North East Education News

Issue 101

The Independent Schools Inspectorate awarded Barnard Castle School the top rating of ‘excellent’ for both ‘Academic Achievement and ‘Personal Development’. The achievement follows the introduction of ‘A Barney Education’, an innovative approach to developing a dynamic curriculum for its 730 pupils, aged four to 18. ‘Barney’, as the School is affectionately known, provides an inspirational, compassionate and unpretentious environment in which young people develop character, becoming confident, resilient, intellectually curious, tolerant and driven, with an undercurrent of humility, leaving them ideally placed to thrive in a rapidly changing world. A six-strong team of inspectors spent three days at the Senior and Prep schools, exploring every facet of learning. They scrutinised compliance in key areas including the quality of education, the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of children, welfare, health and safety, the suitability of staff, the premises and the standards of leadership and management. Inspectors examined the curriculum, observed…