Resurgent Chard Prep School Takes Pride in Inspection Findings
Chard Prep School is delighted to share the positive outcomes and feedback from our recent Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report, following their visit before the summer break.
Under the new ISI framework, which assesses schools as either ‘met’ or ‘not met’, we are thrilled to announce that Chard Prep School has met all standards.
We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional value. On average, our termly fees are 34% lower than the average fees of local prep schools*. However, it’s not just lower fees that make Chard Prep School an outstanding choice for your child. What truly sets us apart is the exceptional value we offer through our unique blend of educational excellence and holistic personal development.
We are proud to share a few key insights from the report, celebrating the exceptional contributions of our dedicated staff, governors, pupils, and parent community in creating a truly special and nurturing school environment.
The ISI report particularly commended our inclusive and collaborative leadership, noting that it helps to create a calm and purposeful atmosphere where pupils are well-supported. This aligns perfectly with our school’s mission to promote well-rounded development and build confidence in our pupils.
The report stated, “Leaders’ approach is inclusive and collaborative, resulting in a school community atmosphere which is calm and purposeful.” Supporting this, a questionnaire revealed that parents overwhelmingly agree their children are happy at school and making good progress.
The report also highlighted our pupils’ strong respect for others and our staff’s commitment to understanding differences while fostering wellbeing. According to the ISI: 'Staff and pupils are respectful towards each other. They actively promote understanding of the ways people can be different.'
Additionally, the ISI recognised our comprehensive curriculum and high-quality teaching, which supports our strategy for academic excellence. The report noted: “Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum that covers a broad range of subjects. Teachers’ strong subject knowledge is evident in many lessons, and the positive impact of this upon pupils’ own depth of understanding is clear.” Our focus on small class sizes and the use of specialist teaching staff from Year 1 were also acknowledged as key strengths.
Our extensive range of extracurricular activities and commitment to outdoor learning were praised, with the report stating, 'There is a good range of extra-curricular provision.'
The ISI report further reinforced the strength of our pastoral care and focus on pupil wellbeing. It remarked, 'Warm relationships and clear, consistent expectations from staff foster an environment where children behave well and actively participate in their learning.'
Chard Prep School is incredibly proud of these findings and remains committed to providing an outstanding educational experience for all children. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated staff, wonderful pupils, and supportive parents for their continuous efforts in making Chard Prep a truly special place to learn and grow.
For further details, you can view the complete ISI report in the Policies and Reports section of the Chard Prep School website at
*Our research on fees took the combined average of the published termly fees (as of August 2024) of seven local prep schools within a 30-mile radius of Chard Prep School. These do not include transport costs or any other supplemental charges. The VAT assumptions highlighted on the graph are not indicative of how Chard Prep School or the other comparable prep schools will manage the VAT changes. For illustrative purposes only, we applied the worst-case scenario that all VAT costs are met by fee payers at those schools. For the avoidance of doubt, we have not been informed how the comparable prep schools will implement the VAT changes.
For further information, please contact:
Jessica Shaw
Chard Prep School
T: 01460 63234
E:
office@chardschool.co.uk
W:
October 2024