Inspection Reports

2025 ISI REPORT - all standards met

St Hugh’s has a long history of successful inspection outcomes and we are delighted that the November 2025 inspection confirms our continuation of outstanding delivery following our double Excellent Inspection in 2022.

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) visited St Hugh’s in November 2025 to undertake a combined Regulatory Compliance and Educational Quality inspection. St Hugh’s was deemed to have met the standard across all areas.

The School was inspected against the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework, The National Minimum Standards for Boarding and the Independent Schools Standards and Regulations. The inspection also considered our application for a material change to the Department of Education. This change relates to increasing the age range from 3-13 to 3-16, and to increase our maximum capacity from 380 children to 460.

The inspection was an extremely rigorous process undertaken across three days.  In assessing the quality of education and pastoral care provided by the school, the inspection team observed a large number of lessons, scrutinised a range of pupils’ work, and held meetings with pupils, staff and governors.  They also looked at the school’s provision for boarding, clubs, sport, IT and the creative arts, and analysed the results of the pre-inspection questionnaires completed by parents, staff and pupils.

We are delighted to say that St Hugh's once again meets all the standards relating to:

• Leadership and management, and governance.
• The quality of education, training and recreation.
• The pupils' physical and mental health, and wellbeing.
• The pupils' social and economic education, and contribution to society.
• Safeguarding.

The inspectors also recognised the significant work that has gone into the preparation for the launch of the Senior School and have approved the material change.

KEY FINDINGS

 Academic Wellbeing

• "The school provides a rich curriculum offer which develops pupils academic learning as well as their personal skills and qualities. The curriculum is well structured and supportive of high intellectual effort."
• "Teaching is well planned by enthusiast subject specialists who motivate pupils to become independent thinkers and to aim high."
• "Pupils are able to think deeply about challenging mathematical and scientific concepts and to solve problems exploring a variety of methods."
• "Leaders and teachers have developed an integrated framework for independent learning across the school which provides pupils with a variety of opportunities to work independently across many subjects. This is having a positive and growing impact on pupils' personal development."
• "Leaders ensure a robust assessment framework throughout the school that is used effectively to monitor pupils' progress as well as to inform strategies to support and challenge as relevant."

Pastoral and Personal Wellbeing

• "Provision for pupils' welfare and emotional wellbeing is embedded within strong pastoral systems and supported by clear structures which support good communications between pupils and staff."

• "Pupils show a high level of personal confidence, maturity and independence beginning from nursery onwards."

• "Speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy are consistently embedded across the curriculum, with pupils applying their learning independently, creatively and collaboratively."

• "Positive teacher and pupil relationships help to create a safe environment in which pupils are confident to offer opinions, ask questions and provide solutions even when unsure of their answer."

• "They see making mistakes as a route to deeper learning and understanding."

Co-Curricular

• "The co-curricular programme is extensive and closely linked to the school's aims and values. This provides pupils with opportunities to explore their passions and develop their talents in sport, music, the creative arts and debating."
• "Leaders develop pupils' resilience, emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as their self-esteem and confidence, through an active co-curricular programme that is focused on pupils' personal development and wider leadership skills."

Safeguarding and Behaviour

• "Pupils' behaviour is good and incidents of bullying are rare and addressed effectively. The school fosters a culture of openness, kindness and mutual respect. Pupils feel safe as teachers respond promptly to any concerns."

• "School leaders are assiduous in their attention to making the school as safe an environment as possible for pupils and staff."

• "There is a robust culture of safeguarding in the school. The proprietor body and leaders are knowledgeable about their responsibilities and ensure that arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils of all ages are effective."

Material Change Application

• "There is a detailed review of safeguarding, supervision and welfare provision, and plans in place are suitable to support pupils' wellbeing."
• "Leaders have given careful consideration to ensure that the new management structures in pastoral care will support pupils' wellbeing."
• "Leaders have given careful consideration to risk management and suitable risk assessments are in place."
• "The plans for premises and accommodation are suitable and make effective use of the school's grounds and building footprint to include a new dining hall, classrooms and laboratories."
• "Leaders have made suitable plans to ensure that health and safety, fire safety, and first aid measures are sufficiently robust to support the change."
• "Leaders have ensured that provision for younger pupils would not be adversely affected by the changes."
• "Curriculum planning is in place and aligns with statutory requirements. There are detailed plans for the development of new curriculum content to support a broad GCSE curriculum, including appropriate PSHE, economic and careers education."
• "Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and have the necessary training, experience and skills to teach the GCSE curriculum."
• "Overall, the school's capacity to implement this material change is secure, with staffing, resources and support structures planned or already in place."

A full copy of the report can be downloaded here: Independent Schools Inspectorate Report 2025

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