PRE-INSPECTION INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

January 2017

For the use of intended recipients only. Any copying or re-distribution of this document without permission is prohibited. © Independent Schools Inspectorate January 2017. All rights reserved.

Pre-Inspection Information

Note to heads Please complete this Pre-inspection information form, which provides essential inspection information for inspection planning. This information, along with the information provided online regularly to ISI, is necessary to ensure that inspection is appropriately matched to the context of your school. You do not need to revise it continually but, by having it ready completed, it can be updated quickly if necessary, for transmission to the reporting inspector when the school’s inspection is notified by telephone. When the reporting inspector contacts the school, s/he will have consulted the documentation which you have already made available as required to demonstrate regulatory compliance (you will have done this either via your website or through uploading the files to ISI). The information you provide is for use by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). It will be used only in connection with the inspection of the school and will be treated in strictest confidence. However, please note that individuals identifiable in the document may be entitled to obtain any such information under the Data Protection Act 1998.

To be completed electronically

Pre-inspection information about the school 1 Effective January 2017 For the use of intended recipients only. Any copying or re-distribution of this document without permission is prohibited. © Independent Schools Inspectorate January 2017. All rights reserved.

Pre-Inspection Information Contact details for use during the inspection

Name of school

Name of head Ian Raybould

Telephone (direct line): 01785 286569

Head’s contact details Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 07525 420519

Name of person coordinating the inspection material Julia Bryan

Post in school Headmaster’s Secretary

Telephone: 01785 286568

Contact details Email: [email protected]

Mobile: Name of person coordinating for EYFS Michelle Fowlie (if applicable) Post in school Head of Pre-Prep

Telephone: 01785 286568

Contact details Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 07841 873908 Name of person coordinating for boarding Ian Raybould (if applicable) Post in school Headmaster / Head of Boarding

Telephone: 01785 286568

Contact details Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 07525 420519

Pre-inspection information about the school 2 Effective January 2017 For the use of intended recipients only. Any copying or re-distribution of this document without permission is prohibited. © Independent Schools Inspectorate January 2017. All rights reserved.

Pre-Inspection Information Background information

About the school

Only provide the most significant information in response to the following prompts. Distinctive features of the school

Yarlet is an independent, non-selective coeducational school for children aged 2-13 which offers flexi-boarding on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from Year 3.

Its location and history

Set in countryside, the school is located beside the A34 between and Stone and is two miles from the M6 motorway.

The school was founded in 1873 as a preparatory school for boys in a Victorian house near Stafford which forms the central area of the school today. The school became a charitable educational trust, with a board of governors in 1970 and became fully co-educational in 1994. The Nursery and Pre-Prep, for pupils between the ages of two and seven years, opened in 1993. These departments are accommodated in modern, purpose-built buildings. More recent developments include a sports hall and new science laboratory.

Ownership and governance arrangements Give a brief outline of the governance arrangements. Indicate where the responsibility for the school lies. There may be an individual proprietor or proprietors or a trust or company with directors. Give the name of the person holding ultimate responsibility (‘the proprietor’) as declared to DfE (for example at the top of the annual return to DfE in January each year). Indicate whether or not the school is a registered charity.

Yarlet is a charitable trust which is governed by a Board of Governors which meets termly. There are a number of sub-committees: Health and Safety, Academic and Marketing and Finance. The chair of governors in Sarah Tennant ([email protected]). Yarlet School is a registered charity. (No. 528618)

Changes since the previous inspection Briefly outline any major changes in the nature of the school and its governance. Where relevant, mention changes to the EYFS setting and to boarding.

Since the previous ‘quality’ type inspection in May 2012, there have been the following changes:  Our EYFS setting is no longer registered with the DfE. (We do not admit pupils under 2 years old.)  We no longer have school on Saturday mornings.  We now have a Deputy Headteacher.  Our flexi-boarding provision has moved from Thursday and Friday evenings to Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

Pre-inspection information about the school 3 Effective January 2017 For the use of intended recipients only. Any copying or re-distribution of this document without permission is prohibited. © Independent Schools Inspectorate January 2017. All rights reserved.

Pre-Inspection Information What the school seeks to do

A brief summary of the school’s aims At Yarlet School, we aim to have:

A. pupils who are safe and extremely well cared for and nurtured in an environment which promotes and recognises exemplary behaviour; B. pupils who achieve to the best of their ability in all areas of school life and are thoroughly prepared for the next stage of their education; C. a curriculum which is broad and balanced and designed to challenge all students, develop their academic abilities, and build upon their individual strengths; D. an extensive and high quality extracurricular programme which is particularly strong in sport and music and includes opportunities for pupils to learn by making contributions in the community; E. excellent teaching which is inspirational and enables children to reach their full potential; F. frequent opportunities for pupils to develop spiritually, morally, socially and culturally; G. a thriving flexi-boarding service which allows pupils to gain valuable boarding experience whilst participating in a range of activities which are well organised and fun; H. outstanding Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision which affords the strongest possible start for our youngest pupils; I. an active Board of Governors which places great importance on child safety and welfare and provides vision, support and guidance to the school’s leadership team; J. a solid leadership and management team which provides clear direction and maintains the highest standards across the board; K. premises, accommodation and resources which are of a good standard and enable pupils to thrive; L. a high quality catering service, a clean and hygienic environment and children who take pride in their appearance by wearing a smart but practical uniform; M. grounds and buildings which are secure, well maintained and attractive; N. the opportunity for past pupils to have a continued involvement in the school by attending special events and being kept up-to-date via social media and the school’s website; O. a first-class reputation in the local community and beyond; P. an effective system of communicating with parents, carers and/or guardians and a commitment to provide regular feedback in relation to pupil effort, progress and attainment; Q. a stable and well managed financial position; R. a commitment to provide public benefit, including the provision of bursaries at 11+ through the R. S. Plant Awards and Combined Scholarship Programme.

About the pupils

Total number of pupils on roll Approx.20 Boys 80 Girls 73 Day Pupils 153 Boarders (flexi) EYFS 37 Juniors (Y1-6) 90 Seniors (Y7-11) 26 Sixth Form 0

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)

Number of pupils the school has identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities 35

Number of pupils receiving additional support for their special educational needs 35

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs 0

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Pre-Inspection Information Number of pupils with an EHC plan 1

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or EHC plan funded by the local authority 1

Does the school produce individual education plans (IEPs)? Yes

Brief description of the nature of special educational needs within the school:

The school has a part time Head of Learning Support who coordinates the support provided for pupils with learning difficulties. The vast majority of children receiving support have mild, dyslexic type learning difficulties or mild concentration or processing difficulties. However we do have a small number of pupils with more pronounced or complex needs, one of whom has an EHCP.

English as an additional language

Number of pupils for whom English is an additional language (EAL) 2

Of whom the number of pupils whose English is below a functional level of competence 0

Number of pupils who receive additional support for their English 0

Brief details of the extra support provided for pupils with EAL: Since the last inspection, we have had a small number of children from Spain who joined the school for a short period of about half a term These pupils had a good working knowledge of English (they attend a bilingual school in Madrid) and were able to access the Yarlet curriculum. We currently have two children for whom English is an additional language. One child is from an English/Mexican family who arrived four years ago with very little English. (This child is now able to access the full curriculum in English although we do still monitor his progress carefully and provide additional support as and when this is required. In this case, we have identified some learning difficulties which are not linked to EAL so the support he currently receives is more general.) The other EAL child speaks German as a first language but has excellent English and is accessing the Yarlet curriculum without any difficulties. More able pupils1 Describe the school’s approach for dealing with more able pupils and/or those who have particular gifts or talents:

Pupils pursue their own academic interests at a high level and talented pupils become highly accomplished.

In the classroom, we aim to facilitate effective learning for every child. For our more able pupils, this often requires the provision of extension activities/materials or ensuring that tasks are sufficiently open-ended. Teachers employ skilful questioning techniques which promote higher order thinking and require reasoning and analytical skills to substantiate views.

Our more able pupils demonstrate a particular ability to learn independently and often produce excellent quality work in such areas as projects in humanities, the CREST awards in science or in mathematics challenges.

We have a number of very talented pupils in the areas of sport, music and art. In such cases, we develop skills as far as possible within school but also recommend extending skills beyond the level typically found in schools. For example, a number of pupils play sport at a high level in academies or in county teams whilst we have musicians perform in national choirs and orchestras. Talented artists tend to work on developing portfolios, much work needs to be completed out of school although a great deal of guidance and direction is provided by our art teacher.

The school has a good track record with the achievement of senior school awards in the academics, art, music and sport as well as all-round achievement. (See the following section for further details.)

Destination of leavers

1 Schools may use different terminology for such pupils, for example, able, gifted and talented. ISI does not require schools to use specific terminology for such pupils, but will evaluate how well the school caters for pupils of all abilities, including those who have particular talents in any given area. Pre-inspection information about the school 5 Effective January 2017 For the use of intended recipients only. Any copying or re-distribution of this document without permission is prohibited. © Independent Schools Inspectorate January 2017. All rights reserved.

Pre-Inspection Information for example, to senior schools or universities, as well as into apprenticeships and direct employment – and the proportion successful in obtaining places/awards at their first choice of institution

Of the 63 leavers since the 2012, ‘quality’ type inspection, 32 pupils (51% of leavers) left Yarlet with at least one award. (6 Academic Scholarships, 5 Academic Exhibitions, 8 Sports Scholarships, 1 All-round Scholarships, 3 Music Scholarships, 3 Art Scholarships, 2 Combined Scholarships, 1 Choral Scholarship, 1 Mathematics Scholarship and 2 Combined Scholarships.)

The destination schools of leavers together with the details of any awards are as follows:

2012 (13 leavers, 8 awards): College - 4 pupils (1 Academic Exhibition, 1 Academic Scholarship, 1 Music Scholarship) Newcastle-Under-Lyme School St Dominic’s Priory School School (Combined Scholarship) – 2 pupils (1 Combined Scholarship) Shrewsbury School (Sports Scholarship) Stafford Grammar (Academic Scholarship) Wrekin College (Sports Scholarship)

2013 (13 leavers, 10 awards): – 5 pupils (1 All-round Scholarship, 3 Academic Exhibitions, 1 Music Scholarship) Concorde College (Academic Scholarship) Newcastle-Under-Lyme School (Sports Scholarship) Shrewsbury High School Repton School St Dominic’s Priory (Art Scholarship) Tettenhall College (Art Scholarship) Wycombe Abbey (Academic Exhibition)

2014 (9 leavers, 0 awards): Alleyne’s Academy Blessed William Howard Catholic High School Denstone College (3 pupils) Shrewsbury School (3 pupils) Wrekin College

2015 (13 leavers, 9 awards): Abbotsholme School Denstone College – 4 pupils (1 Academic Scholarship, 2 All-Round Scholarships, 1 Sports Exhibition) Newcastle-under-Lyme School – 2 pupils (1 Academic Scholarship) Repton School – 2 pupils (1 Sports Scholarship, 1 Music + Choral Scholarship) Shrewsbury School St. Dominic’s Priory School (Mathematics Scholarship) Windermere School (Academic Scholarship)

2016 (8 leavers, 0 awards): Alleyne’s Academy Denstone College The River School in Worcester

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Pre-Inspection Information Stafford Grammar School Shrewsbury School – 2 pupils Wrekin College – 2 pupils

2017 (7 leavers, 5 awards):

Shrewsbury School – 2 pupils (1 All-Round Scholarship, 1 Sports Scholarship) Newcastle-Under-Lyme School - 1 pupil Repton School – 1 pupil (Art Scholarship) Alleyne’s Academy – 1 pupil Denstone College – 1 pupil (Sports Scholarship) Repton School – 1 pupil (Sports Scholarship)

Pre-inspection information about the school 7 Effective January 2017 For the use of intended recipients only. Any copying or re-distribution of this document without permission is prohibited. © Independent Schools Inspectorate January 2017. All rights reserved.

Pre-Inspection Information Regulatory Requirements

ISSRs 9 and 10 – Behaviour and bullying

Indicate the number of fixed-term and permanent exclusions during the last 12 months Under 5s 5-11 11-16 Sixth form Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Fixed-term 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A

Permanent 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A

Indicate below any reason(s) for significant numbers of exclusions:

Indicate the number of pupils in your official record of serious disciplinary sanctions over the past 12 months, if different from above. Under 5s 5-11 11-16 Sixth form Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0

Indicate main reasons for disciplinary sanctions: The use of bad language, directed towards an adult. Using an aggressive tone towards a teacher.

ISSR 11 Health and safety

Has the school recently had any recommendation made to it by the Health and Safety Executive? No

Has the school recently had any recommendation made to it by the Environmental Health Authority? No

Has the school recently had any recommendation made to it by the Local Health Authority? No

If the answer to any of the above is yes, please give details below:

ISSR 12 Fire safety

Has the school recently had any recommendation made to it by the Fire Authority? No

If the answer to the above is yes, what action has the school taken:

ISSR 13 First aid

How many members of staff are qualified in first aid? 18

How many of these are qualified in paediatric first aid? 14

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Pre-Inspection Information ISSR 18 Suitability of staff

Allegations against staff Please indicate any cases where a member of staff or other person connected with the school is subject to investigation, has resigned, or has been dismissed or disciplined because of questionable conduct with children. In each case, briefly mention any referral made Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) (or their predecessor bodies) since the previous ISI inspection:

(None)

Pre-inspection information about the school 9 Effective January 2017 For the use of intended recipients only. Any copying or re-distribution of this document without permission is prohibited. © Independent Schools Inspectorate January 2017. All rights reserved.