Inspection reports

On this page you'll find our most recent inspection reports from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI).

Independent Schools Inspectorate Report 2025

This was a routine inspection, forming part of the regular cycle of visits to independent schools. It focused on the Foundation’s compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (ISSRs), the National Minimum Standards for Boarding 2022, and the requirements of the Early Years Statutory Framework. The inspection encompassed our nurseries, junior schools, senior school, sixth form, and boarding provision.

ISI no longer gives single-word judgements such as Excellent, Good, or Outstanding. Instead, inspectors now provide detailed narrative evaluations across key areas, including the quality of education, pupils’ personal development, leadership and management, and compliance with statutory standards.

Reports now focus on whether standards are met, highlighting particular strengths where these have a clear, demonstrable benefit for pupils, and identifying areas that would benefit from further refinement. This change offers parents a more nuanced, evidence-based understanding of each school’s work.

The inspection found the Foundation to have met all of the standards forming the focus of the inspection:

• Leadership, management and governance

• Quality of education, training and recreation

• Pupils’ physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing

• Pupils’ social and economic education and contribution to society

• Safeguarding

The report is available to download in full here.

Highlights from the 2025 report include:

"The result is an inclusive and united school community in which pupils thrive."

"Teachers are knowledgeable, plan lessons well and use a range of effective strategies to manage behaviour adeptly. They form good relationships with pupils so that the atmosphere in classrooms across the schools is friendly, positive and productive. Pupils are motivated and eager learners. They make good progress and attain high grades in public examinations"

"Leaders ensure that pupils develop the technological confidence and skills required to support their learning and creativity"

"In the senior school there is a consistent pattern over time of high levels of attainment in public examinations."

"As pupils mature, they develop self-confidence and resilience because they are treated with respect as unique individuals."

"Pupils respond positively to teachers’ adept use of questioning to extend their thinking. They are confident in hypothesising and are willing to take the risk of making an educated guess."

"Pupils of all ages are motivated and eager to learn. They approach new challenges with genuine interest."

"Teachers make imaginative use of resources appropriate for the age of pupils, for example, by encouraging junior pupils to build Stonehenge out of biscuits or use chocolate bars to learn about fractions."

"... a thematic approach encourages pupils to think flexibly and see connections across subjects."

"Pupils are responsible and help each other instinctively."

"From an early age, pupils learn about the concept of democracy. Children in the early years vote for matters such as which story to read at the end of the day.  Pupils know that voicing their opinion can have a direct impact..."

Independent Schools Inspectorate Report 2023

This was an unannounced additional inspection at the request of the DfE, which focused on the school’s compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (ISSRs), the National Minimum Standards for Boarding 2022 and the requirements of the Early Years Statutory Framework. The visit was focused on the junior schools, senior school and sixth form, including our boarding provision. The inspection found that the school met all of the regulations forming the focus of the inspection. The report is available to download in full here. 

Focused Compliance and Educational Quality Inspection Report 2021

The report of the Independent Schools Inspection (ISI) that took place at the Stephen Perse Foundation on 12-15 October 2021 was published with key findings that the achievement of the Foundation's pupils and their academic development was ‘excellent’, the highest judgement possible. The report is available to download in full here.

Regulatory Compliance Inspection 2017

This Regulatory Compliance Inspection confirmed that the Foundation met every condition and remained fully compliant with the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, relevant requirements of the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and associated requirements. The report is brief and simply states that we have met all the required standards: it is available to download here.