ISI Educational Quality Inspection, 2019
We are delighted that the Independent Schools Inspectorate, in its 2019 Educational Quality Inspection of the school, awarded Streatham & Clapham High School the highest grade (Excellent) in both categories inspected: the quality of pupils’ achievements and the quality of pupils’ personal development.
“Pupils of all ages develop high levels of self-knowledge, confidence and resilience as they progress through the school” (EQI Report, 2019)
The inspectorate also found that the school fully complied with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations.
These assessments were the outcome of the inspection team’s searching scrutiny of pupils’ work, lesson observations, observations of co-curricular activities, evaluation of pupils’ wider achievements, analysis of examination results, and interviews with pupils, staff, governors and members of the Trust senior team. They also took into to account the pre-inspection questionnaires completed by parents, pupils and staff. These were overwhelmingly positive about the school.
The key findings of the Educational Quality Inspection are on page 9 of the report and are as follows:
The quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent.
- Pupils of all abilities are highly successful in their academic achievements and make rapid progress across all areas of learning.
- Pupils’ attitudes to learning are outstanding, both when collaborating and when working independently.
- Pupils are highly effective communicators in a wide range of contexts.
- Pupils excel across a wide range of academic, sporting and creative activities.
The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent.
- Pupils of all ages develop high levels of self-knowledge, confidence and resilience as they progress through the school.
- Pupils are adept and confident decision makers, secure in their knowledge that the school is a safe and encouraging environment.
- Pupils have a strong moral sense and apply their standards of morality to their own behaviour, their community and the world at large.
- Pupils are highly respectful of each other and exhibit qualities which reflect their concern for justice, equality and fairness.
Every ISI inspection is required to make a recommendation. The inspectors thought very carefully about what recommendation they might make in light of such excellent outcomes, and, after consultation with the Head and senior staff, decided on the following: ‘In the context of excellent outcomes, the school might wish to consider extending opportunities for pupil-led initiatives within the school and in the wider world.’ We shall of course work enthusiastically to bring this about.
“Pupils are adept and confident decision makers, secure in their knowledge that the school is a safe and encouraging environment.” (EQI Report, 2019)
We are not complacent. We shall continue to strive to make an SCHS education ever more exciting, innovative, and relevant for our pupils, to augment and amplify our family ethos, and inspire the girls even more successfully to identify their individual strengths and personalities through the activities they undertake at the school.
The full report may be downloaded from the website of the Independent Schools Inspectorate, www.isi.net.