INSPECTION REPORT 2023
Pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are excellent in all areas of the curriculum and develop strongly as they move through the school.
~ Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
What is an inspection?
Wells Cathedral School was inspected by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate in April 2023. Inspectors carried out a Focused Compliance and Educational Quality inspection.
The Educational Quality inspection reports on the quality of the School’s work. It focuses on two key outcomes:
- The achievement of the pupils, including their academic development
- The personal development of the pupils.
In each area, Inspectors make a headline judgement, rating the outcomes as ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Sound’ or ‘Unsatisfactory’.
Wells Cathedral School achieved the highest possible description of “Excellent” in both of these areas.
The Focused Compliance inspection report only addresses the School’s compliance with the Independent Schools Standards Regulations (ISSRs), National Minimum Standards for Boarding (NMS) and EYFS regulations, and finds if these have been “met” or “not met”.
The School was found to have met all of these standards.
In reaching their judgements, the inspectors took into account a whole range of evidence from all aspects of the School. They conducted formal interviews with pupils and staff, and samples of pupils’ work from all age ranges (2-19) were scrutinised. Questionnaires from pupils, parents and staff were analysed, and there was a thorough scrutiny of our policies and documentation.
The school has a culture where all are respected and valued for who they are. Wells Cathedral School is an excellent example where a wide range of individuals: extremely gifted musicians, mathematicians, sports players, boarding and day pupils and the neurodiverse interact with respect, sensitivity and tolerance.
~ Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
ISI’s Key Findings
The quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent.
- Pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are excellent in all areas of the curriculum and develop strongly as they move through the school.
- Standards achieved in music are exceptional, and at least excellent in other creative arts.
- Pupils’ strong study skills are seeded in the encouragement to explore and experiment from their earliest days in the pre-prep.
- Pupils collaborate naturally but benefit from the freedom to study in the way that suits them best.
The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent.
- Pupils have excellent self-awareness and confidence, show strong empathy to others, and are enthusiastic to lead change.
- Pupils are awake to the spiritual aspects of life, reinforced by the musical, cathedral and city environment.
- Pupils value, respect and absorb the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, nationalities, attitudes and talents of others.
- Pupils lead much of the activity that shapes their outstanding contribution to the school, local and wider community.
These findings are taken in their entirety from the Educational Quality inspection report summary.
