Independent Mainstream Schools
Early Insights 2024-2025
Teaching and learning
In nearly all schools, pupils are enthusiastic, well-behaved, confident and embrace intellectual challenge. They are supported by staff who foster respectful relationships, have ambitious expectations that foster independence and generally show strong subject knowledge. Early reading, writing, and maths are taught consistently well in primary phases, though confident application of these skills is variable. Effective feedback supports pupils to make good progress, but in a few schools overly teacher-led teaching and limited challenge hold back more able learners.
What’s going well
- In nearly all schools, most pupils are enthusiastic, engaged learners who feel supported by staff and encouraged to do their best.
- Nearly all pupils’ behaviour and most pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary.
- In nearly all schools, staff foster respectful trusting relationships and, as a result, pupils are confident to participate and take intellectual risks.
- In most schools, staff demonstrate strong specialist subject knowledge and understanding of the requirements of examinations courses; in a few schools, this knowledge is expert and provides pupils with exceptional levels of intellectual challenge.
- In most schools, staff have high aspirations for their pupils.
- In many schools, pupils’ independence is a strength because of the learning model and teachers’ approaches.
- In nearly all schools with primary-aged pupils, the teaching of early reading, writing and mathematics is high quality; in around half of these schools, pupils apply these skills across the curriculum confidently.
- In nearly all schools, teachers’ verbal feedback and individualised questioning and support ensure that most pupils make sound progress in their learning during lessons.
What needs to improve
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In a very few schools, the collection and use of formative assessment are not applied consistently.
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In a minority of schools, lessons are overly teacher-led, limiting pupils’ opportunities for higher-order thinking, discussion or independence.
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In a minority of schools, the adapting of learning to meet the needs of pupils, particularly the more able, is inconsistent.
Well-being, care, support and guidance
Nearly all schools provide a nurturing and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe, valued, and proud of their school. Strong pastoral care and trusting relationships underpin a culture that prioritises well-being, with many schools using digital tools to enhance support.
What’s going well
- In nearly all schools, there is a nurturing and inclusive environment.
- In nearly all schools, pupils feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging; they take pride in their school and demonstrate respect for each other, members of staff and visitors to the school.
- In nearly all schools, there are strong pastoral cultures, which place a high priority on promoting pupils’ well-being.
- In nearly all schools, pupils trust staff and know who to speak to if they are worried or upset; a majority of schools use digital tools imaginatively to enable pupils to readily access support or to report any worries.
- In many schools, support and guidance for pupils’ future pathways and careers is highly effective.
- In many schools, pupil leadership roles and formal approaches to pupil voice are well embedded and meaningful, and positively influence the work or life at the school.
- In most schools, pupil attendance is a strength.
What needs improving
- In a very few schools inspected, formal personal and social education is limited and preparation for adult life is underdeveloped.
- In a few schools, there is scope to strengthen opportunities for pupils to influence change and reflect more consistently on their experiences.
Leading and improving
In most schools, leaders have a clear vision, are ambitious for their pupils, and set high expectations for staff, fostering cohesive, collaborative communities focused on pupil success. However, in the majority of schools, leaders do not ensure full compliance with the Independent School Standards (Wales) Regulations 2024.
What’s going well
- In most schools, leaders have a clear vision for their school, are ambitious for their pupils and have high expectations of their staff.
- In nearly all schools, leaders create cohesive communities that work collegiately in the best interests of pupils.
- In many schools, leaders’ operational management of the school is a strength.
- In a majority of schools, effective governance supports the strategic improvement of the school; governors are engaged, well informed and challenge constructively.
- In most schools, professional development is well established and is supporting the development of a culture of self-improvement linked to school improvement priorities.
What needs to improve
- In the majority of schools, leaders do not ensure full compliance with the Independent School Standards (Wales) Regulations 2024; in most cases, this is because leaders have not kept pace with updated legislation, particularly in relation to ongoing safer recruitment practices – in a few instances, inspections also identified issues related to the condition and suitability of the school premises and site.
- In a minority few of schools, governance lacks strategic rigor and does not consistently plan and drive whole-school improvement.
- In a few schools, professional development lacks formality and clear links to strategic improvement priorities.
Overview of recommendations from inspections
In the 2024-2025 academic year, Estyn carried out seven core inspections and six monitoring inspections of independent mainstream schools.
- A total of 8 schools (62 %) were given a recommendation related to teaching and learning, focused on improving the consistency and quality of teaching, using assessment more effectively to inform instruction, and enriching the curriculum to support pupil progress and engagement.
- One school (8%) was given a recommendation related to well-being, care, support and guidance, focused on strengthening the school’s promotion of the United Nations Convention on Rights of a Child (UNCRC).
- A total of 11 schools (85%) were given a recommendation related to leading and improving. Of those, four did not comply with the Independent School Standards (Wales) Regulations 2024 and were placed in a follow-up category. For these schools, one of their recommendations in inspection area 3 was to comply fully with the Independent School Standards.
Effective practice identified during inspection
Christ College 2025
Inspection report: Christ College 2025
The House System & The ‘Futures Programme’
Ruthin School 2024
Inspection report: Ruthin School 2024
Planning effective learning opportunities to prepare pupils for adult life
One School Global UK Newtown Campus 2025
Inspection report: One School Global UK Newtown Campus 2025
Learning to learn: a self-directed learning framework