"WARMINSTER SCHOOL'S ALL-ROUND ACHIEVEMENTS PRAISED BY ENTHUSIASTIC INSPECTION REPORT"

Warminster School “provides a warm, open and friendly environment in which pupils are well cared for, well educated, and encouraged to respect the staff and each other”, according to reports by independent school inspectors, to be published this week. The reports praise the academic value-added produced by the school, concluding that “pupils’ attainment is good relative to their ability” and notes that “examination results have improved over recent years”.

The reports followed the inspection of both the Preparatory and the Senior School last term by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The full text of both reports, on the Prep and Senior Schools, are available on this website and also from the ISI website: http://www.isi.net/ .

The inspectors wrote warmly of the school’s ethos, noting that “the pastoral system is designed to ensure that every pupil is treated as an individual and the school ethos encourages participation in a wide variety of activities. The school’s Church of England foundation underlies its spiritual and moral teaching, and all pupils are encouraged to develop notions of service to others”. Inspectors praised the progress which the school has made in recent years, noting that “standards in the education offered, in spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and in links with the community, have all improved”.

The Headmaster, Mr Martin Priestley, was very pleased with the report on the Senior School. “I welcome this report by the ISI and I am delighted that the inspectors have so clearly recognised and expressed the many strengths of this school. We believe passionately in the value of all-round education. A supportive and caring relationship between pupils and staff is fundamental to the school’s success – and the inspectors clearly recognised this, praising the positive environment which has been created for the pupils of this school. I also welcome the pointers which the inspectors have provided for future development. We are implementing a new appraisal system to strengthen our approach to staff development and we are building on our existing use of assessment data to inform pupil progress. The report clearly recognises how much the school has developed and improved in recent years and its publication provides a great boost to the staff, both teaching and non-teaching, who have worked so hard to achieve this progress.”

Warminster Preparatory School was inspected at the same time as the senior school, but by a separate team of inspectors. They concluded that “good teaching is effective in enabling pupils to achieve their potential academically”. They added that “the pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good and there is a strong sense of cohesion in the community. The quality of care, guidance and personal development, underpinned by warm supportive relationships and mutual respect, is a strong feature of the school…Pupils develop well personally. All pupils are valued and they respond by demonstrating a thoughtful and responsible approach to other people, the environment and to charitable causes. Their life at the school is rich and rewarding, and they enjoy being at school. They make the most of the many opportunities offered to them in a wide-ranging programme of activities.”

The Preparatory School Headmaster, Mr. Andrew Lewis, commented: “I am very pleased with the report which reflects both the dedicated hard work put in by an excellent team of teaching and support staff and also that the children here are very positive and enthusiastic and supportive of each other. The report was also helpful in highlighting where further improvement could be made, notably in support of our new appraisal system for teaching staff and in supporting the positive use of the new schemes of InCAS and PiPS which we have introduced this year for monitoring children’s progress.”

Explanatory note on the ISI inspection system

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) arranges and carries out the inspection of any school which wishes to be accredited by the Independent Schools Council (ISC), thus enabling its Head to become a member of one of the ISC’s affiliated associations of schools. In the case of Warminster School, this is the Society of Headmaster and Headmistresses of Independent Schools (SHMIS). In the case of Warminster Preparatory School, this is the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS). The ISI also inspects every school whose Head is already a member of one of these associations.

The ISI inspects schools according to a standard framework for inspection which it has laid down for the purposes of ensuring that standards are maintained and that the school complies with all relevant legal requirements. This framework has been agreed with the DCSF and they have recognised the ISI as the body responsible for the regular inspection of schools in England which are affiliated to the ISC.

Full details of the reports on both the Prep and Senior Schools can be obtained via a link from this story or from the ISI website: http://www.isi.net/