King Fahad Academy

King Fahad Academy Independent school standard inspection report

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DfE registration number 307/6068 Unique Reference Number (URN) 101957 Inspection number 408416 Inspection dates 2–3 October 2012 Reporting inspector Daniel Towl HMI achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk No. 090070 Independent school standard inspection report

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Purpose and scope of the inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Section 162A of the Education Act 2002, as amended by schedule 8 of the Education Act 2005, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school. 1, 2

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Information about the school

The King Fahad Academy, founded in 1985, is an independent day school in Acton , London. It provides education for Saudi and other Arab Muslims from abroad and the local community. The school aims to help all students realise their potential and become well-balanced, productive citizens who appreciate the multicultural world in which they live. It offers a bi-lingual international curriculum which is authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organisation. It is a mixed school and serves pupils aged from three to 18 years. There are 382 pupils on roll. It was last inspected in February 2010. Pupils are often admitted or leave the school at times other than the usual admission times. Many pupils start the school with little or no spoken English. No pupils have a statement of special educational needs. There is a registered crèche on site run by the school which was last inspected in April 2012 and was not part of

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Information about the school

this inspection. There are no children in receipt of nursery funding.

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Evaluation of the school

The school provides pupils with a satisfactory education. The school meets all the requirements. The curriculum is good because it is broad and wide ranging and meeting the needs of pupils. Teaching and assessment are satisfactory overall. While there is some good teaching it is inconsistent across the school leading to pupils’ variable progress. The personal development of pupils is good. Requirements for safeguarding are met. Welfare, health and safety have improved since the last inspection and are now good. The provision for Early Years Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection.

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Quality of education

The quality of education is satisfactory. The curriculum is good. While there are good aspects to the school’s provision, teaching is not consistently good in all age groups and this means that progress is variable across the school and satisfactory overall. While the curriculum is broad, relevant and planned at appropriate levels, the activities are not always sufficiently well managed in lessons to ensure pupils’ good progress.

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Quality of education

1 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/contents . 2 www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/contents . Independent school standard inspection report The curriculum is planned in sufficient detail to provide continuity. It successfully covers all the required areas of learning and there is a good balance of academic study and more creative and physical activity, giving pupils broad experiences. The curriculum also helps those pupils who return to their home country where most will follow a similar curriculum programme. Pupils gain a wide perspective of the subjects taught. The programmes of study also contribute successfully to developing organisational, presentational and independent learning skills which are stressed by teachers during lessons. In the best lessons this means that pupils are developing skills of cooperation, independence and reflection.

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Quality of education

Pupils follow the International Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme . The Middle Years programme has only recently been introduced and therefore it has not had time to have a strong impact on the quality of teaching and progress of pupils as staff become better acquainted with its requirements. The programme will be fully implemented in September 2013, with the aim of helping pupils have a smoother transition to the International Baccalaureate diploma courses.

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Quality of education

The oldest pupils follow the International Baccalaureate diploma and younger secondary pupils have the option of taking the International GCSE or an internal International Baccalaureate examination. Those taking the International GCSE last year made good progress from their starting points. Pupils are able to take English, mathematics, separate sciences and Arabic. They may also opt for subjects such as French, history, geography, art and design and technology. Primary age pupils have a broad curriculum which has an appropriate focus on key skills in English and mathematics but their studies also have wide-ranging inquiry units of work which successfully link subjects such as science, history and geography and focus on themes such as ‘who we are’, ‘how we express ourselves’, ‘how the world works’ among others. These units contribute effectively to pupils’ personal and social education where their progress is good. Physical education, art, music and drama

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Quality of education

also feature regularly. There is a wide range of after-school activities available.

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Quality of education

The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum is well planned and children make good progress from their starting points. They make the best progress in their personal and social development, speaking and listening and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children are able to use good English vocabulary to convey their meaning to others and to speak in a large group which represents good progress because many enter the school speaking little or no English with few having any experience of playgroups or activities outside the home.

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Quality of education

Teaching and assessment are satisfactory overall. The teaching of Arabic is good. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and this leads to an ethos of respect which is conducive to learning. Teaching is stronger in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the upper stages of the secondary years where it is more frequently good and leads to better progress in lessons. In a kindergarten lesson, for example, children had opportunities to use their creativity and language and shared ideas about animals. Older pupils in the secondary phase in a biology lesson were Independent school standard inspection report given clear learning objectives, had opportunities to extend learning and the teachers’ questions allowed the development of a difficult concept and gave pupils time to develop their explanations.

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Quality of education

While teachers plan appropriate work, classroom management is not always sufficiently effective to ensure that the pace of learning is suitably challenging all pupils, allowing them to engage and participate effectively in order to make good progress. In some lessons not enough attention is given to ensuring that pupils maintain their concentration and stay focused on their individual tasks and during whole-class sessions. The balance of teacher talk and pupil activity sometimes denies pupils enough opportunities to contribute effectively. The level of appropriate challenge for different abilities and different levels of understanding of English is not consistently applied. This means that pupils do not always achieve as much as they could and progress is satisfactory rather than good. Younger pupils who have special educational needs make good progress with their reading.

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Quality of education

Many pupils come to the school with little knowledge of the English language and this hinders their progress in the early stages at the school because most of the curriculum is taught in English. Bi-lingual teachers and classmates successfully use Arabic to help those new to English understand instructions and activities and this enables them to be included in lessons. Some pupils receive helpful additional adult support during lessons.

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Quality of education

Teachers regularly assess pupils, for example in end-of-unit tests or through regular marking. Assessment to provide a clear picture of pupils’ ongoing rate of progress term to term and year by year is underdeveloped. The school is currently improving its assessment procedures, especially in the primary years, to provide this type of information. The assessment procedures in the Early Years Foundation Stage are appropriate. The school has recently adopted the International Schools’ assessment tests for pupils aged 7 – 14 years which enables comparison against other international schools.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good. Pupils attend daily prayers in the mosque. Pupils' behaviour around the school and in lessons is mostly good. At breaktimes younger pupils play energetically together in mixed groups and older pupils engage in conversation in small social groups. There are regular religious education lessons in which pupils not only learn about Islam but also about the key tenets of other religions. Opportunities are provided in the curriculum to discuss issues about friendship and the importance of getting on with others from different backgrounds. The oldest pupils said they are confident about going on to university and meeting people from all backgrounds and faiths. Pupils have been involved with a Saudi cultural event at the Victoria and Albert Museum and are members of the Youth Three Faiths Forum, an interfaith programme. Those pupils who spoke to inspectors said that most people get on well with each other

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

though some pupils also mentioned that there was some ‘falling-out’ from time to Independent school standard inspection report time and occasionally they felt that teachers did not do enough to ‘sort things out’. Most pupils’ attendance is satisfactory though for some pupils this is adversely affected by visits abroad for family reasons or for particular festivals and celebrations in their home countries.

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Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

Relationships in classrooms are good. Although boys and girls have segregated lessons between the ages of 11 and 16 years, there are some opportunities to work together and they undertake joint outside visits. There is a wide range of school visits to places of interest which successfully enriches the curriculum and helps pupils understand about British institutions and services. History topics enable older pupils to study the Second World War. Pupils develop a sense of responsibility within the wider community and have been involved with Children in Need, The Climate Change Challenge project and the Breast Cancer Research fund-raising campaign. There are also weekly visits to help at a local primary school.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

Provision for welfare, health and safety is good. Procedures and practices have improved since the last inspection. Child protection policies are clear and staff training is up to date. The designated officers for child protection have had an appropriate level of training. Risk assessments for fire safety and outside visits are completed appropriately. Other risk assessments are undertaken within departments but are not yet formally coordinated across the school. Electrical safety tests have been completed.

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

Pupils told inspectors that incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils are aware of the dangers of substance abuse and have been given advice about internet safety. Pupils know about leading healthy lifestyles which is taught through inquiry units in the primary years, personal, social and health education, science and physical education. Two primary classes, for example, were learning about how their heart rate was affected by exercise. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are encouraged to have healthy snacks and use the outdoor play area to support their gross motor skills and to promote their physical health. Guidance about healthy eating is sent to all families of primary pupils in both languages. There is a suitable number of staff who have first-aid training, including paediatric first aid for staff working in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The school correctly maintains its admissions and

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Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

The procedures for appointing and checking staff are appropriate. The member of staff responsible has a thorough knowledge of the nationally recommended procedures to appoint staff and make checks on their suitability to work with children. Outcomes of checks are recorded appropriately on the single central register. Independent school standard inspection report

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Premises and accommodation at the school

The extensive premises are well maintained and provide a safe and effective environment for learning through a wide range of activities. The premises have recently been refurbished. There is good specialist accommodation to support the more practical and active curriculum areas such as art, science and physical education. Premises are kept clean and the main thoroughfares and corridors are kept clear promoting safe movement for pupils and adults around the site.

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Provision of information

The school has a helpful website which provides a wide range of information about the school. Other required documents are available on request at the school. There are regular reports home to parents and carers which describe pupils’ achievements along with opportunities to meet staff.

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Manner in which complaints are to be handled

The school’s procedures for handling complaints meet the requirements. A very small number of parents who contacted the lead inspector were not satisfied with the way that the school handled their complaints and concerns.

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What the school could do to improve further

While not required by regulations, the school might wish to consider the following points for development:

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What the school could do to improve further

 develop teachers’ skills in managing classroom activities to ensure that pupils are always fully engaged and making good progress  use the developing assessment procedures to provide sharper information about the rate at which pupils are progressing in their learning. Independent school standard inspection report Inspection judgements outstanding

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The quality of education

How well the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of pupils 

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The quality of education

How effective teaching and assessment are in meeting the full range of pupils’ needs 

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The quality of education

How well pupils make progress in their learning 

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The quality of education

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Quality of provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 

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Welfare, health and safety of pupils

The overall welfare, health and safety of pupils  Independent school standard inspection report

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School details

Type of school International all-age school

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School details

Number on roll (full-time pupils) Boys: 180 Girls: 202 Total: 382

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School details

Number on roll (part-time pupils) Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

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School details

Number of children aged 0–3 in registered childcare provision Boys:2 Girls:4 Total:6

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School details

Number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs Boys: 0 Girls: 0 Total: 0

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £2,000 – £4,000

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School details

Address of school Bromyard Avenue East Action London W3 7HD

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School details

Proprietor Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Independent school standard inspection report

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of King Fahad Academy, Ealing, W3 7HD

Thank for making the inspection team welcome when we came to your school. Thank you also to all those of you we spoke to individually or in groups. We found it very interesting seeing all the learning activities that you take part in.

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Inspection of King Fahad Academy, Ealing, W3 7HD

 the broad and interesting curriculum you follow  how well the school helps children starting school in the Kindergarten  your behaviour  the way in which the school is helping you to develop into confident young people able to mix with others of all backgrounds.

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Inspection of King Fahad Academy, Ealing, W3 7HD

I have asked the Director to help you even more by:

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Inspection of King Fahad Academy, Ealing, W3 7HD

 making sure that more of your lessons are good which will help you to learn really well all the time  ensuring that teachers have a more effective way to measure how well you are making progress.

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