Claremont School is a co-educational day and boarding school for students aged 1 to 18 years, located across two sites in East Sussex. Established in 1925, the nursery, pre-prep and prep schools are set on a 125-acre estate in St Leonards. Claremont Senior School was established in 2011 in Bodiam and has since become an established centre of learning.
The school has a boarding community of British and international students and its boarding provision was judged to be ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2021. Alongside the academic qualifications achieved by its students, the school is recognised for the quality of its performing arts, sports and outdoor learning provision.
In February 2018 Claremont School became a member of International Schools Partnership (ISP) and the flagship British school in a portfolio of more than 80 schools around the world.
Ofsted outstanding rating
Claremont School has recently achieved its fourth consecutive ‘outstanding’ rating from Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills.
The Ofsted inspectors, who visited the school between 21-23 November 2023, rated Claremont as outstanding overall and in each of its five categories:
- Overall effectiveness: Outstanding
- The quality of education: Outstanding
- Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding
- Personal development: Outstanding
- Leadership and management: Outstanding
- Sixth-form provision: Outstanding
Key highlights from the Ofsted report include:
Attitudes to learning: ‘Pupils’ attitudes to learning are excellent. Standards are high because staff are determined and encourage pupils to be their best. Pupils are expected to contribute positively to all areas of the school. As a result, they work hard, learn to become resilient, and achieve very well.’
Curriculum: ‘The curriculum has great breadth and prepares pupils well for their next steps… The curriculum is taught by specialists. Staff are dedicated and act as advocates for their subject areas. Their enthusiasm rubs off on pupils, who are not afraid to share forthright views about their favourite lessons. Pupils appreciate the way staff support and encourage them in their learning.’
Enrichment opportunities: ‘One real strength of the school is the wide range of enrichment opportunities it provides for pupils, whether they are day pupils or boarders. The school day is as full as it is long. The curriculum beyond the academic gives pupils opportunities well outside the norm. Clubs and extracurricular activities adorn daily timetables. Both sites of the school are well resourced. Sports halls, theatres, swimming pools, science labs, acres of sports pitches and a dedicated sixth form centre provide the springboard for pupils to be themselves and to succeed.’
Sixth form: ‘Students in the sixth form also benefit from high quality teaching in these core subjects [mathematics and the sciences]. This leads to a range of meaningful qualifications to support their next steps on leaving the school. Approximately half of students in the sixth form are new to the school. Some join from overseas. Those who need additional support with language, typically those who speak English as an additional language, get the help they need to succeed. The school’s careers programme gains momentum in the senior school and sixth form. The result is that many students gain places at top universities, while others forge successful careers in sport or the arts.’
Ethos and values: ‘The school places a high degree of importance on developing each pupil individually. Tolerance and respect for others’ points of view are expected and overt in the school’s culture. Bespoke programmes of work are readily available when pupils need additional guidance because life’s challenges hinder progress. Developing pupils’ understanding of the world and the people who live in it underpins the school’s ethos and values.’
Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities: ‘Pupils with SEND do equally well here. Staff are adept at identifying pupils who need additional support. Being different is not a barrier to success. They [pupils] describe their school as safe and problem free’.
Leadership: ‘This is a school that continues to move forward. Leaders at all levels are determined to build further on the strengths that are firmly established across the school. Those in positions of governance are effective in supporting the school to grow and improve further.’
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