Heathfield Knoll SEND Provision Praised in ISI and GSG Reports

We are delighted to share the results of our most recent Independent School Inspectorate (ISI) and The Good Schools Guide (GSG) reports. 

Both reports highlighted our leadership and co-curricular offering as a standout feature, as well as our SEND provision. 

These independent assessments consist of unbiased reviews of the core areas of our school, including our academic, pastoral and wider development provision. Our 2025 reports continue our long and strong track record of excellent results in both ISI and Good School Guide assessments.

Who is the ISI?

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is the official body approved by the UK government’s Department for Education to inspect independent schools in England. Its role is to assess areas including the quality of education, pupils’ personal development, welfare and safety, leadership and management and whether schools meet statutory standards. 

Previously, ISI reports would include grades such as “excellent”, “satisfactory” and “poor”, but to simplify its reports, it introduced a revised inspection framework that came into effect in September 2023. 

This updated approach changes how it assesses independent schools, with a clearer structure and a focus on consistent reporting across all inspections. Under the new framework, routine inspections cover key areas including leadership and management, pupils’ education, pupils’ health, wellbeing and social and economic development and safeguarding. 

The most significant change is that inspectors now report whether standards are met rather than providing graded judgements. This change aims to make inspection outcomes more straightforward and to highlight significant strengths where they are identified – and Heathfield Knoll’s leadership was noted as a significant strength. Only a very small percentage of schools receive a significant strength in their reports, as it is reserved for the very best practice.

Who is The Good Schools Guide?

The Good Schools Guide is a respected and completely independent provider of assessments and information on schools. It provides unbiased and candid reviews of schools across the UK, helping families understand a school’s strengths and culture from an informed perspective. 

The Good Schools Guide has been published since 1986 and aims to support parents in making confident choices about education. Currently, it reviews over 1,300 schools, accounting for independent, state, online and SEND-specific schools, to help parents make the right choice for their child.

SEND provision “unique” and “outstanding”

Both the ISI report and Good Schools Guide highlight Heathfield Knoll’s strong provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As The Good Schools Guide put it, our SEND provision “has become the beating heart of Heathfield Knoll’s identity” following the appointment of our Headteacher, Lawrence Collins.

Similarly, the ISI highlighted that our “leaders work extremely effectively to enable these pupils to re-engage in school life by creating a very caring and supportive learning environment.” 

Both reports emphasised the value of our specialist Connect resource, which works seamlessly with mainstream learning to offer understanding and empathy across the school community. This is reinforced by parents who contributed to the GSG report, stating: “‘If your child has any sort of SEND requirement Heathfield really is the number one choice in the area.”

Importantly, both reports highlighted our blend of mainstream and specialist education for SEND pupils as a standout feature of Heathfield Knoll. With around half of our students identified as having additional learning needs, this was incredibly important.

Rapid progress for all

As noted in our ISI report, Heathfield Knoll “embrace[s] the shared goal of ensuring that each and every pupil, whatever their age or learning needs, receives a relevant education, makes good progress and achieves well.” Further, our Headteacher highlighted to the Good Schools Guide that “what is good for SEND children is good for all children”, and this is evident in our results.

The ISI reviews additional data to complement its reports, verifying that Heathfield Knoll’s education is equivalent to one higher grade at GCSE level; this is assessed via benchmarking students’ grades when they join our school, then again once they have completed their GCSEs.

This is a result of a leadership team that is focused on “ensuring that each and every pupil, whatever their age or learning needs, receives a relevant education, makes good progress and achieves well.” The ultimate outcome, as highlighted by the ISI, is that “leavers typically obtain their preferred next placements.”

Staff put “wellbeing first and foremost”

Pupil wellbeing is another area that both reports highlight as a strength of Heathfield Knoll. The ISI noted that “Leaders and staff meet regularly to review individual pupils’ wellbeing”, spotlighting one of our most important and consistent practices at Heathfield Knoll.

It also recognises the quality of our staff’s expertise in wellbeing, emphasising our commitment to hiring qualified experts in wellbeing and mental health: “Leaders ensure that the school team of teachers, teaching assistants, therapists and counsellors are suitably trained in approaches to helping pupils with their academic and any mental health needs.”

The Good School Guide further notes that it observed “a cohort of happy, relaxed pupils” and “didn’t hear a sniff of academic pressure”, which is a common misconception of independent schools. 

Recognition for leadership

Heathfield Knoll’s leadership team receives praise for both its clarity of vision and the way in which it promotes pupil wellbeing and supports their future aspirations. It noted: “Leaders ensure that pupils’ aspirations for future opportunities when they leave school are suitably encouraged”, discussing our focus on providing “impartial advice” and ability to “facilitate suitable work experience placements”.

Further, our leadership team received praise for its commitment to safeguarding and how members “emphasise the importance of staff listening to pupils”. This results in pupils making direct change as a result of an open culture, including the implementation of a viewing platform to admire the school’s acres of natural spaces.

Reception prepares pupils effectively

Reception is a key stage in pupils’ education, as they move from the play-based curriculum and childcare available in Nursery to a focus on preparing for full-time education. The ISI guide noted that “leaders ensure that children in the Reception class have a suitable learning environment which meets their age-related needs and prepares them well for their next steps in the junior school.”

This is especially important to parents who are considering an all-through school from Nursery or reception onwards. Children move seamlessly from our Little Cedars Nursery to Reception, where they “receive a strong grounding in their physical and emotional development” in a “large, well-resourced reception classroom” ahead of entering Year 1. 

Thoughts from our head

“Our latest ISI and Good Schools Guide reports reflect what we see here every day,” our Headteacher, Lawrence Collins comments. “We’re proud that both of these reports have recognised the efforts we put into offering a strong experience for every pupil, with a specialist focus on supporting SEND students. 

“We are delighted that both external inspections recognise our dedication to helping families feel confident in the education and care their children receive.”

“For parents seeking a school that supports children both with and without additional needs while encouraging personal growth and future success, these reports offer reassurance that Heathfield Knoll is the right choice.”