Students of all ages ‘make rapid progress’ inspection finds

An inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) saw the quality of pupils’ academic and other achievements and quality of pupils’ personal development both described as ‘excellent’.

The Grange School has started 2020 on a positive note after independent school inspectors found the school’s young people ‘thrive as part of a community which actively seeks to develop the academic potential of its pupils and nurture their social awareness’.

Read the full inspection report

Quality of Academic Achievements 

Lesson observations from inspectors showed how The Grange’s academic programme leads to success. They commented that ‘pupils are zealous in their learning and display excellent study skills, responding to academic challenge with determination to succeed.’ The report went on to mention how the broad curriculum offered, the excellent standard of teaching and an ethos of learning from mistakes in the classroom develops a ‘can-do’ attitude and resilience amongst all Grange young people.

These skills all help students achieve strong academic results. The inspection notes rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning, as well as access to high-quality resources, means ‘performance in GCSE and A Level examinations remains consistently high overall. Results at GCSE remain well above national averages and in their A Level examinations, more than half the candidates achieve A* or A grades’.

Allowing our Young People to Flourish

Head of the school, Mrs Leonard said “The Grange prides itself on offering an enriched education with opportunities outside the classroom and creating a strong and close community, which allows our young people to flourish academically.”

“To see this report, I believe, really highlights how successful we have been in achieving this. We will continue to develop our educational offering and take on board the recommendations from the ISI to do this. I thank my staff and all the young people who attend The Grange for their continued and dedicated hard work in making the school the success that it is.”

Quality of Personal Development

The inspection praised the students’ behaviour observing ‘they respect each other as they queue for lunch, hold doors open for each other and are welcoming to visitors’. The Junior School’s recent efforts to improve recycling and promoting a clean air zone were praised, showing the ‘whole-hearted commitment’ children have for their school community and the wider world.

Always trying to ensure the well-being and mental health of students is looked after, the Senior School’s ‘Wellfest’ initiative was highlighted as it ‘offers the opportunity for pupils to gain a deeper appreciation of how to look after oneself and others’.

The Grange aims to prepare their students for life after school and the Careers Department support, along with career fairs and visiting speakers, was praised as students ‘feel very well prepared for the next step in their careers and are highly appreciative of the guidance provided’.