Outstanding OFSTED Report for Gordon’s

Outstanding in every category! The OFSTED Boarding inspection into Gordon’s School found the overall experiences and progress of children; how well children and young people are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers to be outstanding. This is at least the sixth time OFSTED have deemed the school ‘outstanding’.

During the inspection, carried out in January over three days, inspectors spoke to Senior Leaders, staff, students and parents at the co-educational state boarding and day school, quoting one student as saying: ‘It is like home from home’.

OFSTED Inspectors described students as ‘exemplary’, highlighting that they were ‘thriving and making excellent progress’, which they put down to the ‘genuine and nurturing relationships they have with boarding staff’.

The system of ‘House families’, in which students from all year groups combine into teams for intra-house events and competitions helps create the feel of an extended family, the report stated, also noting that students’ views were central to the development of the boarding provision and that staff were inquisitive about students’ mental health, having regular ‘check-ins’ with students to discuss their worries and feelings as well as celebrating their individualities.

‘Staff encourage students to develop new talents and skills and to participate in invigorating opportunities’ said the report, which noted that: ‘The boarding accommodation is of a very high standard and provides a homely feel’.

Headmaster Andrew Moss said: “: “We are delighted to have achieved ‘outstanding’ once again. This is testament to the hard work of staff and students and the support of the whole school community.”

In 2022 Gordon’s was awarded The Times Educational Supplement (Tes) Boarding School of the Year and this year’s Sunday Times Parent Power again placed the school in the top 200 state schools in England, among the top 20 non-faith, co-ed schools and in the top 30 non-selective schools in the country (based on 2023 examination data).

Last summer, the school embarked on a £1 million refurbishment of the residential boarding houses which has provided students with contemporary and attractive bathrooms and study rooms as well as living accommodation.