Westminster Tutors

Westminster Tutors 84–86 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, London SW7 3LQ

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The principal and senior leaders provide exceptional leadership. They have created a culture of scholastic excellence built upon a bedrock of care and high-quality teaching.  Leaders are highly ambitious and keep an ever- watchful eye on the progress of all students. They are quick and effective in successfully intervening should learners show early signs of underachievement.  Relationships between students and staff are very positive. Mutual respect and shared motivation contribute to the very strong progress made by all students.  The quality of teaching is outstanding. Teachers use excellent subject knowledge and skilful questioning to inspire students’ learning. As a result, the progress and attainment of all students are well above the national average.  Students thrive and are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education and employment. The vast majority of students take up a place at a top university.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Students are purposeful and confident. Their behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the college. They are polite and friendly to each other and adults.  The breadth of subjects offered is remarkable. Each student follows a curriculum specifically tailored to match their needs. Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the college’s work.  Leaders have ensured that all the independent school standards are met. The proprietor offers effective support and challenge to college leaders in respect of the quality of teaching and learning. There is a need to strengthen further this oversight to include all aspects of the college.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen processes of governance to ensure that all aspects of the college’s work are kept under review.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The proprietor, the principal and directors of studies have ensured that the college is extremely successful and that all the independent school standards are met.  College leaders and staff are highly ambitious for their students and put their needs above all else. This culture of excellence means that students flourish because they receive highly effective teaching, challenge and support.  Students, parents and carers and staff are extremely positive about how the college is led and managed. They recognise and value the inspirational leadership of the principal.  The system for tracking students’ progress is highly effective. The directors of studies maintain an accurate overview of the quality of assessments used by each teacher and the progress that students make. In addition, the college has developed tracking systems to monitor students’ progress from their different starting points. As a result, leaders

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

accurately monitor the progress of all students and target support and interventions effectively where necessary.  The leadership of teaching is strong. The principal undertakes regular learning walks and considers the views of students in evaluating the effectiveness of teaching. Staff are well supported to improve their teaching and have access to professional training to support the subjects they teach. Leaders’ evaluation of teaching and learning is accurate.  The curriculum is very broad and expertly tailored to individual students’ needs and aspirations. The curriculum also supports students’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Students are passionate about the importance of tolerance and respect for others.  Students are very well prepared for the next stage of their education, employment and/or training. Consequently, they are successful in reaching the destinations for which they

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

have applied.  Leaders maintain excellent links with parents. There is good communication, including regular meetings to keep parents well informed about their children’s achievements and welfare.  At the time of the inspection, there was a small number of students over the age of 19 in the college. This represents a breach in registration details as set by the Department for Education (DfE).

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Governance

 The proprietor is ambitious for the college, and actively supports and challenges the principal in maintaining the highly effective quality of teaching. There is insufficient challenge to ensure that all elements of the terms of registration, as set by the DfE, are met.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school has an up-to-date safeguarding policy on its website, which meets requirements. There is a strong culture of safeguarding across the college. Staff are well trained and understand their responsibilities. Staff are fully aware of the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about safeguarding and students’ safety.  Leaders promptly follow up any concerns about a student’s welfare and safety. They work effectively with parents and external agencies to ensure that students are kept safe.  Appropriate vetting and recruitment checks on all adults working at the college are rigorously carried out. Records on safeguarding are detailed and fit for purpose.  Health and safety checks and risk assessments are carried out effectively, including the arrangements for fire safety. This ensures that students are kept safe, both in college and

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Safeguarding

when on trips and visits out of college.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 The quality of teaching is excellent. There is minimal variation in the quality of teaching between subjects. Teachers know their students’ strengths and weaknesses well and have high expectations. Students’ attitudes to their studies are extremely positive and contribute to their very strong progress.  Teachers show great passion and expert subject knowledge in their challenge and support for all students. Students thrive on this enthusiasm and, as a result, are extremely well motivated. Students are well supported by subject-specific resources that enable them to deepen and broaden their understanding.  Relationships between students and staff are very positive. Students have articulate and reasoned conversations with their teachers, which accelerates their learning.  Teachers carefully and skilfully check that students have understood what is being taught. Highly effective questioning provides all students with opportunities to talk at length

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

about what they are learning. Questions are designed to check students’ understanding and challenge them to think hard. During the inspection, particularly strong examples of this were seen in English, mathematics, chemistry, geography, and government and politics.  Assessment information is used particularly well to promote students’ excellent learning and progress. Across subjects, teachers adjust their planning in response to regular reviews of assessment information. Insightful feedback from teachers enables students to be clear about how well they are doing and how they can improve. As a result, pupils from all starting points, including the most able and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, make very strong progress.  Students have a mature approach and take responsibility for ensuring that they make the most of their study out of lessons as well as in class. Teachers help students to be precise

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

in their understanding of how well they are doing and exactly where they need to focus their efforts .  Parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of teaching in the college and the progress their sons and daughters are making.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote students’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Students are self-confident and self-aware. They are proud of their college and are keen to make a positive contribution to life at the college.  The level of care for students is high. Students are aware that they can go to any member of staff if they require help or support. Each student regularly meets with their personal tutor to discuss any issues. Students are confident that staff will deal promptly with any concerns.  Students’ accounts and leaders’ records indicate that bullying and the use of bad language are very rare. Students know how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.  Students understand the importance of physical and emotional well-being. They enjoy participating in physical education and the sporting activities that the college offers. This, together with a well-structured programme for personal, social, health and economic

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Personal development and welfare

(PSHE) education, contributes to their success in gaining the highest possible grades. Students appreciate the genuine interest that teachers take in all aspects of their achievement and welfare.  Through involvement in debates and public-speaking workshops, students show respect for the views and opinions of others. They understand that people have the right to make choices or hold beliefs that may differ from their own.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is outstanding.  Students’ behaviour is exemplary and they conduct themselves responsibly. Students focus fully on their studies.  Students have much respect for staff, each other and the environment in which they work. There is a palpable atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.  Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Highly effective systems to monitor and tackle the first signs of absence ensure that support for students and families is swift.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Students’ outcomes are outstanding because of expert teaching. In 2016 and 2017, progress and attainment were well above the national average in all subjects. In 2017, 42% of A-level grades achieved were either A* or A, and 83% were A* to B. These proportions are well above the national average. In 2017, 70% of students progressed to Russell Group and Ivy League universities, with 87% of students gaining a place at their first choice of university.  Leaders are relentless in their drive for excellence and have a firm and accurate grasp on how well students are achieving. Current assessment information, coupled with inspection evidence, indicate that outcomes are set to remain extremely high.  The most able students make excellent progress across all their subjects, with many achieving the very highest GCSE and A-level grades. This is because they receive excellent challenge and support. The outstanding quality of teaching increases students’

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

levels of confidence and ability to be resilient when making mistakes.  Students who have SEN and/or disabilities make excellent progress from their different starting points. This is because teachers have the highest expectations of students, no matter what their learning difficulty or disability. Students’ individual education plans, written and reviewed effectively, give detailed advice to teachers about supporting students. All teachers act on this information, and consequently, this group makes very strong progress and attains highly.  The principal goes to exceptional lengths to provide bespoke support to students with their university applications, interviews and career plans. This support and care are highly valued by students. Students benefit from attending careers fairs and taking up work- experience placements relevant to their career aspirations. Students make successful applications to the universities and courses of their choice.

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Sixth form provision Outstanding

 At the time of the inspection, all students were in the sixth-form provision. Therefore, all aspects of the sixth-form provision are covered in the body of the report.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 38

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £8,000 to £24,000

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School details

Email address info@westminstertutors.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–13 February 2015

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Information about this school

 Westminster Tutors is an independent college in the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.  At the time of the inspection, there were no pupils in Years 9 to 11. In previous years, there were too few pupils in Years 9 to 11 to be reported on.  During the inspection, a small number of students exceeded the school’s registration age.  The college does not use alternative provision.  The college was last inspected in February 2015.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning across a range of academic subjects. All visits to classes were made jointly with the principal.  The inspector looked at students’ work in books and folders to see how well they are learning.  Meetings were held with the proprietor, principal, senior leaders and a group of staff.  A group of students spoke to the inspector about their views of the school.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including leaders’ evaluation of the college’s performance, policies, safeguarding records, and records of students’ progress and attainment.  The inspector considered the views of 31 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and 22 staff responses to the questionnaire. The views of 28 students who responded to the college’s own questionnaire, conducted during the inspection, were also considered.

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Inspection team

Carolyn Dickinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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