St Dunstan’s College underwent an inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in April 2024.
Following the previous report in 2019, where the College was judged to be excellent in all areas, the inspection team returned under the ISI’s updated framework.
The ISI introduced its new inspection framework in 2023, including the concept of a ‘significant strength’, designed to highlight aspects of a school that are truly exceptional. Many schools do not achieve any significant strengths, making it particularly notable that St Dunstan’s was awarded two, placing the College among the very first schools in the country to do so.
The breadth and relevance of the four timetabled curriculums, Hecker, Stuart, Forder and Usherwood, was commended as the first significant strength, with the College’s dedication to embedding and celebrating diversity recognised as the second.
In addition to these accolades, the report praised the focus on the core values of courage, creativity, confidence, compassion and curiosity; the imaginative early years curriculum; and the strong commitment to safeguarding the welfare of all pupils.
The College’s founders in 1888 sought to establish a school ahead of its time, and this forward-thinking approach to education continues today, as endorsed by the ISI in this latest inspection.
One of the first schools in the country to receive two significant strengths
Leaders have put in place an ambitious, timetabled curriculum which provides extensive opportunities for pupils to acquire the broadest of learning experiences. Leaders have taken great care in the design of this multi-faceted programme which is included as part of the school day.
‘There are four separate strands; together these provide the full range of curriculum subjects, an extensive offering of broader learning experiences, a programme of teaching skills for the future and one that focuses on building pupils’ wellbeing and self-awareness. The breadth and relevance of this curriculum and leaders’ decision that all pupils participate in these opportunities, is a significant strength.
The school’s ethos supports leaders in creating a strong community where diversity is celebrated,’ the report found. ‘This works through many facets of school life: through the curriculum, through the varied groups in school, led by pupils which celebrate diversity, and through producing events such as the annual St Dunstan’s festival. All these promote respect and understanding among the pupils for everyone in their own school and in the wider local community. This is a significant strength of the school.
Earlier Inspection Reports
Our 2019 Educational Quality (with focused compliance) inspection from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) found the school to be ‘excellent’ in every category.
The findings from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) Focused Compliance and Education Quality Inspection report found that ‘the quality of the pupils’ academic achievement and other achievements is excellent,’ and that ‘pupils of all ages display excellent knowledge, skills and understanding and become resilient in their learning as they move through the school’. The report’s key findings also found that St Dunstan’s pupils of all ages ‘have outstanding attitudes to learning and are effective independent learners and thinkers’ and that they ‘learn effectively by collaborating with their peers’.
During their visit, inspectors spent time in an upwards of 90 lessons, seeing nearly every teacher at St Dunstan’s. They met with teaching and non-teaching staff, and spent time with more than 100 pupils from the Nursery to the Sixth Form. The leadership team, led by Head Mr Nicholas Hewlett, were found to ‘give every individual a chance to work out the person they want to be.’
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) also visited in December 2021 for a Material Change Visit.
Short Visit 2017
Regulatory Compliance Visit March 2017
Financial Statement for St Dunstan's Educational Foundation
Junior School
Senior School
Sixth Form
Our Reports
