ISI Inspection
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Independent Schools Council Inspection
Elizabeth College was inspected by a team of inspectors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in March 2009. The inspection covered the whole of Elizabeth College, from the Pre-School at Acorn House to the Sixth Form.
Assessing the quality of eight aspects of College’s educational provision, the rated Elizabeth College as “Good” in four aspects and “Outstanding” in the other four.
The inspection followed a prescribed format as defined by the UK Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Schools are evaluated on the quality of the educational experience provided (including curriculum, aims and ethos) pupils’ learning and achievements, teaching and assessment, pupils' personal development and pastoral care, links with parents and the community, governance, leadership and management (including staffing, premises and resources). Aspects are rated as one of four categories: Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, Good and Outstanding.
The inspection report is fulsome in its praise of the quality of the education provided at Elizabeth College. It identifies areas of excellence throughout the school, including the educational experience provided, the width of both the formal curriculum offered and the range of extra-curricular activities and the governance and management of Elizabeth College, concluding that “[Elizabeth College] provides a high standard of education for all its pupils from the Early Years Foundation Stage to the Sixth Form and passage to university or employment.”
Pupil’s pastoral care and individual social development are also highly praised; “In the quality of its pastoral care, in the College’s links with parents and with the community, and in the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of its pupils, the College is outstanding.”
The report reflects the increasingly high academic standards which the College achieves:
• “Academic provision is comprehensive, varied and challenging.”
• “The educational experience...aims to draw out from the pupils abilities that they did not know they had.”
• “[Junior School pupils] combine well a strong work ethic with an eagerness to have fun and to achieve.”
• “In some lessons, especially in the senior School, the quality of pupils’ learning and their levels of understanding and achievement are outstanding.”
• “[Pupils’] attainment in public examinations is good in relation to their abilities.”
The report also recognises that “The College’s weaknesses, of which they are aware, are few”. The identified areas for improvement are in the further development of the programme to share best-practice teaching and ensuring that all pupils throughout the ability range are fully catered for in every lesson. These areas are being addressed through the College Development plan.
A full copy of the report is available from the link below or on the ISI website at www.isi.net.