Excellent, excellent, excellent – top marks have gone to Marlborough College, the school where the Duchess of Cambridge was educated, in a report by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
A team of 14 inspectors, who spent four days at the College in March, have poured high praise in their newly published report on the school, which educates a total of 889 pupils, 332 of them girls, aged from 13 to 18.
It is a remarkable swansong accolade for Nicholas Sampson (pictured), the 54-year-old Master of the College since 2004, who leaves at the end of the summer term to take up a new appointment as headmaster of Cranbrook School, in Sydney, Australia.
“We are very pleased that the inspection report recognises the hard and skilful work of so many people, staff and pupils, and that the unique nature, enduring qualities and strong ambitions of the College were evident to the Inspectors,” Mr Sampson told Marlborough News Online.
Apart from Kate Middleton, other previous female pupils at the College, founded in 1843 for the sons of Church of England clergymen, have included Samantha Cameron, wife of the Prime Minister, Frances Osborne, wife of the Chancellor, as well as Sally Bercow, the wife of Speaker John Bercow.
Under the heading The Success of the School, the 21-page report, the first for four years, declares: “Marlborough College is very successful in meeting its aim of inspiring in pupils a pursuit of excellence.”
“Results in public examinations are good and pupils’ extra-curricular achievements are excellent. Pupils’ good academic achievement is supported by excellent teaching.”
“The recommendation o the previous inspection to improve the quality of teaching by encouraging wider use of teaching methods, including information and communication technology (ICT), to improve the use of libraries and to incorporate more independent research into lesson planning, have been successfully addressed.”
“The curriculum and extra-curricular programme are excellent having both balanced and real breadth.”
And the report goes on to state: “Pupils’ personal development is excellent. Pupils are enthusiastic about their school life and speak warmly about the relations between staff and pupils.”
“Their boarding experience is outstanding, particularly through the high quality pastoral care and also the support and guidance they receive through the house system.”
“Pupils are compassionate young people committed to the needs of those less fortunate then themselves.”
And it adds: “Governance is excellent. Management and leadership are good overall and excellent in the areas of welfare and pastoral case o pupils and boarding.”
“The good progress made by the College since the last inspection is reflected in the successful implementation of a large number of changes, including the appointment of new senior staff, the expansion of the curriculum and the increased emphasis on good classroom practice.”
As to Action Points, the sole recommendation for further improvement states: “Strengthen the leadership of academic departments and ensure that good practice in planning and monitoring extends across all departments.”
Apart from that, the College meets all the requirements o the Independent School Standards Regulations and the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, all but 53 of its pupils living in.
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