ANNUALREVIEW 2015 Academic Success
O
nce again the efforts of our Year 8 boys and staff can be applauded as they have upheld the School’s long-standing reputation for academic excellence.
Of the 243 Common Entrance and Scholarship exams taken in English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, French, Latin, Ancient Greek, History, Geography and Religious Studies, 61% were graded A or A* and 86% graded A or B by the boys’ destination senior schools. The results themselves confirm that Arnold House boys not only win their places to the leading independent schools but do so in some style, gaining inclusion in higher sets when they arrive. Particular congratulations must go to the boys who had the honour of being entered for academic scholarships; Sam Lewis won a scholarship to City of London as did Sam Hodder-Williams to St Paul’s. Antonio Tarizzo secured his place to Eton by performing strongly in the King’s Scholarship Examinations and was also awarded a Music scholarship.
Year 8 2015 ANNUAL REVIEW | AUGUST 2015
The majority of senior schools invite boys for pre-assessments and interviews when they are in Year 6 or 7. If schools feel confident about a boy’s potential to succeed in their particular environment he will be offered a conditional place; the condition being that the required standard at Common Entrance is reached in the summer term of Year 8. The range of senior schools to which Arnold House boys transfer differs from year to year but as a ‘stand-alone’ prep school we forge strong links with an array of senior schools, as can be seen from the conditional places offered so far to our 11 and 12 year old boys: Bradfield, Brighton, City of London, Eton, Hampton, Harrow, KCS, Marlborough, Mill Hill, Radley, Rugby, Sevenoaks, Sherborne, St. Paul’s,
The Scholarship Set
Tonbridge, UCS, Wellington, Wetherby, Westminster and Winchester. Three further schools, Bedales, Dulwich and Merchant Taylors’ who hold entrance exams in Year 8, complete the current list of possible destinations for boys whose Arnold House careers will come to a close over the next two years. Senior school destinations
Number of boys transferring
City of London
5
Emanuel
1
Eton
4
Highgate
1
Mill Hill
2
St Albans
1
St Paul’s
5
UCS
5
Winchester
1
School Inspection An inspection of the school was carried out by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) from the 3rd to 6th March 2015. The inspectors scrutinised samples of pupils’ work, observed lessons and conducted formal interviews with pupils. They held discussions with teaching and non-teaching staff, parents and governors, observed a sample of extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period and attended registration periods and assemblies. The responses of parents and pupils to the pre-inspection questionnaires were analysed and the inspectors examined the full range of supporting documentation made available by the School. ISI inspect and report on the Independent Schools Standards Regulations and make clear judgements about the quality of each aspect of the school’s work using the descriptors ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sound’ or ‘unsatisfactory’. The School was judged to be ‘excellent’ in each of the seven categories: • The quality of pupils’ achievements and learning • The provision of curricular and extra-curricular activities • The contribution of teaching • The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils • The arrangements for pastoral care • The governance of the School • The quality of leadership and management, including links with parents, carers and guardians
‘Relationships between staff and pupils and those between the pupils themselves are excellent’.
Action Points The School was found to be compliant with all regulatory requirements of Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. The inspectors’ recommendation for further improvement was to ensure that monitoring identifies and consolidates best practice in teaching across all year groups, in particular, the use of worksheets, marking strategies and deployment of in-class support.
‘All pupils receive excellent preparation for the next stage of their education.’ ANNUAL REVIEW | AUGUST 2015
‘By the time they are in Year 8, pupils have extremely well-developed personalities, exhibiting independence and maturity whilst being very courteous and attentive.’
Inspectors’ observations • ‘The pupils have a most positive attitude and approach to learning which strongly supports their overall achievement.’ • ‘Throughout the School the excellent teaching is enhanced by high quality, varied and plentiful resources.’ • ‘The pupils have a well-developed understanding of the difference between right and wrong, which is strongly helped by the positive guidance they receive from staff.’ • ‘The governing body discharges its statutory duties most carefully ensuring that staff suitability is properly checked and that the single central register of appointments is rigorously maintained.’
• ‘The governing body has an extensive range of expertise and experience, and includes past and current parents.’ • ‘Leadership and management at all levels are highly successful in achieving and promoting the aims of the School.’ • ‘Parents appreciate the accessibility of staff through e-mail, telephone or in person to discuss any matters concerning pupils.’ • ‘Parents express very high levels of satisfaction with the education and support provided for their children.’ • ‘The School’s parents’ association is very active and highly supportive of the School!’ • ‘Parents praise highly the way in which older pupils are prepared for the transition to senior school.’
‘The pupils care for each other and have a strong sense of pride in their School.’ ANNUAL REVIEW | AUGUST 2015
New educational opportunities and innovations themselves, examples of which are clubs for War Hammer, Movie Making, Animation, Senior Football, Magic, Space, Touch Rugby and Card Games. • A Young Entrepreneurs’ Afternoon was set as a challenge for boys in Years 6 & 7 to raise money for the School’s international charity ZSL EDGE.
• Programming has been added to the Year 4 IT curriculum covering Scratch, Lego NXT and Python. • The new Gocco Pro machine has been used by senior boys to screen print. The boys have also used Photoshop on the School’s Apple Macs to create artwork.
• House sporting competitions at Canons Park in football, rugby, cricket and tennis have been extended to include boys in Years 1 & 2. • Three new artificial cricket nets have been built at Canons Park.
at Paddington-Recreation Ground during games afternoons, to supplement the six courts we have at Canons Park, has enabled us to expand the number of inter-school tennis fixtures.
• Standardised score tests in English and Maths are now taken by boys entering the School in Year 1 and used for tracking purposes up to and including Year 6. • Boys have been given the all-clear to run extra-curricular activities
• New trips and visits included; Years 1 & 2 Drama workshop, Year 7 RS trip to Regent’s Park Mosque, Open Studios for various year groups in the Art Room, Year 6 Classics trips to the British Museum and Year 7 Classics trip to Roman London. • The Year 8 post CE programme was reviewed to provide all-round interest in the form of educational visits, activities and guest speakers ranging from Exponential Growth Technology to Go-Kart Racing. • Canons Park was used to host the London regional heats of the Kid’s Lit Quiz Competition and our own Chess Tournament for some of the strongest chess schools in London. • Chrome Books are increasingly used to enable more boys to use the cloud storage areas in their AH Google accounts and so work seamlessly on an assignment between school and home.
• The greater use of tennis courts
Arnold House School 1 Loudoun Road St.John’s Wood, London NW8 0LH Telephone: 020 7266 4840 Facsimile: 020 7266 6994 Email: office@arnoldhouse.co.uk Website: www.arnoldhouse.co.uk Arnold House School Ltd (Limited by Guarantee). Registered in London Number 889424. Educational Charitable Trust Number 312725
ANNUAL REVIEW | AUGUST 2015