Vale primary school graded 'excellent' by inspectors

Swanbourne House School, located in Swanbourne, has received a grade of 'excellent', the highest attainable, by a team from the Independent Schools Inspectorate – the equivalent of Ofsted for the independent sector.

The school was inspected by the ISI over a three-day period in December for both the quality of education it provides and for the way it complies with regulations.

In the report published this week, the school was awarded ‘excellent’ in all aspects of the report which assesses two key areas - quality of the pupils academic and other achievements and the pupils personal development.

The findings from the report reinforce Swanbourne House’s reputation as an outstanding and leading independent day and boarding school.

Headteacher Jane Thorpe said: “We are delighted with the report and to be graded excellent in every area is a very proud moment for Swanbourne House.

"It is a testament to the standards, ethos and values we work so incredibly hard to uphold every day.

"I am particularly pleased that the inspectors recognised the value we place on individual development and self-worth when working towards academic and co-curricular attainment."

Inspectors found that “pupils are able to flourish academically, thanks to the excellent rapport which they have with their teachers, who pay close attention to the individuals needs."

They added: “Children make strong progress and gain confidence from the quality of their lessons, which are genuinely collaborative.

“Pupils enjoy success and fulfilment in a wide range of activities beyond the classroom.

"The children are very competitive in a good-natured way and undertake their extra-curricular activities in a similarly spirited and committed manner."

The report also recognised that 'pupils display respect towards one another with ease, in accordance with the tenants of the Swanbourne Way, the school’s code of conduct' and added that "pupils thrive as members of an inclusive community which celebrates diversity and they are very proud of their school."

On the point of personal development inspectors said: “The pupils strongly developed confidence and sense of self-worth owes so much to the excellent rapport which they enjoy with the staff and the quality of pastoral care and the personal tutor system”.

Pupils wellbeing is "promoted by the strong emphasis placed on safety and safeguarding".

Pupils learn 'how to keep safe in many contexts from a well-devised PSHE programme, which has mental health as one of its key themes and focuses too on the understanding of emotions.'

Inspectors concluded that Swanbourne House pupils are 'extremely well prepared for the responsibilities, experiences and opportunities in the next chapter in their lives.'