Inspection Report : January 2002

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INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COUNCIL
(ISC)

INSPECTION OF
OUNDLE SCHOOL
OUNDLE, PETERBOROUGH

by the

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE
(ISI)

on 20th -24th January 2002

SUMMARY REPORT

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE
INSPECTION REPORT ON

OUNDLE SCHOOL

Full Name of the School Oundle School
WES Number 9286007
Address Oundle School, Oundle, PETERBOROUGH, PE8 4GH
Telephone Number 01832 277120
Fax Number 01832 277123
email Address headmaster@oundle.co.uk
Name of Head R. D. Townsend, MA, DPhil (Oxon)
Chair of Governing Body Mr C. D. Stewart-Smith
Age Range 11-18
Gender Mixed
Number of Pupils 1055
Number of Boarders 831

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. A summary will be provided by the School 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.

© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2002
Oundle School

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. 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 excellent levels of pastoral care, and relationships among pupils and between staff and pupils are of a very high order.

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. This represents very good added value. Very good progress is made at all stages.
  • The pupils' behaviour is excellent; they have positive attitudes to each other and towards 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 very good.
  • Teachers are very well qualified, and they and the non-teaching staff form an excellent team that works hard and with dedication to the benefit of the education and care of the pupils. Teaching is very good.
  • 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 their surroundings very well.
  • The school provides very good standards of care and personal development; parents give strong support to 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 the senior management team provide positive and supportive leadership for the School and create a friendly and harmonious ethos.
  • The school has a very good range of activities including excellent opportunities for taking part in sport, cultural activities and service in the community. These activities are well supported and appreciated by the pupils and make a major contribution to the school's corporate life.

Oundle School 2

What the School Should Do Better

  • The provision of personal and social education (PSE) is inadequately represented in the curriculum.
  • The potential of the main school library is not fully developed.
  • Some subject accommodation is not fully satisfactory.
  • The monitoring of health and safety procedures is not fully developed and completed in all departments.
  • Links with the Junior School are weakly 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 General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and Advanced Level (A-level) examinations, results are better than those in maintained selective schools across all subjects. These results represent very good added value in most 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 excellent. 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 cooperation, support and friendliness.

The Quality of Teaching

Teaching of all age groups is excellent. 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 have a friendly rapport with the pupils and create 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 and attendance registers conform to legal requirements.

Assessment and Recording

Procedures used for assessing and recording pupils' attainment and progress are generally accurate and effective. The new tutor record system is already proving a powerful and effective tool. Pupils' work is generally marked positively and usually with sufficiently detailed comments to assist and encourage progress.

Oundle School 3

Curriculum

The curriculum is well structured 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 very good, and they receive their curriculum entitlement. The curriculum is much enriched by the range of sports and other activities provided by the school. The provision for PSE takes place in extra-curricular time and is limited in scope. The curricular links with the Junior School are not yet fully developed.

The Teaching and Non-teaching Staff

The school is 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 appraisal system is generally very effective and well linked with training and professional development.

Resources for Learning

The school is very well provided with resources and these are well used to support teaching and learning. In the past two years, the School has made considerable investment in ICT equipment. The school network and the Internet are regularly accessed from most departments and all Boarding Houses.

Libraries

The main school library is well staffed and adequately resourced for books, but lacks sufficient ICT provision. It has the ability to give good support to teaching and learning, but is at present underused by a large proportion of the School community.

Premises and Accommodation

Overall, the range, extent and quality of buildings and grounds are conducive to good learning and make a valuable contribution to pupils' personal development. Some subject accommodation is, however, less than adequate or has important drawbacks. This is particularly so in art, classics, chemistry, ICT and modern languages. Pupils are, however, aware of the overall quality of their environment and treat it with respect. The standards of caretaking and decoration of the buildings and the care for the grounds are good. The standard of display of subject material and pupils' work is variable in quality, but good examples much enhance work in particular subjects.

Links with Parents and the Community

The school has succeeded in developing an excellent and very effective partnership with parents. Parents are supportive of the school, as revealed in their response to the inspection questionnaire. Over a half of parents responded, a high proportion, and across the whole range of topics they were appreciative of what the School was providing for their children. Reports to parents reflect the depth of knowledge that staff have about pupils. Oundle's links with communities both at home and abroad are firmly rooted and inspire strong commitment from pupils and staiffi These links are excellent and effectively broaden the cultural and geographical horizons of many pupils.

Oundle School 4

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. However, the curriculum opportunities for both personal and social education (PSE) are limited.

Many opportunities are provided for participation in a wide range of cultural experiences. Planned visits both nationally and the excellent initiatives in Kenya 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. Many good opportunities are provided for pupils to exercise responsibility and leadership in houses, cultural activities, sports teams, community service, the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) 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 house-based tutorial system. The arrangements for subject choice are very 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, and the welfare of pupils is appropriately safeguarded and promoted by the procedures in place, although concerns exist in a number of specific areas. The school has good anti-bullying guidance and an effective child protection policy.

Boarding and Day Houses

The standards of care and welfare in both the Boarding Houses and the day House are very high. Pupils are happy and show great loyalty to their houses. The ethos of the houses is very positive and relaxed. Housemasters and housemistresses, supported by their Tutors and matrons, are particularly committed to the well being of the pupils. The House accommodation is generally of a very high standard, although the quality and quantity of accommodation in the day House is less satisfactory. Plans exist to address this deficiency.

Governance and Management

The governors, headmaster and those in management roles work well together to ensure that the school's academic and educational aims are met and that a good quality of education is provided. A clear direction is being set for the balance of the educational experience provided. This 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 impressive range of academic, cultural and sporting activities for the pupils. These activities are greatly enjoyed by the pupils and the programme is much valued by their parents. 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 activities are of a high standard and offer a wide range of opportunities for pupils.

Oundle School 5

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 May 1995 under the then HMC Framework, which differs in some significant detail from the current Framework. Following this inspection four areas of continuing progress were highlighted. These have all been more than satisfactorily dealt with by the school. 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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