Ryde School with Upper Chine has until next Monday (19th December) to make an action plan to meet failings in the school identified by their Inspection in May of this year.
The independent school has failed to meet the standards required in a number of areas. These include the promotion of the personal development of pupils. According to the inspection, homophobic and sexist comments made by a minority of pupils had not been consistently challenged. Evidence pointed to some senior school students having a poor understanding of how their use of language might convey disrespect and discrimination.
Furthermore, Ryde School had not always followed statutory guidance on obtaining suitable references before staff began work. Checks had not always been carried out on staff who had lived or worked abroad before the start of their employment. Neither had the medical fitness of all school staff been checked before their employment commenced.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate made the following findings in their Inspection in May:
“Principles and values which facilitate the personal development of pupils as responsible, law-abiding citizens are not always actively promoted. Homophobic and sexist comments made by a small minority of pupils are not consistently challenged by school staff. The school does not prevent discriminatory behaviour against pupils because of their protected characteristics, contrary to the Equality Act 2010.
“Some senior school pupils do not exhibit an equally strong understanding of how their own use of language can convey disrespect and discrimination. This view is supported by inspection evidence.
“Arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils do not always pay due regard to current statutory guidance. In particular, suitable references have not always been obtained for staff before they begin work.
“The school does not always carry out further checks on staff who have lived or worked abroad before they commence working at the school. The school does not always check the medical fitness of staff before they commence working at the school. The single central register of appointments does not always record, as required, the dates of pre-employment checks.”
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The notice from the Department of Education addressed to Ryde School and dated 17th November, states:
“The Secretary of State is satisfied that Independent School Standards are not being met in relation to the School.
“The Secretary of State has decided to require you to submit an action plan for approval. You must do so by 19th December 2022. Furthermore, that action plan must specify the steps that will be taken to meet each of the Independent School Standards.
“Our expectation is that the date or dates, given in the action plan which you submit will not be after 17 February 2023.”
In response, Ryde School with Upper Chine have said:
“The compliance section of the report was in relation to the timeliness of procedural steps and checks regarding the recruitment of new staff. We obviously took and take this very seriously and as explained to parents by the Head Master at the time Mr Waldron, the School immediately implemented action points relating to this during the Summer Term to ensure we are now fully compliant in this area. The school reassured parents then and in an updated letter in October that we continue to be compliant and our records and procedures have been updated.
“The second area highlighted for improvement within the Senior School only and relates to “some pupils do not demonstrate a strong understanding of how their own use of language can reflect and convey disrespect and discrimination.” The ISI has recommended that we further strengthen Senior School pupils’ understanding in this area and we are doing this by building on the work the School has already carried out around EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion).
“We have already placed a renewed focus on EDI since the start of term through assemblies, the Personal Development programme and discussions with pupils, and through the focus of our new larger Pastoral Care team. All staff at the School take very seriously the responsibility of ensuring language used by pupils is appropriate, kind and considerate of others.”
As well as noting the failings of Ryde School with Upper Chine, inspectors also noted many positive aspects to the school. These included:
- Pupils are highly successful collaborative and independent learners both inside and outside the classroom.
- Pupils are articulate communicators who listen well and express themselves clearly, both orally and in writing.
- Pupils throughout the school have excellent mathematical skills; they calculate with confidence and apply their knowledge effectively when solving problems.
- Pupils’ higher order thinking skills are well-developed and are utilised effectively to enhance and extend their learning.
- Pupils excel in a wide variety of sporting, creative and academic extra-curricular activities.
- Pupils make rapid progress in developing their self-confidence, resilience, and the ability to make their own decisions.
- Pupils have a strong sense of community and are supportive of each other.
- Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to be physically and mentally healthy and put this understanding into practice through their wholehearted involvement in the life of the school.
A few points, pupils are antagonistic toward pupils from other schools, and do not integrate OUTSIDE of the schools grounds either, often looking down on “normal” people. About time this school got investigated. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, not a chance guv.
stop trying to force people to integrate will you digby. People have the right to freedom of choice and by that I mean the freedom to choose who they associate and integrate with. This applies to kids as well – if they don’t want to talk to kids that don’t attend ryde school, then that is their right.
it may come as a surprise to you, but those that have money, wish to associate with others that have money. You know why- because they don’t get others begging off them and imposed upon by having to listen to the jealous rants of those that cannot be bothered to better theirselves.
to those voting down – does this mean that you agree with forcing a person, against their will to associate or integrate with someone that they do not like, or feel that they have any common ground with? – if so, then your down voting, is akin to a dictator stomping all over the rights of individuals to exercise their freedom of choice.
I couldn’t find any reference to those points? Are they from the report?
so, in other words – the school is top notch, way above many others, a high quality institution with no real educational and academic issues at all, however, the state jobsworths are focused on pupils calling each other names – pathetic.
they say the school does not always check some new staff backgrounds – which means they do carry out checks although not consistently
some minor admin jobs to tighten up on, although it is laughable that the only area that they have to bleat about is kids calling other kids names – I guess the schools inspectorate is festooned with the woke liberati that live in cloud cuckoo land and think that they can police the language of kids.
Keep tugging that forelock, peasant.
Keep tugging on that forelock.
Good to see the peasants know who their betters are
Judging by the article – not so top notch – I don’t need to add any more to isle of wighters pathetic outpouring of so called do-gooding. A bad school is a bad school whether rich or poor.
well when rapists are let off and even supported by the heads of the school because they are “misunderstood” and “it could ruin their lives” and when the failing background checks allows pedophilic teachers into the school and hides their relationships with children then yes i would consider it a failing school.
And teenagers,sorry seniors in our state schools on the Island are ok ? They are not drug dealers, gangs, shoplifting, criminal damage ,riding Beryl scooters , racist etc are they ?. Bullies are more in state schools . Having walked around Ryde Sch you feel safe and students smile and polite, unlike in Medina and Sandown!!
absolutely correct freddie
whilst there are some very good, well rounded children at the state schools, it is worth noting that….
this difference is primarily because the parents of the private school kids are educated, working professionals who have much higher standards, which they instil in their kids, in contrast to the unemployed, junkie, thieving, state benefit sponging parents that send their poorly house trained brats to the state school, whose standards are non existent.
the simple fact is that you do not get feral kids at a private school, as the parents cannot afford the fees.
all private school kids know that if they are that bad in school, they will be kicked out, their parents won’t get any refund on the fees and then they will be faced with being enrolled at the local state school, where the other kids will give them a hard time, simply for being a former private school kid. The fear of that consequence is normally enough to keep the kids behaviour to a higher standard than you are likely to see at a state school.