Lady Margaret School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Lady Margaret School provides its students with an outstanding standard of education. One parent, reflecting the views of many others, accurately stated, 'The school does an excellent job both academically and pastorally and I, as well as many other parents, greatly appreciate the education our daughters receive.' Good teaching combines with an excellent curriculum and outstanding care, guidance and support to ensure that all groups of students in the main school make rapid progress from above average starting points to attain at a very high level.

The sixth form is good. Students enter with high levels of attainment. They make good progress to attain A-level results well above those found nationally....

However, progress across the curriculum is uneven ranging by subject from satisfactory to outstanding. The school works exceptionally well in partnership to support its students, particularly those whose circumstances make them more vulnerable. Excellent opportunities to contribute to the school and wider community are enthusiastically accepted by students who gain excellent leadership skills as they move through the school.

Safeguarding procedures are robust and students, including those in circumstances that make them more vulnerable, feel very safe. Students behave very well around the school and, when given the opportunity to fully participate in lessons, demonstrate a real passion for their learning. Overall, teaching is good.

Where it is less successful this is usually due to the assessment information not being used well enough by teachers to plan challenging independent learning opportunities for the full range of learners. Most students know their challenging targets, and excellent personal guidance means they have a strong understanding of how best to achieve them. For example, groups of Year 11 students could name any subject they were below their challenging target in and express clearly what they needed to do to improve.

Initiatives, including professional development opportunities, to improve the quality of teaching and learning have been effective since the previous inspection. However, the school recognizes there is scope to more sharply target them at teachers' individual needs to make teaching consistently outstanding. Leaders in the school have a real passion for making Lady Margaret the best school it can be.

Significant improvements have been made to all areas identified at the time of the previous inspection. Systems for tracking and intervening with underachieving students have been significantly enhanced. Excellent staff morale coupled to accurate self-evaluation and excellent development planning mean the school has excellent capacity to improve further.

Information about the school

Lady Margaret School, a specialist school for mathematics, computing and music, is smaller than most secondary schools. The school reserves 50 places out of 90 for girls who regularly attend Church of England services. The majority of students are White British.

The proportions of minority ethnic students and of students who do not have English as their first language are slightly above average. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than that usually found but increasing. Approximately one tenth of students have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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