SENIOR SCHOOL

Malvern St James Girls' School is celebrating after receiving a fantastic Ofsted report - achieving OUTSTANDING in all categories concerned with the well-being of the children.

Having been inspected in November, the report recognises the School's exceptionally high quality of pastoral care. The inspection looked at the key boarding school national minimum standards under the ‘Every Child Matters' outcome groups. The outcome judgements in Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Making a Positive Contribution and Organisation are described as ‘outstanding'. The School did not receive any recommendations.

Although the inspection concentrated on boarding, the outstanding judgements extend to all areas of the School community.

The report states that girls, ‘self-knowledge, self-esteem and self confidence is excellent because they are valued within the school community and their contributions and efforts are noticed and rewarded. Boarders benefit from excellent support provided by the staff, external professions and peers'.

The report also notes that ‘girls are well informed and become confident individuals and able to lead safe, fulfilling and healthy lives'.

The system in place to promote the safety and welfare of boarders was described as ‘outstanding' with girls living in a ‘positive and nurturing environment where their welfare is paramount'.

Mrs Hayes said, 'This is an excellent achievement for the whole School. It was very pleasing that OFSTED recognised that the holistic, child-centred approach that we achieve at Malvern St James is very much a team effort and a result of the outstanding commitment shown by all departments of the School'.

The inspecting team praised Ms Elaine Drake, the Assistant Head responsible for Boarding, for ‘her dynamic and visionary approach'.

The report concluded that, ‘Malvern St James is an outstanding school. Boarders' safety and protection is paramount, Boarders' health and pastoral care is being met by a dedicated team of professional staff who are continually striving to develop the boarding experience and maintain outstanding outcomes for children'.

A further selection of the quotes from the report are listed below:

‘Malvern St James is an outstanding school.'

“Boarders are living in a positive and nurturing environment where their welfare is paramount.”

“Outstanding attention is paid to the range of faiths and cultures of boarders who live at the school and enrich the boarding community………they successfully encourage different social and cultural backgrounds to work and live together.”

“There is an excellent range of channels through which boarders can express their views and feelings.”

“The commitment shown by all departments of the school to boarding results in holistic, child-centred practice that ensures children have a positive experience of boarding and achieve strong outcomes.”