Inspection

Hurst's last inspection was in February 2007. The drive and ambition of the school on behalf of its pupils has meant that this 'snapshot' is now a historical document. Its value, however, is that it records the remarkable progress already made by the school in the two years since Tim Manly was appointed Headmaster of the College in 2005. Much has changed since that Inspection and Mr. Manly and his colleagues Heather Beeby (appointed Head of the Prep School in September 2006) and Michèle Finnegan (appointed Head of the Pre-Prep in 2005) remain an outstanding and inspiring team determined, every day, to drive forward their remarkable vision for the school for the benefit of each and every pupil.

Inspection Report for Hurst College- February 2007

Two teams from the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate visited Hurstpierpoint College between 5th and 8th February 2007. They examined samples of pupils’ work, observed lessons and conducted formal interviews with pupils. They held discussions with teaching and non-teaching staff and with governors, observed a sample of extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, visited boarding houses, examined the responses of parents and pupils to pre-inspection questionnaires and spoke directly to some parents.

The Headmaster, Tim Manly, was very pleased by their reports, ‘The Inspectors recognised that the College is successful in meeting its aims of providing a genuinely excellent all round education with a strong academic core and that our pupils learned and achieved well in relation to their ability and in line with an educational ethos that encourages challenging targets. Further, it was judged that all are well prepared academically, and in many other ways, for the next stage in their education.’

‘Teaching throughout all three Schools was judged to be overwhelmingly good or excellent. It was therefore no surprise to read, for example, in the Senior School report that, “Pupils are very well educated considering age, ability, gender, and ethnic origin and circumstances. They achieve good levels of knowledge, skills and critical and creative understanding in their subjects and activities, and they learn to apply them effectively”. ’

‘The Inspectors’ long and comprehensive reports covered every aspect of school life, clearly identifying the Schools’ many core strengths. Pastoral care, extra-curricular activities (including the creative and performing arts) and sport were described as outstanding. I was particularly pleased that the Inspectors recognised the extraordinary friendliness that, for so many, is the lasting impression they retain of the School. Of the Senior School, for example, they wrote, “Relationships between staff and pupils and among pupils are outstanding. An excellent and supportive community spirit together with an appreciation of common values permeate the College; pupils have mutual respect and are happy, courteous and relaxed in their dealings with each other. Pupils feel that staff get to know them well. Dedicated and effective house teams work within strong and supportive cultures and they do all that they can to provide individual support for pupils of all ages”.’

Summary of main conclusions of Inspection reports:

Pre-Prep and Prep
• Highly enthusiastic and hardworking staff
• Outstanding pastoral care
• High quality extra-curricular activities
• Excellent pupil behaviour
• Friendly relationships between pupils and staff.
• Good teaching, assessment and target setting are motivating factors in
pupils’ learning, particularly in years 7 and 8
• Leadership and management of the Pre-Prep and Prep are outstanding
• Substantial progress since the last inspection

Senior School
• Hardworking and caring teaching and non-teaching staff work very well
as a team to provide education, pastoral care and support of high quality
• Provision of extra-curricular activities and sport is outstanding
• Pastoral care is outstanding
• Teaching is good; sometimes excellent
• Pupil behaviour is exceptionally good
• The quality of leadership and management is outstanding
• Progress since the last inspection in 2001 has been very good

 

Tim Manly became Headmaster of Hurstpierpoint College in January 2005. Michèle Finnegan has also been Head of the Pre-Prep for just over two years and in September 2006, Mr Manly appointed Heather Beeby to be Head of the Prep School. The reports make it clear that these three ‘outstanding’ leaders, supported by their respective management teams, staff and the School’s Governors, have achieved a great deal in a remarkably short period of time. Tim Manly is the first to acknowledge that there is always more to do and concludes, ‘Although there is no room for complacency, I am very pleased with the Inspectors’ findings; not only do they serve to remind us of the School’s great strengths but they also confirm our own judgement about how we can continue to improve the already excellent quality of the education we provide here at Hurst.’