Independent Schools Inspectorate

Summary Inspection report on Uppingham School

This inspection report is based on a framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and agreed with the DfEE 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 DfEE and OFSTED. A summary will be provided by the school free of charge for all parents and interested parties. It may not be selectively quoted in the school prospectus or other promotional literature but may be used selectively within the school.

© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2001

MAIN FINDINGS

Overall Summary
Uppingham is a very good school. It has many strengths, most notably the high quality of pastoral care provided mainly through the boarding houses. Other strengths include both the formal curriculum and the wide range of extra-curricular activities. The behaviour of the pupils is very good. The school is manifestly successful in achieving its main aim of providing a broad and balanced boarding education while ensuring that its pupils achieve their academic potential.

What the School Does Well
Overall, pupils achieve the academic standards expected of their abilities. Sixth formers and those of lower ability exceed expectations.

The boarding ethos is a great strength of the school. The quality of pastoral care provided in the boarding houses and the school generally is very high.

Standards of behaviour are high in classrooms and around the school and the town. Relationships between pupils and with the staff are very good.

The quality of teaching is high. The support given to pupils who have learning difficulties is very effective in enabling them to make good progress.

The curriculum provided is broad, balanced and appropriate for all age groups, and good assessment, recording and reporting policies are effectively implemented.

The school is generously provided with hard-working, well qualified and suitably deployed teaching staff.

The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and personal development is very good.

The range of sports and other activities is very extensive.

The quality of music is outstanding.

The school is firmly led, well managed and supportively governed by the Trustees.

What the School Should Do Better
Lack of a clear sense of the purpose and function of the main school library leads to under-use of potentially valuable provision and facilities.

The ambitious plans for the use of the substantially enhanced information and communication technology (ICT) resources have yet to be implemented with full effectiveness.

The arrangements for supervision in the boarding houses are not fully satisfactory.

The quality of provision in the school sanatorium has weaknesses.

Overall, the strengths of the school far outweigh its weaknesses.

Standards of Attainment and Progress in Subjects
Most pupils achieve the standards expected of their ability and make at least satisfactory progress. Less able pupils and those with learning difficulties make very good progress and exceed expectations. Some of the more able pupils do not reach the standard expected of their abilities at GCSE.

The Quality of Pupils’ Learning, Attitudes and their Behaviour
Pupils’ behaviour is outstandingly good in lessons and around the school. Pupils have mainly positive attitudes to work, cooperate well and are tolerant of each other, but they tend to be rather passive and unadventurous learners.

The Quality of Teaching
The teaching is good overall. In around 40 per cent of the lessons observed the teaching was very good and it was at least satisfactory in nearly all lessons. A friendly working atmosphere is the natural consequence of the mutual respect shown between teachers and taught. Teachers are mindful of the individual needs of pupils and sensitive to them. The best practice was observed in Years 12 and 13 (Sixth Form) and year 9 (Fourth Form), where pupils are effectively challenged, especially in art, history, music and politics. In a small number of lessons, more noticeably in Years 10 and 11 (Lower and Upper Fifth Forms), pupils of all abilities, but particularly more able, are not sufficiently challenged, active participation is not deliberately encouraged and the time available is not managed effectively. Good use is made of resources, and the increasing use of ICT is enhancing the quality of teaching, most notably in chemistry and geography.

Other Aspects of the School

Attendance
Attendance rates of the small number of day pupils are high, with no unauthorised absence. Arrangements for registration and following up absences are satisfactory; they meet regulatory requirements. Many lessons start late for reasons that cannot always be ascribed to the distances between teaching areas.

Assessment and Recording
Assessment and recording are strengths of the school, and individual progress is closely monitored through a fully comprehensive system of twice-termly reviews in each year group. Marking is regular, prompt and supportive. Record keeping is good.

Curriculum
The curriculum is broad, balanced and appropriate to the needs of all pupils. Some subjects have limited time available in the earlier years, but the curriculum successfully provides for a high degree of setting by ability, flexibility for all levels of the academic spectrum and wide subject choice. Combined with the extensive extra-curricular provision, the timetabled curriculum represents a strength of the school.

Teaching and Non-teaching Staff
The committed and hard-working staff are a vital ingredient of the school’s success. Teaching staff levels are generous and teachers are well deployed. Technical and administrative staff make an invaluable contribution to the life and work of the school, but some subject areas lack sufficient technical support. Effective and extensive induction procedures and a good programme of in-service training make a major contribution to the staff’s professional development. The recently redesigned appraisal system is developing well.

Resources for Learning
Departments are generally well resourced, though the resources for religious studies require updating. Departments, boarding houses and the library are all linked by a new network of ICT facilities, though for technical reasons this is not yet achieving its considerable potential. More traditional resources of books, video equipment and photocopied materials are plentiful and well used.

Libraries
The main library and many departmental libraries are generally well stocked, though the quality of books is varied. Access is good but the budget is low. Though the borrowing rates are rising, the library remains considerably underused as a source of information and as a centre of individual study and research. The school lacks a clear vision of what function the school library should have in coming years and has not yet tackled the issue of relating this function to that of the fast developing provision of information technology.

Premises and Accommodation
The school buildings and grounds present an attractive aspect and create a positive environment for the life and work of the school. Most of the teaching areas and other facilities are of a high standard, but some subject areas, such as science, modern languages and music have shortcomings that hinder the teaching and learning.

Links with Parents and the Community
Parents are highly appreciative of what the school is providing for their children. They are kept well informed through reviews and termly reports about their children’s progress. They are also well informed about the school’s activities and encouraged to attend school events such as concerts. The school has developed an extensive range of contacts with the community, with schools in the area and with other organisations.

Personal Development
The school provides very good opportunities for personal development through the strong chapel tradition, which generates a sense of community and fosters spiritual development. Provision for moral education is also very good. A number of activities and other opportunities are available for developing pupils’ cultural awareness, though there is scope for these to be further broadened. Pupils are very keen to take on positions of responsibility, and the school successfully promotes in pupils a powerful sense of loyalty to the school and to each other.

Pastoral Care, Support and Guidance
Very effective guidance and support are given to the pupils to assist their academic and personal development. The house tutor system and the dedication of all staff within their own areas of influence make very successful contributions to the well-being of pupils. Careers and university guidance are readily available and skilfully managed. The disciplinary codes of practice within the school community are very effective and ensure the highest standard of behaviour.

Pupils’ Welfare, including Health and Safety
Every effort is made to ensure the well-being of pupils. Appropriate child protection procedures are in place to safeguard pupils’ welfare. The standard of school food varies slightly between houses, but is wholesome and at least satisfactory overall. Family service in the houses at lunchtime makes a positive contribution to pupils’ social development. The sanatorium is understaffed and lacks sufficient space to cope with the planned overall increase in the numbers of pupils and the admission of younger girls. The school provides a healthy and safe environment, but day-time fire practices in the teaching areas are insufficiently regular.

Boarding
The high quality of boarding provision overall is a definite strength of the school. The dynamic and enthusiastic leadership of the boarding houses is amply supported by sensitive and wise tutoring, and this is much appreciated by pupils. All houses have a distinctive family atmosphere, greatly enhanced by the retention of house catering. However, adequate supervision is not always guaranteed and this is a serious weakness.

Governance and Management
The management is very successful in achieving its aim of providing a broad, boarding education of high quality. The leadership is strong. The quality of management at all levels is high. Development planning is far-sighted. The Trustees make a valuable contribution in supporting the school.

Achievement and Quality in Activities
The activities programme is broad and balanced, and considerably enriches to the pupils’ educational experience and personal development. All ages and interests are well catered for, with a wide choice of cultural, creative, practical, sporting and recreational activities. High standards are achieved in many of these, and outstanding levels are achieved in music.

Progress Made by the School since its Last Inspection
The whole school was last inspected in autumn 1994 by HMC inspectors. One girls’ boarding house and one boys’ were in inspected in March 1999 by the local social services department (SSD). Examination results at GCSE and A level have risen, at least in proportion to the rise in national standards. The quality of teaching has also improved although some of the criticisms made in the HMC report remain evident in a small number of lessons. The previously noted weaknesses in the curriculum have largely been eradicated. Considerable improvements have taken place in improving or adding to the teaching and boarding accommodation, notably the Leonardo Centre, but the poor accommodation for modern languages has not yet been remedied and problems remain in the accommodation for economics, English and science. The provision for ICT has been greatly enhanced but it full potential is not yet being realised. Both theatre studies and art are now flourishing, though there is still little art displayed around the school. The library, despite some improvements, remains an area for further development. The roles of the senior management team are now clearly and appropriately defined; half of the team of six are female. All the significant recommendations made by SSD have been implemented.

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