The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is a Government approved inspectorate responsible for the inspection of Association Independent Schools. The Inspectorate visited the school in November 2022, and a copy of the final report is available to read below.

The School fully recognises the importance of the quality assurance process and, whilst the report does not tell us anything we do not already know, it does reassure us that we continue to do what we claim we do and that we continue to do it well.

Whilst we are justifiably proud of the public examination outcomes of our students; as educationalists, we are careful not to confuse ‘assessment’ with ‘education’. Our young men and women need to be equipped with the skills needed to enable them to succeed on whatever pathway they embark upon when they leave Friars. They need to be high-level communicators who are comfortable working as part of a team and equally confident at working independently. They need a robust work ethic, they need to be creative problem solvers and they need the strength and fortitude to recover from failure.

The School was highly praised by ISI for its facilitation of such wider personal development. Indeed, ISI found our pupils to have extremely positive attitudes to learning; finding them hardworking, resilient and capable of working effectively both collaboratively and independently. Our pupils were also judged to be excellent communicators who listen well and express themselves articulately both orally and in writing. They also demonstrated outstanding levels of respect; valuing diversity and demonstrating sensitivity and tolerance towards each other.

ISI are obliged to make at least one recommendation, (even if Austin Friars was the “best” school since the inception of Education as a concept), and the recommendations made represent the lightest touch they could make. They have noted that we are still working on the recommendations made in 2015 – we have made significant progress but there is still more we could do.

The full report can be read here.