Benenden School is proud that its innovative curriculum has been formally recognised by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI).
In a glowing report that praised Benenden in all areas following a routine inspection last month, the School was awarded the distinction of a “significant strength” for its non-examined courses.
Significant strengths are not recognised often by ISI and only when a school delivers something particularly distinct that has a significant impact on pupils beyond that of most other schools.
Benenden Headmistress Rachel Bailey welcomed the findings, saying: “At Benenden we pride ourselves on our innovative approach to the curriculum which ensures that girls are not only achieving exceptional academic results – but are truly developing a love of learning which sets them up for the rest of their lives.”
In addition to GCSEs and A Levels, all students at Benenden take Electives, which introduce them to a range of 70 different professional and general interest topics including sign language, investments, journalism and meteorology.
Year 7 and 8 girls follow the School’s CREATE Diploma which focuses on enquiry-based skills, inspired by the World Economic Forum’s Fast Growing Skills for 2030.
These are further embedded in the Year 9 curriculum, which has recently been enhanced with new courses in Data Science, Natural Sciences, Sustainability and Business.
In their report, inspectors praised this approach, saying: “Leaders’ decision to enrich the academic curriculum through the introduction of well-chosen non-examined courses has substantially developed the academic curiosity shown by the pupils.
“Through these non-examined courses, pupils develop academic self-confidence and learn skills useful for adult life.”
An inspection team spent three days at Benenden in early October and published their final report this week.
Inspectors highlighted numerous positive aspects of Benenden’s offer, including:
- The House teams, with a particular comment that day pupils are fully integrated into the boarding community
- The quality of teaching and the ambitious curriculum
- The support for pupils’ physical and mental health
- The leadership opportunities available for students
- The “extensive” Careers provision
- The culture of the importance of safeguarding being embedded throughout the School
- The leadership and governance, including a comment that leaders promote “a collaborative, inclusive and aspirational culture in which pupils develop well academically, socially and personally”.
These and many other detailed positive comments are contained in the full report, which is available below.
Ms Bailey said: “This is a truly wonderful report and we are delighted that inspectors have recognised the numerous strengths of Benenden that we in the School community are all so familiar with.
“My enormous thanks go to all staff, governors, parents and, most importantly, the students for their ongoing commitment and support, all of which has contributed to this excellent and well-deserved outcome.”
Benenden’s innovative curriculum is just one aspect of the Complete Education for which the School is renowned. Through this model, Benenden offers students excellence across all areas of life, including Academic, Co-Curricular and Personal Development.
Crucially, teachers and pastoral staff get to know the girls as individuals and put bespoke support in place, which has resulted in Benenden being named among the top 6% of all schools – independent and state – in the UK for value-added, the measure of how students improve while at school.
Benenden School is a girls’ boarding and day school for 550 girls, based on a stunning 250-acre site in the village of Benenden near Cranbrook in Kent.
Benenden is frequently regarded as one of the leading schools in the world. It has been included in the annual Spear’s list of the 100 leading global schools for the past three years, and was recently given the Awesome Sixth Form award by Muddy Stilettos.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate is appointed by the Department for Education to inspect independent schools in England that are members of a professional association such as the Independent Schools Association or Independent Schools Council.
Read the full report here.