Inspection Reports, Good Schools Guide & Parental Surveys
Inspection Reports
We are delighted to announce that the Senior and Junior Schools have achieved the highest possible ratings of “Excellent” in the Inspection Reports issued by the Independent Schools Inspectorate following their visit in the 2019 Autumn Term.
In assessing the Educational Quality of a school, the Inspectorate focus on two key outcomes:
The achievement of the pupils, including their academic development
and
The personal development of the pupils
The Senior and Junior Schools were inspected separately and both were rated “Excellent” for the two outcomes.
Senior School
In the Senior School, the Inspectors commented:
Throughout the school pupils’ progress is rapid, and they achieve highly in both academic and other areas.
The excellent level of pastoral care ensures that pupils grow in both self-confidence and self-esteem and so develop into resilient young adults, ready for the next stage in their lives.
Achievement in public examinations has been consistently high for the last three years.
Pupils are aided in their learning by excellent teaching; lessons are well planned, encompass a variety of techniques and are tailored to the needs of the pupils.
Pupils demonstrate excellent communication skills; they are confident and articulate speakers, listen well and write fluently in a range of styles.
Teaching encourages independence and promotes self-confidence which allows pupils to take their own initiative. Pupils are curious and willing to learn new skills…
Pupils excel in a wide range of creative and physical pursuits and are supported in their achievements by the wide-ranging extra-curricular programme, very good sports facilities, and excellent teaching and specialist sports coaching…
Musical groups perform at a high level both within school and beyond.” And “Drama is an important part of school life with many pupils enjoying considerable success in speech and drama exams and in school plays.
Pupils make an excellent contribution to the school community, through undertaking roles of responsibility or acting as mentors, and to the wider community through volunteering and involvement in charity work.
Pupils’ social awareness is excellent, and this helps to create an extremely harmonious and engaging community.
Junior School
In the Junior School, the Inspectors commented:
Pupils flourish in a community exemplified by exceptionally warm and supportive relationships and a genuine sense of mutual care.
Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exceptionally positive. They are enthusiastic, curious, very supportive of each other and understand how to make positive decisions about their learning or future success.
Pupils’ progress is enhanced because the teaching understands and plans for their individual needs, as well as guiding and challenging pupils to tackle tasks independently.
Pupils build excellent skills and knowledge; they are confident and curious learners and these attitudes result in very good outcomes across all areas of the curriculum.
Communication skills for writing, reading and speaking are extremely well developed.
Pupils excel in a very broad range of disciplines both inside and outside the classroom.
Pupils of all ages develop their physical fitness and skills for particular sports due to high-quality teaching and coaching.
The skills needed to excel in the performing arts develop rapidly from an early stage as pupils benefit from specialist teaching; all pupils take part in concerts throughout the year.
Pupils develop confidence, flexibility and resilience through the wide range of opportunities for them to take on meaningful responsibilities within the school.
As pupils leave the school they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education or lives and ready to take on their future challenges as capable, resilient and confident young people.
The pupils’ social skills are exceptionally strong. At all levels they show genuine care and concern for each other.
Pupils of all backgrounds and faiths feel welcome and settle quickly into the school in a strong culture of mutual respect.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the body approved by the Government for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to the Independent Schools Council (ISC). Stockport Grammar School was visited during the Autumn Term as part of its regular programme of inspections. The ISI is generally recognised as being even more rigorous in its standards than Ofsted, as it sets as its benchmark standards of achievement which might be attained by the most highly selective schools in the maintained and independent sectors. Its judgements are based on a set scale in which ‘excellent’ is the highest grade and the wording used throughout the reports reflects this.
Previous Inspection Reports
Stockport Grammar Junior School Inspection Report 2011
Stockport Grammar Junior School Inspection Report 2016
Stockport Grammar Junior School Inspection Report 2019
Stockport Grammar Senior School Inspection Report 2011
Stockport Grammar Senior School Inspection Report 2016
Stockport Grammar Senior School Inspection Report 2019
The Good Schools Guide
We are thrilled that The Good Schools Guide, the UK’s number one school guide, noted that Stockport Grammar School provides an “excellent 360-degree education” in its latest review.
Their analysis, which was completed in 2021, added that “pupils not only succeed academically but also leave well prepared with skills for life ahead.”
Parental Surveys
During the summer term of 2019, RSAcademics carried out a survey of parents’ views in the Senior and Junior schools. The survey was administered and analysed independently by RSAcademics to ensure that all responses remained confidential and anonymous.