Academic and other achievements
Communication
Pupils are excellent communicators who speak articulately, confidently and passionately about their learning.
Written work is excellent and pupils are very skillful in writing for a variety of audiences and in a variety of genres.
Pupils communicate extremely well in a variety of situations and respond to complex instructions intelligently and diligently from an early age.
Collaborative learning is a major factor in developing pupils’ communication skills.
Attitudes to learning
Throughout the School, pupils’ attitudes to learning are excellent. They display extremely high levels of perseverance and commitment in lessons. They collaborate well and are co-operative and highly competent learners who seek help from their peers with confidence. They are eager to learn and use their initiative to make independent progress by taking responsibility for their own learning from an early age.
Pupils love learning and benefit from the school’s strategies to promote their learning habits. They show a thirst for knowledge and an ambition to achieve at the highest possible level. They work conscientiously, displaying determination and resilience. Pupils are not afraid to make mistakes and see this as part of the learning process.
Academic skills and progress
Pupils of all abilities achieve excellent levels of knowledge, skills and understanding. All pupils use subject-appropriate skills to a very high level across the curriculum and this consistently improves their understanding. These skills are developed by the use of probing, effective questioning which engages all pupils. They have an excellent knowledge of different methods to achieve their objectives.
Pupils make excellent progress throughout the school, supported by the comprehensive systems for tracking, attainment and individualised support. They thrive on challenge. Those with SEND or EAL make excellent progress as they are extremely well supported by highly-experienced specialist staff.
In many instances, pupils are working beyond expectations for their age at the top of the school. Pupils make excellent progress in lessons due to the structure offered by staff and the high expectations they set. In well-paced and interactive lessons, progress is rapid.
Pupils constantly challenge themselves and extend their understanding through discussions and are encouraged to do so.
Pupils study skills are excellent and they use them effectively across the curriculum.
Achievements outside the curriculum
Pupils achieve highly outside of the formal curriculum. They achieve excellent results by the time they leave the school and are successful in a wide range of subjects at scholarship level.
- Pupils achieve excellent results in music board examinations, external speech and drama examinations and in external competitions such as the Primary Maths challenge.
- Pupils are successful in sports and regularly reach the national finals of sporting events such as biathlon and swimming.
- They enjoy wide-ranging success in local chess competitions and national events, as they are encouraged to follow their passions.
They have a healthy level of competitiveness and always want to do their best. Pupils with special talents achieve highly.
Pupils’ excellent academic and extra-curricular achievements owe much to the governance of the school, which has been instrumental in providing much-appreciated facilities which offer plentiful opportunities for pupils to develop their learning and interests. Governors show great awareness, passion and empathy for the pupils’ academic and personal needs.