Head delighted at inspectors’ praise for ‘happy’ schools (From Worcester News)

Head delighted at inspectors’ praise for ‘happy’ schools

6:30pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in News By Alicia Kelly, @aliciakellyWN #worcsnews

PRAISE: Headteacher Tim Keyes and King’s pupils with the report by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate.

THE three King’s schools have been praised by inspectors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

They said pupils enjoyed an excellent and well-balanced curriculum and an outstandingly wide range of activities at the King’s School, College Green, Worcester, and the junior schools St Alban’s, Mill Street, Worcester, and King’s Hawford, Hawford Lock Lane, Claines.

Pupils were well-educated and their achievements in their work and extra-curricular activities were described as good and often excellent.

They also found pupils made good progress compared to other children of similar abilities.

Inspectors judged that the attainment of children at St Alban’s and Hawford was high compared to national age-related expectations.

They had strong skills in literacy and numeracy, as well as showing interests in music, art, drama and sport.

In the senior school, the standards achieved by pupils in both GCSE and A-level were said to have improved markedly since a previous inspection.

Results at GCSE were far above the national average for maintained schools and similar to the average for maintained selective schools.

Results at A-level were far above the national average for maintained schools and above the national average for maintained selective schools.

Teaching was strong and often excellent across the schools, enabling all pupils to make good progress.

However, at times excessive support for the most able limited their curiosity and independence.

Teachers were also said to have excellent relationships with their pupils.

The pupils themselves were described as exemplary learners whose behaviour around the school was also exemplary.

The quality and effectiveness of the governance, leadership and management of the schools was described as excellent.

The overall early years foundation stage provision at both Hawford and St Alban’s was described as outstanding.

Inspectors said the schools were happy, family settings providing an exceptionally high quality of education and care.

Headteacher Tim Keyes said: “I am delighted that the report has so accurately and positively recognised the quality of academic achievement and the ethos of commitment and support that runs throughout King’s.

“This serves as a reassuring reminder to both parents and pupils that we are meeting the challenge of fulfilling their highest expectations.”

He also described the inspectors’ report as a “well-deserved compliment” to school staff.

Thirteen inspectors visited the three schools over five days.