care providing individual one to one support on a regular basis. Throughout the inspection children were happy and relaxed and spoke freely about life at the school. Feedback from boarders confirmed the variety of staff they would go to for support. Parents are very praising of the support provided by the school with feedback such as 'pastoral care is excellent, the best I have ever come across'. The school values the different cultural needs of its boarders. During the inspection the inspectors heard of, or saw no inappropriate discrimination of gender, disability, race, religion or culture. All children are given the same opportunities to participate in all areas of the school life.