Queen’s Gate School was delighted to host representatives from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in November 2024. The opportunity to show off all that makes our school so special had been hotly awaited, and both staff and pupils welcomed our guests most warmly.
Under the ISI framework in place since 2023, schools no longer receive overall judgements such as ‘excellent’. Rather, the inspectors report on whether a school meets the expected ISI standards in five key areas:
1. Leadership and management, and governance
2. Quality of education, training and recreation
3. Pupils’ physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
4. Pupils’ social and economic education and contribution to society
5. Safeguarding
At our November inspection, Queen’s Gate School was successful in meeting the standards in every area, while the overall report (available below) gives us just cause to use one of our favourite phrases, ‘unashamedly proud’.
It is fair to say that our visitors really were able to capture all that makes our School so special. Our guiding principles around pupil wellbeing, and about each girl being encouraged to become her own personal best are both noted. “Pupils are at the heart of leaders’ decision making” is a genuine reflection of how we do things at Queen’s Gate. Every choice we make, every development we advance, is done with our girls’ needs in mind. Within this, we strive for each girl to exceed her potential, her own personal best: our vision is described as “ambitious for every pupil to develop fully whatever their starting point” and “based around developing the individual within a supportive school environment.”
As well as confirming that we had met both our targets from the previous inspection, which centred on our use of digital technology in learning and our quality of marking and feedback, our visitors found much to praise in our teaching provision. “Teachers skilfully adapt lessons to the needs of pupils and respond to their interests and questions.” “Teachers throughout the school use their extensive subject knowledge to teach well-planned lessons which enable pupils to extend their knowledge and deepen their understanding.” The curriculum is described as “diverse and ambitious.”
Throughout the visit, our Queen’s Gate girls truly shone, showing deep pride in, and loyalty towards, the School. With their natural self-confidence and open-hearted generosity of spirit, they took enormous pleasure in welcoming our guests. In particular, the inspectors noted the quality of relationships between pupils and staff, commenting “Relationships between pupils and staff are positive across the school. Pupils feel respected and they in turn respect each other. Staff are caring and interested in pupils’ wellbeing and their success…Pupils feel they are valued.” Similarly pleasing is the line “Leaders have established a school culture and curriculum which fosters understanding and celebrates diversity.” We consider ourselves exceptionally lucky to enjoy a school community that comprises many ethnicities, faiths and cultures. Our pupils gain a sophisticated understanding of the world, and a deep-rooted respect for different perspectives and values.
All schools receive at least one recommendation. This time we have received just one recommendation, and work has already started towards this. We can’t wait to see what we can achieve.