ISI Inspection Report - Flipbook - Page 13
Inspection of Educational Quality
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were able to develop an understanding of their limits in a PE gymnastics routine. In the work scrutiny
pupils were able to explain how they understand their own progress and the steps needed for
improvement in subjects, drawing upon their comprehensive feedback and assessment cycles. Pupils
explained that being a boarder and being away from home at an early age made them take more
responsibility for themselves; making their beds, cleaning their rooms and getting their clothes
organised. Such activities mean that pupils develop resilience and self-discipline in a socially
supportive environment and this in turn makes pupils confident in their dealings with others and
enables them to effectively articulate their ideas and wishes.
3.16 The pupils are highly competent at making strong decisions which affect their lives and those of others,
through the high levels of independence and initiative encouraged and supported by their teachers.
For example, older pupils explained their role in decision-making on various committees, including the
school council and in the Turi Endeavour Award, which is based on the principles of The Duke of
Edinburgh (DoE) Award scheme. As a result of such opportunities pupils become adept at decisionmaking and develop a high level of awareness of the importance of decisions in their success and wellbeing. It is clear that pupils highly value the Christian ethos of the school and make excellent choices
based on their Christian community and its values, feeling spiritually strong enough to make decisions
based on their faith.
3.17 Pupils have an excellent appreciation of the spiritual and non-material aspects of life as opportunities
for reflection on the school core values are incorporated into their daily lives through attendance of
chapel, assemblies house meetings, bible study groups and Alpha courses. Pupils in reception and Year
1 were highly empathetic towards the needs of those less fortunate than themselves in the manner
in which they were writing to children in Ukraine asking them to be brave and thinking of them in their
prayers. Pupils in a tutor group meeting discussed the five paradigms of self which included a reflection
on how to ‘feed’ the spiritual need of human nature. This was followed by pupils discussing aspects of
school life including chapel, bible classes and reflecting on self, allowing the pupils to engage in and
reflect on their understanding of spiritual development. Pupils’ exposure to a range of belief systems
ensures that they have a good understanding of other beliefs and religions as seen in a Year 5/6
discussion group who commented on their understanding of the various faiths as being important,
including those of Muslims, as there were a number of Muslim children in the school. Additionally and
of significance was the fact that the pupils were able to recount much of the Christian history of their
own school since its foundation in 1931.
3.18 The behaviour of the pupils throughout the school is exemplary. Pupils have an excellent moral
understanding. The vast majority of parents and pupils who responded to the questionnaires agreed
that the school encourages pupils to behave well. Pupils genuinely care for each other and have a
strong desire to support and help those less fortunate than themselves. During discussions, pupils
demonstrated a mature understanding of right and wrong. This was well illustrated in a year 8
humanities lesson in which pupils were learning about civil rights in the context of South Africa in
which pupils were able to extend their knowledge and understanding in debating and discussing
apartheid and genocide. On occasions where pupils make the wrong decisions, most say they are
supported by staff and fellow pupils to put things right, through a restorative process, which addresses
the source of wrong doing. Year 7 and 8 pupils in discussion explained that they have clear guidelines
for behaviour and that all pupils are familiar with the rewards and sanctions system. As a result pupils
are encouraged to develop and promote high levels of behaviour and moral rectitude.
3.19 Pupils’ social awareness is a real strength of the school. They work extremely effectively with others,
solving problems and achieving common goals. Almost all pupils start at the school at an early age,
and the all-boarding environment encourages firm bonds between pupils. Tutor time ‘shout outs’ of
pupil achievements help pupils show a mutual appreciation of each other and enable an increase in
confidence of the individual and cohesion of the group. Tutor time in this way promotes a deepening
of the pupils’ understanding of each other and further embeds the strong social and pastoral ethos of
the school and its values. Pupils talk about the 7 ‘habits’ of the school as guidelines which promote
© Independent Schools Inspectorate 2022
St Andrew’s School – Turi – Kenya – March 2022
