12
? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ?
did they at last have the chance to explain that Jehovah’s
improved substantially since the last inspection… there is
Witnesses didn’t normally get this kind of thing, and would
an outstanding range of high quality activities for the pupils
he like to convert ?
13
? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ?
during the week and at weekends.”
Another potentially explosive point came when the
“The quality of governance is outstanding… there
ofsted inspectors found, horror of horrors, a pork pie in
is outstanding leadership from the senior management
a house fridge with a label indicating it was five days past
team.” etc. etc.
its sell by date.
These comments all came from our notes from the
Would the team in suits demand the school being
inspectors’ oral feedback. The full inspection report will be
closed ? The sky darkened. A suggestion that a team from
sent to all parents in a month or as soon as the school has it.
the chemical weapons laboratory at Porton Down should
The report from
ofsted was similarly glowing, and
come in and blow it up did not go down well with the
several ‘outstandings’ were awarded.
inspectors. They don’t do humour.
spent five days in school, visiting all boarding houses, and
What they do do is very precise, very clear language.
The inspectors
talking to huge numbers of pupils.
Let me explain how the inspectors view the world.
They reported on an excellent quality of pastoral
Everything they see, even their partners, are awarded one
care, with high praise for the staff, the facilities and the
of four grades. ‘Unsatisfactory’ is a four, ‘Satisfactory’ a
activities available.
three, ‘Good’ a two and ‘Excellent’ or ‘Outstanding’ is a one.
Most pleasing of all, after all the traumas and
Ones are very hard to obtain, and much sought after
accusations over the last ten years, was that the inspectors
Ticking the Master at Call Over
by schools. So what did they make of us ?
found relationships and measures to counter bullying, were
First, the isi inspectors. What did they say ?
without question excellent. They found some evidence of
“Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural develop-
occasional name-calling, but no evidence of bullying.
ment is outstanding, underpinned by the College’s Eight
Aptitudes.”
Instead, they found relationships between boys and
girls to be excellent. We were told Wellington would take
“Moral development in the College is excellent.”
“The demeanour of pupils around the school, in boarding
years to go successfully co-ed. Again, the Jeremiahs are
proved wrong.
Good too that the school’s service, charitable and
community efforts received the ‘outstanding’ rating.
At the tensest moment of the 1st xv match at Twickenham
last month, I turned to Joanna—who has not been entirely
The Academy in Wiltshire opens under its new Head,
the same woman since dancing with Ramprakash last
Andy Schofield, in 2009, with minimal fuss or cost to
night—to see how she was bearing up and found her
Wellington. Andy is present with us today. We wish him
buried deep in a novel. “What on earth are you doing?” I
every success and look forward to working with him.
whispered loudly.
Our relationship with the Royal Family is deepened by
Prince Andrew becoming President of the Academy.
Her reply was heard by the entire front row of the
President’s Box. “Look, I have no idea what is going on.”
social skills.”
“Excellent trips and expeditions, charity, sports, art
and service…outstanding cultural opportunities, drama
and music.”
Parents deserved to be singled out for their notably
Some public schools and pundits were hostile when
Forthrightness is exactly the quality Wellington now
strong commitment to the school—which was evident to
houses and in lessons sees them showing outstanding
Wellington first talked two years ago about the Academy
needs if we are to continue our ascent and become world
inspectors on the 400 questionnaires—and for organising
and social responsibilities. Now they are following where
class. Ten areas demand attention, and in the interest of
so many wonderful events.
Wellington led: Oundle, Winchester, Tonbridge and
total candour, and the belief that we will be stronger for
Epsom are some of the many public schools that have now
being honest, I share them with you now.
The grand ball last night with Mark Ramprakash was
“Teaching is good overall, with some excellent.
merely the latest highlight.
announced they will be opening academies.
The first two come direct from the inspectors, and
The Parents’ Forum and the wca are great strengths
But we are not complacent. Schools can suffer from
constitute their two recommendations. Whereas much
of the school. This year has seen glittering speakers—
complacency and pomposity, and from this Wellington or
teaching at Wellington is excellent, teaching in some cases
“The quality of pastoral care and arrangements
Boris Johnson, Richard Holmes, Nikolai Tolstoy, and the
its Master is not immune.
needs to be improved, above all for the most gifted, and all
for the welfare of pupils is excellent…there has been a
Editor of The Economist, John Micklethwait, this week, with
major improvement in relations between pupils. It is now
Michael Portillo later in the term and John Major and a
excellent. One older pupil said the College is “a nicer
galaxy of others next term.
Behaviour in lessons is excellent. Teachers have ex 6V??V?@?7V&?V7B???v?VFvR?( ??F?RWGV??v???6VRF?RV&?6F????bF?R?f?6??????W7G&FVB??7F?'??bvV???wF???7Ffb?W7B??f????r&W7B&7F?6R?Bw&VVB??6?W2??F?&VR?vR?VVBF?6???WFR?W"'V??F??r&?w&??R?F?R&???&V6?V?G2F?RG'VR7F?'??bf?&?W ????W6R&V??fF???2&R?&vV?6???WFR?'WBvR?fR??&P??F?RG&V?6?W2G&?Gv?vVV?>( ?v?v2FW67&?&VB'???vV???wF???7FW"?wW27F??f?'F??v??????VBvV???wF??F?F???6?77&???2?F?R??FW&???wVvW2??7F?GWFR???V?f?F?f?&?W"6?B??0????R&V?B2( ?V?FR6???F?R??7B??f??r?7F??V?F??p?????Sbg&???V?F?Rv?W&R?Rv2?VF?7FW"???2v?fP??v?F??G2V?WfV?6?77&???2??2?W?7FW???F?W.( ?27V?F?&?7B?????vW"?V?BF?R6?R?6^( ?( @???BV????&?R???rvVV?V?B??fR7V?B???V'2?( ??W?@??v2G&?f??r?????F?V?"7V??W"???F?F?F?R?V'B?`??v??6?F?W6?( ?B7G&??R?R2fW'???????V"6VW2G&?2F????WN( ?2v&FV????&R&GF?Vf?V?G2?@??'W&wV?G??F?R&????6?2WF?R66V?S????6RF?&^( ??( ?( ??V?2&R?WG7F?F??~(
b??P??6?6??f6??F?W2&R6???rF?F?R?V'B?bF?R66??????Gv??V'2v?F?F??F??B??RvRv?V?B'V??BF?V?0??( ?7F??f?'F?w&Wr&?7?V??W6???F?V?Bv?F??6???2?V?&W'2&?6R?BvR6?V?Bff?&B?B??6R??P??&V???BF?W6RWfV?G2?BF?R???6?6??2?fR&VV?vVBV6?BG&?f??r???B??'6R???'&?r??R?( ?( ??????V?2??6WFV?&W"v?F?7&???r6l:???B?6RGv????&????B&VV?&?6R?v??6V6RF?&R66????&V?G2F??0??&?v?B?FV"???&?v?B?( ?6?R6?B?( ?R?'f??W6?F?W2??@??f?7F?&??v?72G&?V??v????V?6??'F?gFW"?( ????2v?F?F?R6???V??G?7V6?2F?R6FV????FW&??????7Bw&FVgV?F???&V?G2??Bv?V?B??R????&V?6R??R&RF?R?7FW"?bvV???wF??6???Vv^( ??&R?WG7F?F??r?( ?( ?F?RV?G??b&?&F??rVGV6F????0??v?fW&??'2?W??2?B7FfbF?6??rF?V??W"&V6?F????( ?F?RV?G??b???2v?F?&V?G2?2?WG7F?F??r?@?&V?G2?fRW?6V??V?B??'GV??F?W2f?"??f??fV?V?B???F?R66?????( ??7L*WFW'6'W&r?F?Rv?fW2?b?7FW'2&R??FVVBf?'F?&?v?Bv??V??F?R6l:?v???G&?6f?&?F?R6?6???fW2f?"?W"??V?r???B'&??r?fR&6?F?F?R?FF?R?bF?R66?????