Piper's Corner School, High Wycombe

[Zodlebud]

We visited Piper's Corner recently and loved it. It had so much to offer, particularly in terms of enrichment, and we could really see our girls there. My only slight niggle is that it didn't seem as academic as others we have seen and was wondering if anyone could reassure me. The school is within two miles of a grammar school and Wycombe Abbey so acknowledge many of the cleverest girls from the area may be going to these other schools. I just want to make sure my girls achieve their potential, be that a million A-levels at Grade A* and on to Oxbridge or a solid set of GCSEs before starting an apprenticeship. I got the impressed that the pastoral side is superb and they would really work with the girls. Their list of leavers though veers towards the more arty subjects with few Russell Group universities. I know a significant proportion of girls leave to go to co-ed schools for sixth form (which is fine by me and something we would consider), but I was just wondering if the school cuts the mustard for the high fliers?

I too was sceptical about the report.
However, I would have to disagree with you @Millymollymama.
I have read previous ISI school reports and not all were "Excellent".

Nor were they written (by all accounts) by the Head.

Take for instance the 2010 report for High March School in Beaconsfield which stated "The quality of the governance, which has very many good features, is satisfactory overall" and continued along this line.

ISI is not OFSTED, nor does it claim to be.

The definition of both, according to the Independent Education Consultants , is as follows:

"Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. It reports directly to Parliament and is both independent and impartial. By law it must inspect schools with the aim of providing information to parents, to promote improvement and to hold schools to account.

Schools judged to be ‘satisfactory’ are inspected every three years. Those judged to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ are inspected once in any five year period. The inspection lasts between one and two days and schools will receive only one or two days’ notice prior to the inspection.

The Independent Schools Inspectorate or ISI is a body approved for the purpose of inspection under the Education Act 2002. Its role is to report to the Department for Education on the extent to which schools meet statutory requirements.

ISI inspection is for the benefit of the pupils in the schools and seeks to improve the quality and effectiveness of their education and of the care for their welfare. Inspection also provides objective and reliable reports on the quality of schools and, by placing reports in the public domain. In this way, it helps schools, their staff and governors or proprietors to recognise and build on their strengths and to identify and remedy any weaknesses."

I think this is a fantastic achievement for Pipers, the students grades and atmosphere reflect this.

Read into it as you see fit.

I have absolutely nothing against Pipers Corner School, by the way, but the contents in the report do show weaknesses, as I outlined, and unfortunately most parents at the school will have little idea that this report is not equivalent to Ofsted. Therefore the judgements are misleading if you do not understand the context. Is it a fantastic achievement ? Possibly. However with the comments on the very, very late introduction of rigorous progress checking, I would disagree. It shows it is easy to get an excellent report if the hurdles are set pretty low. My remark about all schools ISI reports on being excellent was a tongue in cheek comment, by the way. Do ISi say how much notice the school gets prior to inspection? How many weeks is it these days?

When our school (girls boarding) was inspected the lead inspector was a former Head of a Music specialist independent school. One of the other inspectors was a former head of a very low achieving day school that had closed. The qualities and qualifications of the inspectors are dubious too. It makes it very easy to impress them! I am sure Pipers will be more than happy with ISI and their report. It is very muddling to read when all years are jumbled into the one report.

Milly is right about the ISI reports. They are done by senior leaders from other independent schools.

Pipers used to always have a happy but not academic ethos. If they have upped their teaching and learning so that they maximise the potential of their girls then they should be great!

I'm on the fence with both ISI and Ofsted reports.

I have read previous Ofsted reports for both Godstowe and Pipers (albeit from 2010 and 2008 respectively).

Ofsted only covered:

• Godstowe's boarding facilities overall "satisfactory"
• Pipers which was overall "good"

My question is this, prior to viewing a school, how would/could a parent use these reports (Ofsted and/or ISI) to assess which school is best for their DD?

Or should parents rely on these reports at all?

Whether they should or shouldn't is a very good question.
I think one of the problems is that people do, and sometimes blindly.

Any school can claim brilliance when skimming off the most intelligent from the crop. Pipers Corner is becoming more selective but happily not in the same way as Wycombe Abbey, etc. The school is fabulous and the girls are happy and enthused. The teachers care about the individuals in their care and the Headmistress makes it her business to "know" all the girls. Facilities are superb. The new theatre is outstanding. Sport is getting stronger with great influence from new teachers. I want a happy child who enjoys going to school and is enriched across a variety of activities. I want a child who can achieve all she possibly can, academic/sport/other and Pipers offers my child this and a whole lot more! The 2016 Open Day was extremely well attended by prospective parents, many of whom registered their daughters on the day. Thrilled to have chosen Pipers Corner. Pipers all the way!