ISI Inspection
Key findings and highlights
2023
WHAT IS AN INSPECTION?
Wells Cathedral School was visited by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate in April 2023. Inspectors carried out a Focused Compliance and Educational Quality inspection.
In reaching their judgements, the inspectors took into account a whole range of evidence from all aspects of the School. They conducted formal interviews with pupils and staff, and samples of pupils’ work from all age ranges were scrutinised. Questionnaires from pupils, parents and staff were analysed, and there was a thorough scrutiny of our policies and documentation.
The Educational Quality inspection reports on the quality of the School’s work. It focuses on two key outcomes:
- The achievement of the pupils, including their academic development
- The personal development of the pupils.
In each area, Inspectors make a headline judgement, rating the outcomes as ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sound’ or ‘Unsatisfactory’.
WellsCathedralSchoolachievedthehighestpossible descriptionof“Excellent”inbothoftheseareas.
The Focused Compliance inspection report only addresses the School’s compliance with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations (ISSRs), National Minimum Standards for Boarding (NMS) and EYFS regulations, and finds if these have been “met” or “not met”.
The Schoolwas found to have met all of these standards.
The full report can be downloaded and read here:
https://wells.cathedral.school/isi-inspection
The summary - in its entirety - of the Educational Quality inspection report reads as follows:
Pupils’knowledge,skillsandunderstandingare excellent in all areas of the curriculumanddevelopstronglyastheymovethroughtheschool.
Standards achieved in music areexceptional, and at least excellent in other creative arts.
Pupils’strongstudyskillsareseededintheencouragementtoexploreand experimentfromtheirearliestdaysinthepre-prep.
Pupils collaboratenaturallybutbenefitfromthefreedomtostudyinthewaythat suits them best.
The quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent.
Pupilshave excellent self-awareness and confidence, showstrongempathytoothers, and are enthusiastictoleadchange.
Pupilsare awaketothespiritualaspectsoflife,reinforcedbythemusical,cathedraland cityenvironment.
Pupilsvalue,respectandabsorbthediversebackgrounds,beliefs,nationalities, attitudes and talents of others.
Pupilsleadmuchoftheactivitythatshapestheiroutstandingcontribution to the school,localandwidercommunity.
The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent.
GENERAL
Childrendevelophigh-levellinguisticskillsatanearlyageandare confident communicatorsbothinwrittenandspokenword.Theyshowanequallyhigh standardofnumeracy.
Pupilsofallagesbothbuild intellectual resilienceandexpandanddeepentheirskills in their chosen areas.
Pupilshaveextraordinarilystrong communication skills.
Pupilsenjoysuccessinteamandindividualsport.
Pupilsofallageshave excellent creative skillssupportedbythemantraofexperiment andtheencouragementtobethemselves.
Pupils’defaultapproachtowork,sportandmusicisto collaborate.Theymove seamlesslybetweenanindividualtoacollaborativeapproach.
STUDY
Theextenttowhichthepupils’studyskillsaredevelopedisexcellent.
Pupilsdemonstrateanexcellentattitudetotheirlearning in all areas.
Lessonsobservedwerecharacterisedbygoodhumour and enthusiasm from both pupilsandteachers,cloakedinrespect.
Pupils’excellent,andattimesexceptional,attitudestolearning are founded on the clarityofknowledgethatpupilshaveaboutthemselvesaslearners.
Moreablepupilsoftendrivetheprogress of others.
MUSIC
Theextremelyhighlevelsofmusicalperformanceachievedbyasignificantnumber ofpupilsrecognisesthesubstantialandsuccessfuluseofgovernmentfunding(MDS) andgovernors’support.
Thestandardofchoralsingingmeritstheschool’sdescriptionofitschoiras “world class”.
Thestandardofplayingandsingingisexceptional for a school.
ResultsinthegradedexaminationsfortheAssociatedBoardandTrinityCollege are outstanding.
MATHS
Pupilsdemonstrateahighlevelofnumeracy,andtheyareabletoapplytheir knowledgeeasilyandeffectively.
Seniorschoolpupilsmakeexcellentprogress,especiallythosewhoarepartofthe specialistacceleratedmathematicsgroup.Thesepupilssuccessfullystudytopicswell beyondthoseexpectedfortheirage.
Pupilshavean excellent and sustained recordinmathematicalOlympiadsand othercompetitions.
OUTCOMES
Pupilsachievewellinexternalexaminations…bothGCSEandA-levelpupilsachieve highergradesthanexpectedfortheirability.
Examination results arestrong.
This[examination]excellenceisachievedbyever-progressivebuildingof expectations in lessons.
Almostallpupilsgainplacesattheir first-choice seniorschools, universities, art collegesormusicconservatoires,andtheyarewellpreparedforthenextstagein their education.
[Pupils]showgreatconfidence…Allarewellpreparedforthenextstageoftheirlives.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Fromanearlyagepupilslearnhowtostaysafeandhealthy.
Pupilsunderstandthedangersposedbytheinternetandsocialmedia.Theycan identifywhattheyneedtodotomaintaintheirmentalhealthsothattheycan learneffectively.
Pupilshave excellent self-awareness and confidence.
Pupilsare unafraid to make and learn from mistakes.
Pupils’excellentdecision-makingskillsarerootedinthefreedomofchoicetheyare encouragedtouseintheEYFS.
Pupilshaveastrongspiritualawareness,whetherornottheyascribetotheChristian ethos of the school.
Pupils’moral awareness is excellent.
Pupilsdemonstratethattheyknowhowtostaysafeandwheretheycanturnforhelp. Theirunderstandingissupportedbyastrongandwell-plannedpersonal,social, healthandeconomiceducation(PSHE)curriculum.
ATMOSPHERE
Collaborationistheinstinctiveapproachacrossallareasofschoollife.Olderpupils successfullyadoptmentoringandtutoringrolesforyoungerpupils.
Fromchildren’sfirstweeksintheNursery,levelsofsocialdevelopment and collaboration are excellent.
Pupilshaveanexcellentandmatureperspective,calmnessandattimesserenity. Theymeettheirsuccessandachievementwithhumilityandenjoythesuccessof others.Movingaboutthesitetheyarepurposefulandhandleself-imposedhigh expectationswithbalance.
Pupilsembraceacultureofgenerositywith their time and their talents.The extent anddepthoftheiractivityandcontributiontotheschool,localandwidercommunity isexceptional.
Intheirapproachesandattitudespupilsarticulatetheschoolmotto“bewhoyouare” and its evolution to“becomethebestyoucanbe”.
The school has a culture where all arerespectedandvaluedforwhotheyare.
WellsCathedralSchoolisanexcellentexamplewhereawiderangeofindividuals: extremelygiftedmusicians,mathematicians,sportsplayers,boardinganddaypupils and the neurodiverse interact withrespect,sensitivityandtolerance.