ST Petroc’s School, the only independent school in Bude, is delighted to announce its recent outcomes following their inspection by the ISI (Independent School’s Inspectorate) in May 2018 as part of the statutory inspection cycle timetable.

The school has been graded as outstanding in all areas within its Early Years and Prep School and is fully compliant across in all regulatory requirements.

The team of four inspectors, who were all acting or former heads of other schools, visited the school, spent time with teachers and pupils, observing lessons and liaising with the leadership team for three days.

As part of the inspection, they surveyed parents and pupils, interviewed staff from across the school and the school’s governors, and observed a number of lessons and sessions from three-month to eleven-year-olds.

The inspectors commented on the survey results being possibly the highest they had ever seen. St Petroc’s school has, for over 106 years, aimed to create a happy and positive environment within which it can develop confident and balanced children who are prepared for their next school and life beyond it.

The school’s mission is to discover, nurture and develop the potential of each child within a uniquely caring environment, rich with activities, bespoke opportunities, enthusiasm and energy. It would appear they are achieving that.

The team of inspectors found that pupils made ‘very good progress in relation to their starting points’. With many children ‘exceeding that which is typical for their age’.

Teachers and staff across the school facilitate this exceptional development through a number of different ways: a ‘very detailed knowledge of the children in their care’ enables staff to plan stimulating learning opportunities; through providing ‘a safe environment where every child is valued as an individual’; by fostering a ‘highly effective relationship between home and school’ and through communication with children which builds ‘relationships [which are] warm and caring, enabling children to express their needs confidently’.

Across the setting a ‘well-developed curriculum ensures that the needs and interests of all children are met’, their approach to learning is truly personalised. Teaching and learning go far beyond preparing pupils for National Curriculum tests (even though our children’s performance is above the national average for state maintained schools); they pride themselves on creating ‘active learners [who] are prepared extremely well for each new stage of their educational journey’.

The results of the inspection come as a very welcome and deserved recognition following extensive recent investment and development across the school.

Over the past few years the school has relocated the nursery, created a new play area, and renovated many areas of the main school building. Investments in the facilities include a computing suite, a food technology kitchen and a new art room.

However, there is much more to come from the school’s leadership and management team, which ‘demonstrates an ambitious vision for the setting’.

The plan for the future includes a new outdoor learning zone, a new playground and continual re-investment as well as continuing ‘a very strong commitment to delivering the best possible care for the children’.

Chair of governors Nick Buckland said: “St Petroc’s is a special place, it offers a great all round educational experience for the children and has a team of teaching and support staff who do a fantastic job in preparing the children for the modern world. The results of the inspection demonstrate that the school is doing very well in all respects and is testimony to the hard work of the team in school. It’s especially pleasing for Ben Hilton who became headteacher last year. Well done team St Petroc’s!”

Headmaster Ben Hilton added: “At St Petroc’s School and Early Years, we pride ourselves on our often-mentioned ‘family-feel’ and we are thrilled that the inspectors have not only recognised this in us, but have also attributed it to the incredible success and progress our pupils make. We are delighted with the conclusions of the report, which praise every aspect of our provision; we have a firm belief in our teaching methods and it is fantastic to see it documented in such a way.

“Nonetheless, we truly believe that the ‘feel’ that you get from St Petroc’s is impossible to put into words, contact the school office to arrange a tour and to come and see for yourself what an outstanding, all-round education looks like.”