INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE - Radley College

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Radley College 4 2.7 The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a compulsory element of the educational experience for Year 10 boys. They have the option of continuing with it in later years, taking advantage of the leadership opportunities provided. The CCF provides a wide range of activities including adventurous training expeditions; such challenges coerce boys into experience and take them outside the comfortable world of the campus. Since 2002, the work of the CCF has been monitored as part of the Wednesday activity programme. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DoE) provides similar opportunities for expeditions. The notable increase in interest in this voluntary activity since the last inspection reflects its popularity. Opportunities for community service exist in DoE and more widely in the community action scheme. 2.8 Pupils enjoy a considerable range of sporting opportunities. In the course of the inspection, many diverse sports were observed including golf, countryside sports, water polo, rackets and rowing. Sports are pursued with enthusiasm and coached to an extremely high standard at all levels. Notable is the fact that a very high percentage of college pupils represents Radley in sport and, testament to the quality of coaching, is the number of former pupils who perform at national level. 2.9 Very good attention is given to preparing pupils for the next stage of education and for adult life. Preparation for higher education is strong, exemplified by the quality of the college’s Higher Education Guide. A well-attended lecture on entry to American universities demonstrated the commitment to widening the range of university choices. Preparation for Oxford and Cambridge application is well planned and supportive of boys’ own work. Career needs are well identified and addressed by careers advisors, form masters, tutors and dons. Good opportunities for work experience also extend the horizons of boys. Boys’ work experience planning is well monitored. 2.10 Learning support for pupils through the designated learning support team and by dons is excellent. “The dons work miracles” was an unprompted observation by an older boy who had entered the college with considerable literacy difficulties but eventually gained a GCSE grade A in English. Indeed many boys who had previously experienced problems go on to achieve highly in a wide range of A levels. The work of the learning support department is well integrated with the academic departments and the information and communication technology (ICT) systems support this provision very well. Provision for gifted and talented pupils is good: the top sets have swift academic pace, and extension material, ‘one to one’ and small group support are readily available. 2.11 The college meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Radley College 5 Pupils’ Learning and Achievements 2.12 Pupils’ learning and achievements are excellent. Pupils gain wide knowledge, skills and understanding of the many subjects and activities provided. In the course of their education, they are able to develop these effectively to provide the essential skills and attitudes for work and study at high levels. The college’s aim that boys will leave having learnt what it is to work hard and also how to learn is clearly met, and academic achievement has further improved since the last inspection. 2.13 Pupils show a high degree of critical and creative thinking. The depth of discussion in many lessons, the abundance of high quality artwork and design technology (DT) on display around the campus, and the first class musical and drama performances are all testament to this. 2.14 Pupils’ numeracy skills are well developed and they apply mathematics and mathematical concepts very well. This was observed, not only in mathematics lessons but also, for example, in geography coursework in Year 11 involving a high standard of graph work and statistical analysis. 2.15 Likewise, boys have significant literacy skills, seen in the well-constructed and articulate prose produced across the age range. Boys express themselves confidently both in the written and spoken word. The latter skill was a hallmark of lessons observed, such as the Year 13 history lesson where pupils were discussing the military and political issues which lay behind the actions of British politicians in the 1930s, when faced with the rise of the Third Reich. 2.16 ICT is an integral part of life at Radley and boys use it widely. They use it to access learning materials, to send work to dons and to enhance the presentation of their projects and coursework. Computer aided design is introduced in Year 9 DT and the boys are keen to exploit the possibilities it offers them. One Year 10 pupil was proud to show his birdhouse design developed using specialist software. Boys design and give digital presentations in class, as in a Year 11 geography lesson on global energy issues. 2.17 No differences in relative attainment between different groups of pupils were observed and all subjects achieve excellent results. Indeed, boys who attained relatively low scores on entrance to the college went on to achieve grades in the highest band at A level in the Summer of 2007. 2.18 Results reflect consistent progress at GCSE and A level. Pupils’ attainment in GCSE and at A level is high in relation to their abilities. During the last three years for which national comparative data was available at the time of the inspection, results at both levels were far above the average for all maintained schools and well above the average for maintained selective schools. The most recent results in 2007 were of a similar standard. Nationally standardised measures show that progress from Year 9 to Year 13 is well above national norms. 2.19 As well as these notable examination achievements, there are numerous other individual and team successes. An observational pencil portrait was selected from thousands of entries for exhibition at Tate Modern. A gold medal was won in the national physics Olympiad. The engineering education scheme pupil team solved an engineering problem posed by RAF Benson; it has since been adopted in the RAF’s Puma helicopter fleet. A number of army and gliding scholarships have been awarded. The 1 st XI hockey team was unbeaten in 2007 and rowing continues to flourish. Success in music and drama is strong. During the inspection, as one of a series of ‘coffee concerts’, a sixth form pianist took to the platform,
Page 1 and 2: INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE IN
Page 3 and 4: Radley College 1 1. INTRODUCTION Ch
Page 5: Radley College 3 2. THE QUALITY OF
Page 9 and 10: Radley College 7 ages to be thought
Page 11 and 12: Radley College 9 2.35 The school pr
Page 13 and 14: Radley College 11 3.7 The college i
Page 15 and 16: Radley College 13 The Quality of Bo
Page 17 and 18: Radley College 15 4. THE EFFECTIVEN
Page 19 and 20: Radley College 17 4.14 A recommenda
Page 21: Radley College 19 6. SUMMARY OF INS

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE - Radley College

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