For use from September 2008

Leicester Montessori Grammar SchoolIndependent School Inspection report

DCSF Registration Number 856/6008Unique Reference Number 120343Inspection number 331152Inspection dates 17–18 September 2008Reporting inspector Jill Bainton AI

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended.

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

Alexandra House33 KingswayLondon WC2B 6SET 08456 404040

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Inspection Report: Leicester Montessori Grammar School, 17–18 September 2008 3

Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

Information about the school

Leicester Montessori Grammar School is a non-selective, independent coeducational school, which opened in 1990. It caters for pupils from five to 18 years of age in a grammar school and sixth form college on three separate sites in residential areas of Leicester. There are currently 105 pupils on roll. Two pupils have a statement of special educational need. There are 27 pupils who have English as an additional language. The school has applied for boarding provision for older pupils. A new headteacher was appointed in August 2008. The school year is divided into four terms. This is the first inspection of the school under section 162A of the Education Act 2005.

Evaluation of the school

Leicester Montessori Grammar school is a good school, which provides well for its pupils who are well cared for, including those in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school and, as one commented, ‘Everyone is friendly, gets on well and works hard.’ Pupils benefit from good quality teaching, which provides well for their individual needs, enabling them to make good progress in all areas of the varied curriculum. The school has met all the regulations and now needs to fulfil its duties with regard to the Disability Discrimination Act.

Quality of education

The curriculum is good and meets the needs of the pupils. There are some elements of the Montessori curriculum and equipment in use, mainly in the younger age range. The curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and all subjects are taught with the addition of religious education. The children in the Reception class are effectively taught the EYFS curriculum. The school achieves a good balance of subjects throughout each week including regular off-site sports and swimming. The extensive range of sporting activities is well planned and provides well for pupil’s social, psychological and physical development. Pupils from Year 10 are prepared for GCSE, AS and A level examinations in an appropriate range of subjects for the size of the school, with most pupils going on to higher education. They are given good guidance in preparation for further education. The school has started to review its current curriculum provision, as links between subjects are underdeveloped.

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The wide range of after-school clubs and visits outside school further enrich the curriculum; these include residential, sporting and curriculum-related activities. The school year runs for four terms with the emphasis during the summer term on practical and environmental topics. Pupils who need additional help are well supported in class. Those pupils who have a statement of special educational need are supported appropriately with their needs met.

The teaching is good and assessment satisfactory. Pupils enjoy learning and make good progress as a result of good teaching. Pupils commented on how happy they are at the school with one saying ‘It’s great here. I love my school.’ An outstanding feature of the school is the excellent relationships at all levels. The positive relationships pupils have with their teachers encourage them to develop independence in their thinking. Teachers take time to explain clearly and they question and probe to ensure that pupils fully understand what they are doing. The sixth form students are particularly pleased that they can make contact with their teachers outside lessons to check on aspects of their work. This is promoting their confidence in tackling new and challenging topics and ensures continuity in their learning. Most lessons are well planned and move at a good pace, with pupils who learn at different rates given work which matches their ability. In the best lessons, questions are well used to stimulate discussion and pupils’ thinking, but this is not consistent across the school. Rooms are well equipped with many interactive whiteboards in use, but these are not used as effectively as they might be. In the smaller class, group teaching is well adjusted to the mixed ages. In the sixth form individual and small-group teaching is well tailored to meet the needs of the students. Pupils for whom English is an additional language benefit from regular lessons in the use of English in their daily lives and work.

Teachers know their pupils very well, and adapt their teaching effectively to meet their needs. The teachers record the results of various tests throughout the year and this ensures they maintain an overview of what pupils have learnt. However, there is no whole-school system of assessing and recording pupils’ progress. Pupils’ work is regularly marked but the written comments do not always make pupils sufficiently aware of what they need to do to improve their work.

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils

The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and effectively promotes their appreciation of the public institutions and services in England. Pupils, including the younger ones in the EYFS, enjoy their life at school, work hard and get on very well with each other and with adults, and show a high level of respect for each other’s opinions and feelings. In the calm and supportive atmosphere, pupils develop as mature and confident young adults ready to face the challenges of the next stage of their education and the world of work.

Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is outstanding. Pupils say that incidents of bullying are very rare and that staff promptly and effectively deal with any such incidents. The school takes an active part in local community events. It is a

Inspection Report: Leicester Montessori Grammar School, 17–18 September 2008 5

harmonious community and the pupils share their experiences and values from their own cultures with impressive ease. Cultural awareness is promoted well through the curriculum which provides them with a good understanding of both their own and other cultures and respect for the beliefs and lifestyles of others. Pupils acquire a good sense of community through participating in celebrations, thematic work and welcoming visitors from the local community. The school effectively encourages the development of community cohesion and pupils’ economic well-being.

Welfare, health and safety of the pupils

The school makes good provision for the welfare, health and safety of the pupils. There is a range of policies, which are effectively implemented, including anti-bullying, safeguarding pupils, behaviour and visits outside school. The school is appropriately aware of safeguarding procedures. There is currently one designated child protection officer, which meets the regulations and the school has already booked training to increase the number of adults trained. The visits outside school are carefully risk assessed and pupils’ safety is paramount. The school is vigilant about fire precautions, health and safety and risk assessments around all school sites. Attendance and admission registers are kept according to regulations. Pupils' attendance is only satisfactory because of term-time holidays taken by some families. The school encourages healthy eating and provides a wholesome cooked lunch on the grammar school site and packed lunches for pupils at the sixth form site. The school does not yet fulfil its duties with regard to the Disability Discrimination Act and must now write a three-year accessibility plan to show how it will be addressed.

Suitability of the proprietor and staff

The school has checked all staff to ensure their suitability to work with children and the information is held on a single central register.

School’s premises and accommodation

The premises and accommodation are suitable to ensure effective learning. The younger pupils are housed in very large detached premises, which have extensive accommodation and well-equipped specialist rooms for science, design technology, information and communication technology, art, music and drama. The classrooms are attractive learning environments with some examples of the mainly younger pupils’ work displayed, celebrating achievement. The rooms are sufficiently spacious to accommodate the number of pupils in each class. There is a large outdoor play area with both grassed and soft play surfaces, which provides suitable space for energetic free play at break times. The sixth form college building is suitable and has specialist rooms for science. Older pupils are also taught in a building adjacent to the school administrative headquarters. All the premises are clean, tidy and in a good state of repair and maintenance.

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Provision of information for parents, carers and others

The school provides a good range of information for parents and carers. There is an informative prospectus, a website and newsletters. The parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire expressed satisfaction with the school and confirmed that their children enjoy coming to school. Parents receive regular reports on their children's standards and progress but a minority of parents rightly feel that the comments from some staff lack sufficient detail.

Procedures for handling complaints

The school has a set of procedures, which meet the regulations.

Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage

The provision for children in the EYFS is good. All six areas of learning and development are covered in the planning and children’s learning and development is carefully observed and recorded to show the progress they make towards the early learning goals. The staff have a clear understanding of the curriculum and put this understanding to effective use through good teaching and effective leadership. They also use some Montessori equipment to promote learning in the areas of communication, language and literacy and mathematical skills. The children make good progress in relation to their starting points. There is a good balance of child-initiated and teacher-led activity. Children of different cultures and backgrounds play well together in the attractive, stimulating environment. Arrangements to ensure the welfare and safety of the children are good. Parents are given a wide range of information and are pleased with the provision.

Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets all of the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 as amended.

In order to comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as amended (DDA) the school should devise a three-year accessibility plan.

What the school could do to improve further

While not required by regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development:

prepare a school improvement plan to develop the curriculum and assessment, address staff training issues and monitor and evaluate teaching and learning.

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Inspection Judgement Recording Form

outs

tand

ing

good

satis

fact

ory

inad

equa

te

The quality of education

Overall quality of education

How well the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of pupils

How effective teaching and assessment are in meeting the full range of pupils’ needs

How well pupils make progress in their learning

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

Quality of provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

The behaviour of pupils

Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The overall welfare, health and safety of pupils

The quality of the Early Years Foundation Stage provision

How effectively are children in the Early Years Foundation Stage helped to learn and develop?

How well do children achieve in the Early Years Foundation Stage relative to their starting points and capabilities?

How good are the personal development and well-being of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

What is the quality of welfare, health and safety of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How effectively is the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage led and managed?

What is the overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage including, where relevant, the quality of childcare?

Inspection Report: Leicester Montessori Grammar School, 17–18 September 2008 8

School details

Name of school Leicester Montessori Grammar SchoolDCSF number 856/6008Unique reference number 120343Type of school Preparatory, Senior and Sixth Form CollegeStatus IndependentDate school opened 1990Age range of pupils 5–18Gender of pupils MixedNumber on roll Boys: 63 Girls: 42 Total: 105Number of pupils with a statement of special educational need

Boys: 2 Girls: 0 Total: 2

Annual fees £10,185-£11,685Address of school 58 Stoneygate

LeicesterLeicestershireLE2 2BN

Telephone number 0116 270 6667Fax number 0116 255 4440Email address Imgs@montessorigroup.comHeadteacher Mr Leyton De-Henton SmithProprietor Mrs Sheila DayahReporting inspector Jill Bainton AIDates of inspection 17–18 September 2008