ISS Samui ISQM report May 2014

International School of Samui

ISQM Accreditation Report

26 - 28 May 2014

David Twist Richard Cheetham Pauline Barker

1. Introduction 1.1

CfBT accreditation

The purpose of accreditation is to bring about school improvement. Although accredited status is often perceived as an end in itself, the process is underpinned by the principle that the school self-evaluation activities in which schools engage, are of equal importance. In this sense, accreditation serves two goals: - To provide a means by which parents and students are assured that the school has been judged by independent evaluators to meet rigorous quality standards; - To support the school’s development through moderation of its own self-evaluation.

The school improvement plan is crucial in ensuring on-going development. The accreditation provides recommendations for the school, which should be incorporated into the school improvement plan.

Principles underpinning the CfBT accreditation model Accreditation criteria are rooted in high standards; they relate to international standards and benchmarks, and to other inspection regimes (for example, Ofsted (England) and, in the case of Thailand, ONESQA from the Thai ministry) -

It is a cost effective means of providing quality assurance

The model is developmental – it is grounded in self-evaluation with the school providing an evaluation of its own performance Grades awarded Judgements are made on a four-point scale as: Grade 1: Outstanding Grade 2: Good Grade 3: Satisfactory Grade 4: Unsatisfactory

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Accreditation status Gold accredited status is awarded when the school is given Grade 1 meaning Outstanding judgements in all of the following sections: Standards and achievement Teaching and learning Leadership and management Silver accredited status is awarded when the school is given at least Grade 2 or higher meaning Good judgements or higher in all of the following sections: Standards and achievement Teaching and learning Leadership and management Bronze accredited status is awarded when the school is given at least Grade 3 or higher meaning Satisfactory judgements or higher in all of the following sections: Standards and achievement Teaching and learning Leadership and management Evidence base Introduction This ISQM verification inspection was carried out by a team of three CfBT Education Trust inspectors. This was the first accreditation visit for the school. The inspectors visited 40 lessons and observed the teaching of 34 teachers. They held 22 meetings in total including those with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), school staff and parents and talked with representative groups of students. Members of the team also observed the school’s work and looked at the Self Review Document which reflected the school’s self evaluation, improvement plans, policies, assessment and tracking systems, safeguarding procedures and students’ work.

Team Members Lead Inspector

David Twist

Team Inspector

Pauline Barker

Team Inspector

Richard Cheetham

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2. School context The International School of Samui is a small, private, co-educational, English speaking international day school. It was established on the Thai island of Koh Samui in 2007 with 60 students and currently has 302 students on roll. It is made up of four distinct departments of Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary and a small Sixth Form, which has recently been added.

Students range in age from three to 18 years. While they fall outside the scope of the accreditation, the school also makes provision for children as young as 24 months in its Early Years Foundation Stage. The student body reflects the cosmopolitan nature of Koh Samui, and represents around 35 different nationalities, with the largest groups drawn from British expatriates, Thai, Russian and Ukrainian families. In common with many international schools, a significant proportion of students do not spend all their school careers here and numbers fluctuate substantially in line with the transient nature of the island population. Student numbers are increasing and recent over-subscription has prompted a decision to move to a two-form intake from Reception to Year 6. At the time of the accreditation visit, the headteacher had been in post for 18 months.

The school offers a modified version of the English National Curriculum that is adapted to meet the needs of international students. At the end of the secondary stage, students sit a range of IGCSE examinations and the newly established sixth form is currently embarking on early A level work. Many students speak English as an additional language and start school speaking little English. They receive additional attention to developing their skills, and around 1% are recognised as having particular learning needs, and receive some extra support. As well as the regular curriculum, the school offers opportunities for students to develop life skills such as initiative, independence and leadership. Most older students have ambitions to attend universities in both Thailand and further afield.

Report summary Accreditation status The International School of Samui is recognised as having met the required standards for accreditation.

The school has been awarded the CfBT Education Trust International School Quality Mark at Silver level, which reflects the Good judgements or higher described within this report.

This accreditation is valid from May 28 2014 to May 28 2017.

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Overview of main strengths and areas for development Report headlines The International School of Samui is a successful school where students make good overall progress in both their academic work and their personal development. The school has a very distinctive character and takes great care to ensure that it delivers its vision of educating students to become confident, independent individuals who are ready to take their place in a global community.

Children get off to a strong start in the Early Years Foundation Stage where they are offered a highly appropriate programme of activities in most areas of learning.

Although many join with limited English, they make good progress and are encouraged to socialise and to talk about their practical tasks and achievements.

They make a good start in all key areas of learning and the extensive but low-key guidance they receive helps to prepare them for the challenges to come.

Good progress is sustained in most subjects as students move through the primary and secondary schools. It is particularly strong in mathematics where students consistently reach standards which exceed world averages at Year 6 and at IGCSE level. In science, students’ skills in practical and investigative work are noticeably in advance of expectations as they are introduced to scientific methodology at the earliest opportunity. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are lower than expected against international standards. Progress in the development of specific ICT skills is satisfactory and the school is investing carefully in appropriate infrastructure. However, the curriculum could be broader and more challenging in providing opportunities to apply these skills.

Standards reached by the significant percentage of students who speak English as an additional language are broadly proportionate to the time they have been in the school, and they make good progress from their starting points. Good support is offered through a programme of withdrawal classes, but resources in mainstream settings are limited and teachers’ skills in catering for the needs of these students are varied. As the numbers grow, the school will need to expand its range of support for students who speak English as an additional language. The school does not claim to cater for students with special educational needs, but a few students have been identified as needing individual education plans, and there is a need for a more considered policy to steer its approach to this group.

Students’ personal development is strongly visible across the whole school. As they grow, the students take pride in being part of what is a courteous and caring school community. Their developing maturity and confidence are helped by a high level of participation in school enrichment activities as well as community initiatives such as charity fundraising and business enterprises. Development of leadership potential is an integral part of the school’s vision, and service on the school councils or taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme in the case of older students, enhances 5

their organisational skills. Although the level of engagement in this type of activity is high, overall school attendance figures are only satisfactory, despite the school’s efforts. It remains a challenge to convince a small number of parents that high attainment goes hand in hand with good attendance.

The good quality teaching and the effective curriculum are the platform upon which students’ success is built. Most lessons observed were good and some were outstanding. Teachers show good subject expertise and maintain a purposeful working atmosphere, which features clear objectives, high expectations of student participation and a good pace of learning. Most lessons are taught with consideration for students’ prior attainment, as demonstrated through their assessment results.

Tasks or questions are geared to match students’ needs. Marking of work is mostly supportive and helpful to students.

Where the small minority of teaching is merely satisfactory, it is because the pace of learning is more leisurely, expectations of students are too modest and often there is an over reliance on teacher input at the expense of students’ involvement. The range of experiences offered by the curriculum, at all ages, prepares students well for their next stage of learning. A good breadth of subjects including language options, Thai culture, and attention to physical activities ensures a balanced experience. There is sufficient attention paid to personal, social and health education (PSHE) and a good range of excursions and trips to enhance classroom-based lessons. The inclusion of residential camps, as well as building independence, helps to facilitate a smooth transition from primary to secondary as younger and older students are mixed-in sensitively. These older students are also well served by advice and support as they prepare for their careers or, in the case of most of the students, for further education.

Central to the school’s success, and underpinning its rapid development, is the leadership role played by the head teacher and senior team. They have been pivotal in establishing a school where staff, as well as students, embrace learning and where the positive partnership with parents is both cooperative and productive. The determination to concentrate heavily upon developing the quality of teaching and an interesting and varied curriculum has been instrumental in raising standards. Selfevaluation is a strength and the school has an honest and realistic view of its current position on its journey towards excellence. Development planning is both ambitious and thorough, which although laudable in intention, can sometimes result in too many development targets to monitor effectively. The school’s track record of rapid development, together with its clear intention to continue to seek best practice, is indicative of its good capacity to improve.

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Recommended areas for development To make further improvements, the school should: 

Raise standards and improve progress in both traditional ICT skills and their application by:

- strengthening the schemes of work and timetabling to allow regular applications in subjects when appropriate - raising teachers’ expectations of what students can achieve using their ICT skills when appropriate, through staff training and monitoring of students’ standards. 

Improve the quality of teaching and learning still further by sharing the features of best practice with the small minority where teaching is less effective.

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Continue to improve attendance.

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Settle upon an agreed approach to providing for students with special educational needs.

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Build on the school’s good provision for students learning English as an additional language by:

- refining the arrangements for student withdrawal and in-class support - ensuring all class teachers employ effective techniques to support speakers of English as an additional language in their everyday teaching - supporting the needs of early acquirers of English in mainstream classes through enhanced materials including access to ICT 

Sharpen further the effectiveness of school development planning by ensuring that key priorities are set out in fullest detail and not obscured by less urgent areas of action.

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Standard 1: The standards reached by students in their work and the progress they make in the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and ICT Highlights and recommendations 

ChiIdren in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress in all areas of their learning, because they undertake well-supported activities that are closely matched to their needs.

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Standards in English broadly match international benchmarks at the end of Year 6 and most students make good progress. They continue to make good progress in the secondary school but their attainment at age 16 fluctuates sometimes matching international standards while, at other times, below these.

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Standards in mathematics meet or exceed the expected levels of the English National Curriculum and, at IGCSE, they consistently exceed world average scores. The majority of students make steady progress in the early years and good progress in the primary and secondary phases of the school. Progress is satisfactory but slower for those students for whom English is an additional language.

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In ICT, standards at the end of the primary years are below those expected.

Students make satisfactory progress in their technical knowledge and understanding but not in their application of this knowledge where expectations are too low. Secondary school students make satisfactory progress overall and results in IGCSE are below international standards.

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In science, by the end of the primary years, standards exceed those normally found in schools with a similar curriculum, and students demonstrate good progress, particularly in practical and investigative work. By the end of the secondary school, the pattern of attainment fluctuates. Last year’s IGCSE performance exceeded world averages. This year, the equivalent group’s expected attainment will be lower, largely due to its profile, as half of the students are new to the school.

The school adds significant value to its students’ attainment in cases where they have attended for some time. Where students have recently joined the school, with either little relevant experience in the subjects they take, or a limited grasp of English, standards are lower; but early progress is still visible. In the case of the current Year 11, for example, only half the class have attended the school for more than a year and, of that half, 80% understood little or no English on arrival.

Children start school in Nursery with English language development below that usually found, because their home language is different. Such is the provision in Nursery and Reception that children make rapid progress in speaking and listening in particular, which builds the platform for their future English language development. In addition, they learn that print carries meaning and that letters make sounds. They 8

make good progress in these skills because they learn them through practical applications such as: looking through books with their friends; talking about the illustrations and about the sequence of events, and sounding out words. By the end of this stage, most children have made good progress across their areas of learning and are well prepared to build upon their achievements as they enter the primary school.

This good progress continues throughout the primary years because the teachers place regular emphasis on providing opportunities for students to practise the four skills of language in each lesson. They place great importance on the development of speaking and listening skills, the acquisition and use of new vocabulary and its expected use in students’ writing. Students write for real audiences and purposes such as writing diaries. They practise their reading and writing skills in other subjects such as note taking in science or caption writing in geography. Some students join the school at this stage with little or no English but most make very rapid progress in a relatively short time. By the age of 11, most students’ attainment matches international averages. Students acquire good reading skills to enable them to decode words and make sense of text. In Years 5 and 6, students are developing their use of adventurous and lively vocabulary and expression. However, their comprehension skills are less well developed.

There are currently fewer students in each year group in secondary school than in the primary school. This low cohort size accentuates the differences in levels of attainment in each year group. By the time students reach their IGCSE year, numbers are smaller still in English literature and standards fluctuate accordingly: one year, they are broadly at the international average and the next year, they are below it. A further factor is students starting in the secondary school with very little English. They have little time to make up the ground before their examinations and this has a negative effect on the overall standards reached. The important aspect though, is the progress students make from their very varied starting points. Here, the majority of students make good progress as a result of good teaching. For instance, by age 16, students can write a reasoned argument from different perspectives or write emotive responses to poetry or music.

From broadly typical starting points, children make good progress in mathematics in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They learn to count with confidence to 20 and beyond, learn to recognise colours and shapes, can describe the size of objects and learn a range of associated mathematical vocabulary. There are good opportunities for children to develop their knowledge and skills through practical and hands-on learning experiences. These help children to develop clear concepts and reinforce their understanding. As a result, children develop a solid foundation on which to build subsequent mathematical learning.

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In the primary school, most students make good progress and, by Year 6, the majority exceed the expected standards of the English National Curriculum. In Year 2, students understand place value, can add and subtract numbers to 1000, can talk with confidence about fractions and identify basic angles. There are good opportunities for students to develop a practical understanding of mathematics.

Almost all learning is strengthened by practical, hands-on activities and, as a result, students clearly enjoy mathematics lessons. By Year 6, students have made good progress and can measure angles with a protractor, reflect and rotate shapes, produce graphs and calculate decimal fractions. Most students become proficient in their use of mental calculation and this is a relative strength. There are good opportunities for students to solve word problems and to apply mathematics to solve problems connected to real-life situations. For students learning English as an additional language, this aspect of their mathematics is more challenging until their reading comprehension skills develop sufficiently.

Students continue to make good progress in the secondary phase so that, by the time students take IGCSE examinations, they perform well. A growing percentage of students are achieving the highest grades. For the past two years, standards in mathematics have exceeded world average scores. There are a growing number of cross-curricular links between subjects, notably with ICT and business studies.

Students arriving at the school during the secondary phase often have strengths in calculation and algebra but their more limited language skills act as a barrier to problem solving.

Standards in science are above national curriculum expectations by the end of Year 6, and students’ progress is good. They have gained a good insight into many aspects of the primary curriculum and activities such as making three-dimensional models of the phases of the moon in Year 5 have ensured a good grasp of basic concepts. The early start made on introducing even the youngest primary students to practical and investigative activity such as prediction and fair testing, has paid off in preparing them for the development of good scientific understanding. Secondary students also make good progress from their varied starting points. Opportunities to observe demonstrations and conduct their own explorations in the well-equipped laboratories support their understanding, and collaborative work helps those with limited language to access learning as students share their ideas, such as when they measure changes in chemical reaction times. In their most recent set of results, Year 11 students exceeded international expectations, and the small cohort currently in the sixth form is on track to perform well.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children’s experiences of ICT are limited. In play corners or free choice materials, the access simulates activities that make use of such items as computer keyboards, different types of telephones, earphones and a play laptop. They can switch on and off play equipment such as washing machines or microwaves. However, they have few opportunities to learn to control technology in the real world.

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In the primary school, students experience a wider range of exposure to digital technology but their applications beyond lessons in the ICT suite are limited.

However, students in Year 4 can control a robot and transfer this skill to simple programming to control a cursor and create simple patterns. They can conclude or extend this activity at home by accessing the portal on the school’s website. Although teachers use data projectors to increasing effect in lessons, pupils’ regular use of these, for presentations for instance, is unusual. There is some use of tablets so that Year 3 students, for example, can conduct basic research during their English lessons but the limited availability of this type of equipment prevents its wider use. By Year 6, students can produce spread sheets and create labelled graphs.

In the secondary school, students develop a theoretical understanding of computing and an ability to critically assess and evaluate software packages, websites and video clips. By Year 8, students can design webpages, inserting images and altering image attributes. In Year 10, students gain increasing confidence in solving software problems. Skills’ development is slower because there are limited opportunities for students to apply their learning; cross-curricular links, while developing, are not yet a strong feature. In a number of ICT lessons, the pace of learning is too slow and expectations of students’ application of their skills are not high enough and this has a negative impact on the rate of progress students make.

Standard 2: Students’ personal development Highlights and recommendations 

Positive relationships between students, their peers, and all members of the school community are a strong feature of the school.

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The vast majority of students behave well, show maturity and self-discipline and have positive attitudes to school and learning.

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Students are confident and self-assured as a result of the many opportunities they have to participate in their school community and to take on leadership roles.

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Students show initiative, take responsibility for enterprise projects, and are active members of the school and wider community.

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There is a high uptake by students of the many sporting and extracurricular activities on offer.

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Attendance and punctuality, while improved, are not yet good enough across the school.

Students’ personal development is good. Students are proud members of the International School of Samui and clearly enjoy coming to school. Positive relationships between all members of the school community are a distinctive feature of the school and contribute to the harmonious and caring ethos. Students are polite 11

and courteous to each other as well as to their teachers and they understand the potential impact on others of their behaviour. Almost all students behave well, show maturity and self-discipline and have positive attitudes to school and learning.

Students say that the school is virtually free from bullying and racism and other forms of hurtful behaviour. When any incidents do occur, they are taken seriously and dealt with rapidly.

Students’ uptake of the range of activities, trips, sporting events and competitions offered to them is high. Many students take full advantage of the wide and varied programme of extracurricular activities by attending up to four different clubs a week.

Students are confident and self-assured as a result of these opportunities, and due to their participation in their school and wider community. They develop an appreciation of their own and others’ cultural traditions by taking part in a range of international events and celebrations. Throughout the school year, students of all ages are actively involved in a range of fundraising and enterprise activities including car boot sales, ‘Walking Street’, sponsored cycle rides and marathons. The money raised is donated to support chosen charities mostly within the island community.

Leadership roles and opportunities to take on responsibilities are plentiful, including positions on the primary and secondary school councils, roles within the active house system and when working as groups within the classroom. Many students, especially at secondary level, contribute to the wider community through voluntary activities.

Members of the school councils have a voice in the school and have made suggestions and brought about positive changes for their school. For example, primary students made requests for different fruits, fruit juice, and outside, for monkey bars to play on during break times. Secondary students have initiated plans for the installation of Salas for social use and have successfully bid to organise an end-of-year prom.

Despite all that the school offers and the fact that students clearly enjoy coming to school and taking advantage of all the exciting opportunities available, attendance and punctuality are no better than satisfactory. The school has worked hard to promote better attendance and improve punctuality. Parents and students are beginning to appreciate that regular attendance is essential if students are to achieve well and be successful. The school now strives to further raise attendance levels.

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Standard 3: Teaching and learning Highlights and recommendations 

Teachers’ good subject knowledge and the accuracy of their teaching.

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The high levels of student engagement in most lessons.

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Effective assessment enables teachers to plan learning that is well matched to students’ needs.

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Students have individual learning targets detailing what they need to know, do or understand next in order to progress.

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There are imaginative and engaging teaching strategies and good use of the available resources to motivate students and enrich their learning experiences.

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Marking of students’ work is of a good quality and informs students of what they are doing well and what they need to do in order to improve their work.

Greater consistency is needed in the time allocated for students to respond to the marking.

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The quality of teaching and learning can be raised further, by sharing best practice with less skilled teachers so that learning is consistently good or better.

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Strategies used to support students speaking English as an additional language in withdrawal lessons need to be shared with teachers of mainstream classes.

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good. There are variations in the quality of teaching from satisfactory to outstanding. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure, allowing them to teach with accuracy and confidence. They are able to challenge students’ thinking appropriately and to ask probing questions to ascertain what students understand beyond the acquisition of basic knowledge.

The structure of lessons in the early years is appropriate for the age of the children and meets their developmental needs well. Children learn through practical activities and play. They have opportunities to initiate their own learning, make choices, investigate, and solve problems. As a result, children are inquisitive and keen to learn. The high ratio of teaching assistants to the number of children has a positive impact on the rapid progress that children make, especially in their personal development. The quality of verbal interactions between teaching assistants and children varies according to the confidence of assistants in the language of instruction.

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Relationships between students and teachers are positive and this ensures that students can ask questions and seek clarification as needed. Teachers’ expectations of students’ learning and behaviour are suitably high in most subjects, and, as a result, students respond well. Teaching strategies are imaginative and varied and this, along with the good use that the majority of teachers make of the available resources, motivates students and enriches their learning experiences. The balance between teaching input and student participation in almost all lessons is effective.

Students have good opportunities to work collaboratively and independently and engage in active learning. They are encouraged to think for themselves, solve problems and make connections to previous learning. As a result, student engagement in lessons is high and the development of concepts is rapid.

In the vast majority of lessons, the timing and pace of delivery help to engage students and ensures maximum learning and progress are made in the available time. Occasionally, the pace of lessons is less effective. Where it is too slow, there is not enough sense of urgency and learning time is eroded. Where the pace is too rapid, students are not given sufficient time to think in enough depth or complete tasks successfully. In aspects such as these, the many examples of best practice could be profitably shared with teachers who are less highly skilled.

Accurate assessment of students’ learning enables teachers to plan effectively and closely match learning activities to the needs of individual students. Whole-school systems have been established so that teachers can track and monitor students’ standards and progress. These enable teachers to analyse trends and effectively plan for the range of student needs. Learning is adjusted so that the least able receive appropriate support and higher achievers are suitably challenged. Students have regular opportunities to peer and self-assess using specific success criteria.

They also have individual learning targets that identify their next steps. As a result, students make rapid progress in most lessons. Students’ work is marked regularly and the comments provided by teachers highlight what students are doing well and provide helpful comments so that students know what they need to do next in order to improve their work further. Time to read and respond to marking is a feature of some lessons but there are inconsistencies in this across the school.

Skilled support for students speaking English as an additional language is provided in withdrawal lessons. The learning provision for these students would be further enhanced, if the same strategies used here were more widely employed in mainstream lessons.

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Standard 4: The curriculum Highlights and recommendations 

The school’s good quality curriculum is closely based on the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and the English National Curriculum and, as such, provides breadth, balance, progression and continuity to students’ learning activities in the core subjects.

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The curriculum has been modified well to suit the school’s international setting and includes features such as: the celebration of local festivals; the international primary curriculum, the Thai language for Thai students and Thai culture for all students.

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Project work in the primary school is drawn from the International Primary Curriculum and this needs further work to ensure skills’ progression.

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There is an established examination programme of study for IGCSE and the school is currently extending this to include AS and A levels.

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The school’s PSHE programme helps to ensure that students form good social relationships and that they contribute well to the school and wider community.

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A strength of the curriculum is the extensive range of additional activities organised after school, the focus weeks and local and regional trips.

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The provision for pupils learning English as an additional language is good. It now needs review and refinement to meet the changing needs of this growing school.

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The school’s provision for students with special educational needs is limited and the school is currently seeking solutions to this issue.

The school provides a good curriculum for its students and enables them to learn well across a good range of subjects. The Early Years Foundation Stage and the English National curriculum underpin and inform teachers’ planning in the core subjects and older students follow appropriate examination syllabuses for the IGCSE examinations. The curriculum satisfies the requirements of the English National Curriculum and where possible, offers opportunities for those students with particular gifts or talents to demonstrate their potential. Given the size of the school, students’ degree of choice is sensibly narrow in line with the school’s capacity, which is planned to increase as student numbers rise. The school has chosen appropriate additions to the curriculum, which reflect its ambition and international intake. For instance, Mandarin is studied alongside Spanish and Thai and the content of some subjects is modified to reflect the school’s location. Local and international celebrations are observed and enjoyed. Local and regional visits add relevance and immediacy to in-class studies. Primary students learn of the humanities mainly through the International Primary Curriculum. This gives the school ample choice of a range of interesting topics and ensures that students get a reasonable grounding in subject knowledge. Their progress in related subject skills is not as secure, since 15

these are not currently meshed into the school’s plans. Addressing this issue would form a sensible part of the school’s regular programme of curricular reviews. The ICT curriculum, while strong in skill development provides less opportunity for students to develop their application of these skills.

The transition arrangements for students between key stages are good. For instance, the school considers Year 1 as part of early years’ provision to overcome the progress lag that sometimes occurs when children move from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 1. The proximity of the buildings helps here as does the sharing and oversight of planning. Besides the efficient transfer of documentation, the transition between primary and secondary is considerably eased by younger students’ attendance with older students at an annual residential camp. Guidance for older students leaving the school is good and meets most students’ and families’ needs. Through support and advice and through their own research, students have a good understanding of the choices open to them. Their work experiences are often aligned to their aspirations for subsequent careers.

The school’s PSHE programme encourages the development of harmonious relationships across this very diverse school. Additionally, it promotes the importance of lifestyle choices through healthy eating options at the school canteen and the importance of regular exercise through the school’s good physical education programme and activities after school. This programme is linked to a wider menu of visits linked to science, geography, local studies and art and design.

There is a balanced programme of support for students learning English as an additional language, which enables most to make good progress and some to make progress which is outstanding. Students benefit from the fact that there is no dominant language other than English spoken throughout the school day. Student relationships are such that the impetus to make friends and take part is strong and dependent on quickly acquiring ‘survival’ English. The school’s programme of withdrawal and in-class support has successfully built on this and would now benefit from further revision as student numbers grow.

The school’s admission procedures screen out pupils whose special educational needs are acute and for which the school cannot provide. Those admitted often have English language related issues with which the school copes well. There are a minority of students whose needs are recognised and dealt with informally but not as part of a rigorous identification and remediation programme. The school is seeking additional help from outside to support this process but costs, distance and access to the right specialists are inhibiting factors.

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Standard 5: The quality and quantity of the school’s accommodation and resources Highlights and recommendations 

The school has effective recruitment procedures and is well staffed to support its curriculum.

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Effective support for teaching assistants has improved their capacity to support learning, but there is more to be done with English language training.

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The purpose-built accommodation is safe, clean, secure and well geared to meet students’ learning needs.

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Students look after their school well.

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There are good resources for learning in most subjects and they are well deployed by teachers.

The school employs rigorous approaches to recruitment, ensuring that full-time staff are sufficient, suitably qualified and well fitted to its particular aims and vision. There are a few unqualified, part-time staff, but their expertise in the specialisms they offer is highly valued and supports both the breadth and quality of the students’ experience. The school has invested additional funds in a policy of retaining staff through raising their remuneration and parents are mainly supportive of this approach, despite it leading to higher fees. The school’s investment in training teaching assistants to support those who are challenged by the English language requirements has paid good dividends, although a few still require support in this area in order to make the fullest contribution to learning.

The purpose-built accommodation is of good quality. Its four dedicated buildings serve the students’ differing needs well, from the ’learning through play’ facilities in the Early Years Foundation Stage to the newly established common room for the oldest students. Specialist features, such as the artificial, turfed area, the library and the four ICT suites enable students to develop specific skills in an appropriate setting.

The WiFi- enabled classrooms are of sufficient size, and recent investment in ICT tools such as projectors and whiteboards supports teachers’ delivery of more interesting lessons. Displays of high quality work enhance the learning environment and enthuse students.

The school has a good overall range of resources to support learning, but more classroom resources are needed to help teachers support students speaking English as an additional language. Although the budget is modest, resources are chosen for their potential to contribute to learning, such as the investment in tablets and computer monitors in classrooms. Future resourcing priorities have been sensibly identified and reflect the school’s ambitious plans for further improvement.

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Standard 6: How well the school cares for and supports its students Highlights and recommendations 

Induction procedures are of good quality.

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The school site is safe and secure.

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Students know how to behave responsibly and keep themselves and others safe.

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There are clear procedures for dealing with bullying and other incidents.

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Ensure that the child protection policy is revised to clearly state the procedures and processes to be followed by all staff should the need arise.

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Formally track, monitor and report on students’ personal development.

The good care and support of students is a high priority. The school site is secure and school guards are effective in their duties. Due care is given to all aspects of health and safety. Continual maintenance and high levels of cleaning ensure that the school buildings are safe and hygienic and that the grounds are attractive. Regular fire drills are carried out so that students are familiar with evacuation procedures.

Medical care is well organised and effective with well-established systems and procedures in place. School transport is of a high quality and regularly serviced to ensure that students are safe and comfortable when travelling in school vehicles.

The school has thorough and well-considered induction procedures, in line with the needs of a transient population. Students joining the school are quickly made to feel welcome. An allocated ‘buddy’ ensures that new students have someone to help them in their first few weeks and this system helps them to settle quickly. Additional support is provided for students for whom English is an additional language so that they are not vulnerable. Buddies take their responsibilities seriously as they remember what is was like to arrive at a new school, in a different country.

Transitions from one part of the school to another are planned in equal detail to ensure continuity of care and support for students. For example, in the final term of Year 6, students spend a week on a residential trip with secondary students and this helps them to quickly get to know some of their new teachers and feel a part of the upper school. Parents and students say that it makes a difference and they really appreciate the timing so that anxieties between leaving primary and moving to secondary are minimised.

Through the PSHE curriculum, students learn how to behave responsibly and keep themselves and others safe and healthy. Students demonstrate a practical understanding of healthy living through the choices they make when selecting healthy food options in the school canteen and by active engagement in regular sports and physical activity. There are clear procedures for dealing with bullying and other incidents and students consequently feel they are well supported and cared for.

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The highly positive relationships between teachers and students and the relatively small size of the school ensure that teachers know students well. Termly pastoral meetings to discuss students’ welfare and personal development are established. As numbers increase, more formal tracking and monitoring of personal development should be established to match the academic tracking already in place. Additionally, students’ personal development should be included when reporting to parents and students.

Teachers and staff have been trained in child protection and the required procedures are fully understood by all concerned. The existing child protection policy should be revised to detail these agreed procedures and processes.

Standard 7.0 The school’s partnership with parents and the community Highlights and recommendations 

The school has a very strong partnership with its parents and the expanding links with the community both enrich the curriculum and help students to set their learning in a real-life context.

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Parental surveys reveal that they are very happy with what the school offers, and feel that they have ready access to both leaders and teaching staff.

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Parents think highly of the school and appreciate the range and quality of information they receive.

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The school is responsive where possible to parents’ views and seeks their opinions on key issues.

The school enjoys a strong, productive and mutually supportive relationship with parents. They receive a full picture of their child’s achievement and progress and the vast majority say that they are well informed on all key aspects of school life. From the start of their association with the school, they are made welcome through the induction process, which helps to allay concerns and to ensure that any new students settle in well. Parents receive two reports per year, which detail personal targets, attainment and attitude, and most attend termly parent-teacher meetings to help them monitor progress. The parents’ portals offer an efficient means of accessing information on a range of school-based events, notices and arrangements and parents reported that any urgent issues such as the sudden closure occasioned by the recent national emergency were swiftly communicated via text or personal telephone calls. The school’s open door policy, together with the easy availability of staff at each end of the day, helps to maintain parents’ access to the sort of informal chats that can prevent issues from developing. There is a formal complaints’ system but most parents feel that this is rendered unnecessary by the effective informal systems.

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The school’s Parent Teacher Association is well supported and involves school council students in decisions on targeting its fundraising efforts. Early benefits included the establishment of the school garden and students would now like more large play equipment.

There are productive links with the local community, which enhance students’ learning. Older classes get involved in supporting the island’s special educational needs school, or raise money to assist children in Burmese labour camps, thus giving them a deeper insight into differing economic conditions. Younger students visit the ’20 Baht shop’ with 100 Baht to learn about simple personal budgeting and the realities of commerce. Links such as these help raise students’ awareness of the lives of others and contribute to the school’s PSHE programme.

Standard 8: Leadership and management Highlights and recommendations 

The school is well led by the head teacher, who is in turn well supported by the senior leadership team.

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Leadership has established a clear and distinctive vision for the school with a strong commitment to offering students a well-balanced education.

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Leadership has demonstrated a determination to ensure good quality teaching and learning.

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Self- evaluation procedures are well established and mostly accurate.

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Development planning is comprehensive, but complex, and key priorities do not always have as clear a profile as they deserve.

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Through the overview of the CEO, the board members have access to a clear picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

The school’s leadership, under the clear and focused direction of the head teacher, has brought about significant development and improvement over the last two years.

A particular vision for the school and its future direction has been set, and this is underpinned by a determination to blend the academic rigour of the English National Curriculum with a broader international perspective and an emphasis upon producing global citizens.

The energies of the head teacher have been rightly concentrated upon the key tasks of improving the quality of teaching and learning, and upon raising standards. She has been well supported in this by the senior leadership team who ensure that school-wide initiatives are both vigorously pursued and tailored to the needs of their departments. Leaders set good role models for their colleagues. While they have 20

clearly defined roles at all levels, they are sufficiently flexible and creative to adapt their work to serve the agreed current agendas for improvement. This sense of corporate determination has underpinned the school’s successful journey towards its well-deserved accreditation status.

The school’s middle tier of managers mostly lead their areas well. They contribute to the school’s self-awareness through regular monitoring of students’ standards and evaluations of their progress. The school places a strong emphasis upon regular selfevaluation as evidenced by its comprehensive self-review document, which puts forward well-chosen evidence to support recent improvements. Much data on students’ progress have been generated and most of these are used to help teachers pitch their lessons at appropriate levels of challenge to suit the range of students’ abilities. Given the degree of transience of the school’s demographic, leaders track students’ progress closely both to enable individual targets for improvement to be set, and to demonstrate the achievement associated with their time at the school.

This analysis of progress also informs the drive for improvement and helps alert leadership to areas of concern.

All leaders within the school contribute to school development planning. Current plans are extremely comprehensive, covering a wide array of developments. They clearly identify responsibilities as well as the broad impact that is expected, but sometimes this could be expressed in more specific terms to further clarify expectations. The fullness of the development plans demonstrates the impressive volume of improvement activity that is currently underway, but can mask the relative priority of their most important elements.

School systems for both recruiting and developing staff are robust and well targeted.

Some topics, such as developing learning objectives are for whole staff consumption, while others might be more individually tailored to meet teachers’ needs as a result of being observed as part of their performance management. A teacher who has shortcomings in one aspect of their work may frequently be supported by a colleague for whom the area is a strength. This blend of formal training and informal coaching is very effective and illustrates the way in which the staff of this small school see themselves as part of one learning community.

Governance is the preserve of the school board. This is led by the owner and CEO, who delegates the day-to-day running of the school, with full budgetary control, to the head teacher, while keeping in close touch with its performance. The board also ensures that the school is operating legally and meeting fiscal requirements. The head teacher’s work is monitored through regular detailed reports and, while she is granted a good deal of autonomy, the CEO has the final say on large capital expenditure, such as when a new swimming pool is planned. Governance is responsive to school priorities as demonstrated by the recent raising of fees to increase staff salaries and thus promote better retention of good quality teachers.

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This was very well handled, with full parental consultation, and is clearly having a positive impact upon the school’s capacity to continue to improve.

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