The effectiveness of governance, leadership and management

2.7 Governors provide strong support and appropriate guidance for the school and its work. They demonstrate a clear commitment to the school’s ethos and mission and have drawn up effective strategic plans to fulfil the school’s aims and contribute to its further success. Communication with the school is good and governors join with staff on a number of important committees. Governors take their legal responsibilities as proprietors seriously, particularly for health and safety. However, formal procedures for monitoring regulatory compliance are not fully robust and secure. Although they are keen to ensure that the pupils’ welfare is fully safeguarded, they have not completed a formal review of the school’s procedures, nor have they ensured that all the necessary staff recruitment checks have been carried out promptly in the past.

2.8 The leadership and management throughout the school have many appropriate strengths and enable pupils to achieve success in many areas, in line with the school’s aims. Leaders and managers identify clear priorities and have appropriate detailed plans to achieve further development and future success. Systems to monitor and evaluate the life and work of the school are improving significantly, although some inconsistencies are apparent across the different sections of the school. A strong sense of purpose and clear sense of direction are promoted by the headmistress and readily embraced by the staff. The school has carried out recruitment checks through the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) on all staff, although some other required checks have not always been carried out promptly in the past, nor have they been recorded correctly or completely. The school’s premises and accommodation serve the needs of the pupils adequately although, currently, the school lacks the necessary provision of shower facilities for older pupils. The premises are maintained in an immaculate condition.

2.9 The school maintains excellent links with its parents. A very small number of parents responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire, largely because the school had completed its own survey immediately beforehand. Nevertheless, those responding gave overwhelming support for the life and work of the school, particularly for the attitudes and values promoted, the good progress of their children, and the quality of pastoral care. A small proportion expressed concern about the excessive quantity of homework. The school has already responded to this concern, and pupils now report that the situation has improved. Parents feel well informed at every stage of their children’s lives at the school. They feel that the staff are approachable and deal with concerns swiftly and effectively. No formal complaints have been received in the last two years. The school’s website provides comprehensive information about school practice and current events, and is supported by the prospectus, handbooks and newsletters. The detailed reports and interim assessment cards sent to parents, and the parents’ evenings arranged, provide good information about their children’s progress.