George Abbot School, located in Guildford, Surrey, underwent an inspection on December 10 and 11, 2019, and was rated as good overall. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to providing quality education, with good ratings in various areas including the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. The sixth-form provision stands out as outstanding, reflecting the school's dedication to fostering an enriching learning environment for its students.
Pupils at George Abbot School exhibit a positive attitude towards their education. They respect their teachers and engage actively in lessons, striving to maximize their learning experiences. The school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities, with many students participating in sports, performing arts, and music clubs. Recent productions have allowed pupils to enhance their performance skills, contributing to a vibrant school culture. Students feel safe and supported, understanding the importance of looking out for one another. The school has effective measures in place to address bullying, which is reported to be rare.
The sixth form at George Abbot School is particularly noteworthy, with a diverse selection of courses available to students. They achieve high levels of success and play a significant role in the school community, often mentoring younger pupils to assist them with their studies. The school has implemented a three-year key stage four curriculum, allowing pupils to study for their GCSEs over an extended period. However, there are some concerns regarding the depth of study in key stage three, where not all national curriculum subjects are covered comprehensively. This has resulted in gaps in essential knowledge, particularly in subjects like history.
While the curriculum is well-structured in certain areas, such as mathematics, where pupils are challenged and achieve well, there are inconsistencies in the development of extended writing skills across subjects. In English, for instance, expectations for writing quality may not be as high, leading to some pupils, especially boys and disadvantaged students, not reaching their full potential. Attendance rates are generally good, but there is a need for improvement among disadvantaged pupils, although recent efforts have shown positive trends.
The school is committed to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring that teachers are well-informed about their needs and providing necessary adjustments. The personal, social, health, and economic education curriculum is robust, equipping pupils with valuable life skills and career guidance. Leaders are actively working to enhance the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, with recent initiatives showing promise.
Despite the overall positive findings, the school recognizes the need for improvement in certain areas. Leaders are aware of the limitations in the curriculum depth for key stage three and are beginning to implement plans to address these gaps. Additionally, there is a need to enhance the quality of extended writing opportunities across the curriculum. Leaders are encouraged to utilize the information gathered from quality assurance activities more effectively to refine their improvement strategies.
The safeguarding arrangements at George Abbot School are effective, with thorough checks on staff and regular training ensuring that all staff are equipped to handle safeguarding concerns appropriately. The school has established strong relationships with external agencies to support pupils' welfare.
In summary, George Abbot School is a well-regarded institution that provides a supportive and engaging learning environment. While there are areas for development, particularly in curriculum depth and writing skills, the school is committed to continuous improvement and the success of its pupils.
