Tenbury area school gets stamp of excellence
An independent school has received a ringing endorsement after a rigorous inspection by a team of educational experts.
Teachers, governors and pupils at Abberley Hall School, based in Great Witley, near Tenbury Wells, are celebrating an 'excellent' report just published by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
A team of four inspectors, giving 24 hours notice of their visit, spent three days examining life at Abberley, which educates over 250 pupils aged from two to 13 years who are drawn from throughout Worcestershire and surrounding counties.
Headmaster Will Lockett said the report praises the whole range of school life, describing the quality of pupils’ academic and other achievements as excellent.
He said: “We are absolutely delighted with the findings of the inspection – the assessment of life here at Abberley could not be any better.
Ratings that can be awarded by the inspectorate are excellent, good, sound or unsatisfactory and areas examined included the successes and academic achievements of the school, pupils’ personal development and school governance.
The report states: “Pupils achieve high levels of success in scholarships and national competitions for sport, music, art, drama and design manufacture.
“From the early years onwards, pupils are happy, energetic and enthusiastic learners. The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent. Both day and boarding pupils across the age range work very well together and are mindful of the value of kindness and gentleness, due to the strong family atmosphere.
“Older pupils enthusiastically take on a wide range of responsibilities within the school community, both in the boarding house and in the school generally. Pupils have a very strong understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle.
“Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive. They are enthusiastic and demonstrate unusually high levels of maturity as they support one another in class and around the school.
“Pupils develop their own interests and talents to an exceptionally high level through an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. As they move through the school pupils develop excellent sporting skills, whether as part of a team or for individual sports such as riding, fencing or sailing,” it says.
