Seal of approval for St. Mary’s College from Independent Schools Inspectors

24 Mar 2025

St. Mary’s College has received the seal of approval from inspectors from the UK’s national independent schools watchdog.

Following a three-day visit last month assessors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) say that the school meets all five key standards they have set.

This is the best possible outcome the school could achieve under the ISI’s revamped assessment system which no longer uses one-word, Ofsted-style gradings, except for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

The assessors’ verdict on the school covered key areas such the quality of education, the physical and mental health of students, safeguarding, leadership and management and the social and economic education of pupils and their contribution to society.

The report praises school leaders for ‘creating an environment in which pupils demonstrate a love of learning and flourish academically’. This helps them to develop as ‘mature individuals with strong moral values’ and become ‘successful and caring citizens’.

A key element in this success is St. Mary’s ‘engaging curriculum that ensures the acquisition of core knowledge and skills, while offering scope for pupils to pursue their individual interests’.

Teachers are also recognised by inspectors for their ‘good subject knowledge’ and for ‘planning well and using a wide variety of techniques to enable pupils to make good progress’.

Elsewhere in the wide-ranging report the ISI assessors say they were impressed by pupils’ behaviour and by St. Mary’s extensive extracurricular programme ‘that enables pupils to develop their interests and aptitudes in sport, music, drama and a wide range of other activities’.

Also singled out for praise were St. Mary’s safeguarding systems, the way pupils of all ages mix well together and students’ involvement with local and international charities, which reflects the way they are ‘keen to serve others’.

Meanwhile, following their visit inspectors also awarded a ‘good’ rating to the St. Mary’s Bright Sparks & Early Years nursery, a separately registered early years setting for children aged from 0-4.

Knowledgeable and well-trained nursery managers and staff are recognised for their positive relationships with children, the ‘ambitious curriculum’ they have set and for their ‘clear vision of what they want babies and children to learn’.

All this leads to the young children benefiting from a ‘wide range of opportunities to develop their core skills in communication, literacy and numeracy’.

Equally important is the nursery’s focus on the personal development of children which is designed to ‘build their confidence and develop their resilience and problem-solving skills’.

St. Mary’s Principal, Mike Kennedy, commented: “We’re delighted with the assessment we have received from the ISI inspectors. It recognises many of what we regard as the key strengths of the school which is very encouraging.

“Overall the assessors were clearly impressed with what they saw, and by the many pupils and staff members they met and spoke to.  

“I would like to thank everyone associated with St. Mary’s whose ongoing commitment and effort have contributed to making this first-class ISI report possible,” added Mr Kennedy.