stonyhurst
ALLRELEVANT STANDARDSAREMET
RELEVANT STANDARDSARE MET
Stonyhurst underwent a full ISI inspection in April 2026 and successfully met all Independent School Standards across leadership and governance, quality of education, health and wellbeing, contribution to society and safeguarding.
Stonyhurst has been recognised as being among a small number of independent schools that have not only met every single standard but has also been awarded a significant strength – ours being for our co-curricular programme and the effective promotion of our pupils’ wellbeing.
Schools are assessed against the Independent School Standards across five key areas:
1. Leadership, management and governance
2. Quality of education, training and recreation
3. Pupils’ physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
4. Pupils’ social and economic education and contribution to society
5. Safeguarding
This document is a topline summary of the findings. The full report can be found on our website at www.stonyhurst.ac.uk/about-us/ inspection-reports
The recent ISI Inspection and the performance of Stonyhurst in not only meeting all standards but in achieving a significant strength in our cocurricular programme provides an outstanding springboard for our future aspirations.
With my commencement as Head of Stonyhurst coinciding with this outstanding assessment and record of endeavour for the school, I am excited to draw from this strong tradition of excellence and to pursue new horizons from such a position of strength. We hold true to the mindset that innovation is our tradition, that our faith does justice, that our pursuit of academic excellence is complemented by our holistic co-curricular programme and that we form our pupils as impactful global citizens and with a true understanding of human excellence as men and women for others.
This ISI Report strongly upholds our success in these endeavours. I invite you to taste the highlights in this brochure or to savour the depth of our achievements in the full report. It is an outstanding basis to begin our next chapter as a school and family like no other.
William Doherty Head of Stonyhurst
“Leaders are ambitious for pupils’ outcomes.”
Leadership & Vision
“Leaders promote empathy in the community.”
Leaders generate a detailed development plan from systematic evaluation of all aspects of the school.
“Leaders at all levels prioritise pupils’ wellbeing.”
Risk strategies are comprehensive. They are constantly reviewed to consider changing current and potential risks.
Governors demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development as a result of a robust system of scrutiny.
“Pupils
think highly of boarding staff. Staff create a welcoming environment so that pupils feel included from the outset.”
“The curriculum meets pupils’ needs and interests. It enables them to experience a wide range of subjects from a young age. ”
“Pupils are articulate and effective communicators.”
Tutors are knowledgeable about pupils’ academic progress and personal development.
“Many gain places at establishments with demanding entrance requirements, and at international universities.”
Pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are supported effectively to extend their fluency so that they can access the curriculum effectively.
Academic Excellence
“Leaders identify any gaps in pupils’ learning promptly. They take appropriate steps so that pupils’ needs are met at every stage and they make good progress.”
“Teachers’ feedback, including online, is precise and diagnostic. It helps pupils to understand exactly what they have done well and what they need to improve.”
“Leaders’ inclusive approach to education enables pupils to understand themselves well and build up their capabilities and self-esteem, so they can achieve high-quality academic and personal outcomes.”
“The co-curricular programme promotes pupils’ wellbeing particularly effectively, and is a significant strength of the school.”
Co-Curricular Excellence
significant strength
“Pupils develop selfdiscipline, resilience and advanced leadership skills.”
The school provides a notably rich and varied co-curricular programme.
“Participation rates are consistently very high. Pupils are enthused, engaged and achieve well.”
All pupils, whatever their needs, have access to sports and activities that suit their abilities and interests, supporting their physical and emotional wellbeing.
The co-curricular programme is extensive, encompassing around 200 activities across the whole school which vary each term in response to pupils’ needs and interests.
“The
co-curricular programme
makes
to
a major contribution
the development of pupils’ emotional, social, creative and physical skills.”
“Boarders representing a wide range of nationalities foster community trust by learning from each other. This creates an environment where boarders are happy and secure.”
“The school is successful in meeting boarders’ needs.”
The boarding houses are welcoming and have a strong sense of community.
“Pupils acquire moral understanding, self-knowledge and respectful attitudes.”
Boarding is a vibrant, diverse and inclusive community where pupils learn the value of living together in harmony.
Boarding & Pastoral Care
“They know the importance of respectful behaviour and positive mental health and wellbeing in achieving their goals. They are well cared for and effectively supported as they progress through the school.”
“The natural integration of boarding and day pupils makes a considerable contribution to pupils’ personal development.”
“The school has a wellresourced medical centre, staffed by nurses. This offers a wide range of specialist support for pupils’ physical and mental welfare.”
“Pupils’ welfare needs are met consistently.”
“Incidents of bullying or anti-social behaviour are rare. Leaders deal with these matters effectively when they occur.”
ALLRELEVANT STANDARDSAREMET
“Pupils gain a deep sense of social responsibility and how they can influence the quality of life for others.”
Character, Community & Jesuit Values
“Pupils behave in a considerate and respectful manner.”
Pupils understand and celebrate differences.
“Pupils show highly developed spiritual and moral understanding.”
Pupils speak confidently about different cultures and the importance of treating everyone equally.
“The school’s Jesuit values and teachers’ high expectations for how pupils treat each other are consistently reinforced. As a result, pupils build respect for individual differences. The school’s successful implementation of its ethos supports pupils’ development of self-confidence and self-esteem.”
“The school actively promotes discussion of moral principles, including knowing right from wrong.”
“Pupils connect meaningfully with society through social projects and demonstrate a deep sense of social responsibility and service to others.”
Pupils are taught about democratic processes from a young age.
“Varied outreach work supports the aim of developing pupils’ all-round skills so that they can question, think for themselves and contribute to society.”
Children in the early years learn mutual respect and how to share through well-structured activities, learning to build relationships with each other and with nature in the surrounding natural woodland. They develop confidence and begin to understand the relevance of the world around them.
“By the time they are in the sixth form, pupils display advanced communication skills and take part in demanding and respectful debates, as in the Model United Nations. As a result, pupils are well equipped to take an active part in a democratic society.”
“Leaders promote a positive safeguarding culture. They have embedded a whole school approach to safeguarding pupils.”
“Governors provide consistent and rigorous oversight of safeguarding.”
“From a young age, pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including when online, through the curriculum and assemblies.”
Safeguarding & Support
“There is an embedded culture of safeguarding at the school.”
www.stonyhurst.ac.uk