Darul Uloom Islamic High School

Darul Uloom Islamic High School 521-527 Coventry Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, B10 0LL

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Overall effectiveness Good 2

Pupils’ achievement Good 2 Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Quality of curriculum Good 2 Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This school is good because

 Students make above average progress in their learning between Years 7 and 11; progress in mathematics and science is outstanding.  There has been continuous improvement in examination results at the end of Year 11 over the last three years, because the quality of teaching is consistently good across the full range of subjects taught.  Students’ conduct in lessons is outstanding; they concentrate and take an active part in lessons with no distracting behaviour.  The school’s leaders and staff have worked tirelessly to create a harmonious community in which open-mindedness and mutual respect are celebrated.  The headteacher sets high expectations and ensures that there is a continuous focus on improving the quality of students’ learning and achievement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Students do not make the same rapid progress in English as they do in mathematics and science.  Students have insufficient opportunities for the use of information and communication technology to support their learning.  Students do not have a sufficiently wide range of learning experiences in the human and social area of learning.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets schedule 1 of The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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Information about this inspection

 The school was inspected with one day’s notice.  Thirteen lessons were observed taught by ten teachers, covering both the secular and religious areas of the curriculum. Of these, four were jointly observed with the headteacher.  The majority of students were taking part in external or internal examinations, or were out of school on work experience, during the inspection.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, a group of students, the school’s consultant improvement partner and a representative of the local police. Informal discussions took place with a number of students and members of staff. Four responses were received to a staff questionnaire.  A range of school documentation was read, including school policies and records; schemes of work and lesson plans; examples of students’ work; records of students’ progress and reports to parents; and the school’s self-evaluation.  There were insufficient responses to Ofsted’s online ‘Parent View’ questionnaire for an

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Inspection team

David Young, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Yusuf Seedat Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Darul Uloom Islamic High School is a day school registered for boys aged 11 to 19 years.  It was established in 1985 in the Small Heath area of Birmingham and is run by a charitable trust, the Jami Mosque.  The majority of students are of Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Somali heritage and a small number speak English as an additional language.  There are currently 110 students on roll aged 11 to 16 years. There are no students with a statement of special educational needs.  The school aims to: ‘Create a generation of talented and educated scholars who understand the Islamic way of life from its most authentic sources’.  The last inspection of the school was in November 2011.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that literacy skills are taught consistently in all subject areas in order to raise students’ standards in written and spoken English.  Widen the range of experiences available for all students in the curriculum by:  making greater use of computers for research and presentation of work  increasing the breadth of humanities subjects, particularly at Key Stage 3.  Provide opportunities for students to reflect on the spiritual and moral themes covered within the Hifz timetable.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

The quality of students’ achievement is good. Results in GCSE examinations by the end of Year 11 have improved steadily over the last three years. The school’s data, together with the results from external examinations, demonstrate that students make good progress over time. The percentage of students achieving five or more GCSE grades A* to C, including English and mathematics, was in line with the national average in 2012. The extent of students’ progress over time in mathematics and science is outstanding. All students achieved at least a grade C in mathematics and science in 2012, and a number achieved A* or A grades. The school’s systematic and reliable data, including examination results already achieved, predict that these standards will be exceeded this year, including a further increase in the number of A* and A grades awarded. Excellent results in GCSE Arabic, Urdu and Bengali contribute positively to students’ overall attainment. Students also

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Pupils’ achievement Good

demonstrate good progress with the memorisation of the Qur’an, working to and achieving clear individual targets. Standards in spoken and written English are not as high as in mathematics and science by the end of Year 11, but improving. The 2013 results in English are on course to exceed the national average. These standards are achieved as a result of an appropriate curriculum and the good quality of teaching.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Students’ behaviour and personal development are outstanding. Their excellent behaviour makes a strong positive contribution to effective learning in both the academic and Alim (religious) areas of the curriculum. Students are keen to take part in lessons, and are fully engaged in learning without any distracting behaviour. Relationships with staff demonstrate mutual respect and courtesy, and behaviour is outstanding as students concentrate fully on the activities of the lesson. There are also excellent relationships within the student body. There is strong provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students through many aspects of both the Alim and secular curriculum. Students’ focus and concentration during the lengthy daily sessions of learning the Qur’an are exemplary, but there are missed opportunities for reflection on the lessons taught through the text. There is a suitable range of themes and topics addressed through personal,

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

social and health education and citizenship lessons, including good preparation for life beyond school. Appropriate themes related to healthy lifestyles, including personal relationships and sex education, provide students with appropriate knowledge about how to conduct themselves within their families and the wider community. Opportunities for involvement in the wider community beyond the school are gradually developing, including work experience for all students during Year 10, and a strong focus on charitable giving. However, there are limited opportunities for students to contribute actively to community events and activities beyond the school.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

The school makes excellent provision to ensure students’ understanding of other faiths and cultures, including visits to alternative places of worship and visitors from representatives of other faiths in assemblies. There are good opportunities for reflection on, and extension of, themes from assemblies during tutor periods, although these are not always implemented systematically with all groups of students. Tolerance and respect for different viewpoints are fundamental to the learning activities and the actions of staff throughout the school. The school’s leaders and governors continue to be thorough and consistent in their promotion of moderate and balanced views about other faiths and cultures. Students develop confidence and self-esteem through experiences and successes in school. There are good opportunities through citizenship and the wider curriculum to understand the roles of public services and institutions in England, including the operation of a

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

democratically elected student council which is valued by the students.

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Quality of teaching Good

The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. Effective teaching in both the Alim and secular curriculum areas has a positive impact on learning and progress for all students. The staff have a good awareness of the strengths and learning needs of individual students based on thorough, continuous assessment of their achievements. The objectives for lessons are consistently presented to students who understand their individual targets for improvement. There is mostly good provision for students across the full range of abilities. Good use is made of the small group sizes, focused support for individuals within the group, and activities which enable all students to take an active part and to build on their previous learning. Teachers use effective questioning of individuals, and students working in pairs or as a whole class, to monitor their knowledge and the extent of their understanding. High quality, fast-paced questioning was used very effectively to

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Quality of teaching Good

check and develop students’ understanding in an outstanding mathematics lesson. Students were challenged effectively to explain and to extend their understanding, and they responded enthusiastically to opportunities to comment positively on each other’s ideas. Occasionally, teachers set common tasks which do not enable a small number of students at either end of the ability range to give of their best.

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Quality of teaching Good

There have been significant improvements in students’ spoken and written English, but standards are not yet as high as in mathematics and science. There is insufficient emphasis on the need for all staff, across all subject areas, to share responsibility for the development of grammar and presentation in written work. However, GCSE results in English have improved steadily, and this year they are anticipated to be above the national average as a result of consistently good teaching. Excellent use is made of assessment to monitor students’ progress. The headteacher has produced an outstanding analysis of students’ progress at whole school level. The use of National Curriculum levels, together with good understanding of GCSE grades, provides appropriate data for staff to monitor the progress which students are making. Effective arrangements are in place for intensive study-group support for students who may be falling behind with their rate of progress.

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Quality of teaching Good

High quality relationships, fast-paced learning, good humour, and continuous feedback characterise the good quality of teaching throughout the school.

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Quality of curriculum Good

The quality of the curriculum is good. The school has responded appropriately to the challenge of accommodating the full requirements of both the Alim and secular curriculum areas. An appropriate balance of subjects is provided, within a long teaching day. Good attention is given to the teaching of the core skills through English, mathematics and science. Arrangements for the timetabling of English are under review with the intention of accelerating the rise in standards in this subject. This includes a review of the current arrangements for study support after school. Students have access to a good range of subjects across all the required areas of learning. Improvements to the timetable since the time of the last inspection have resulted in an effective increase in students’ creative and aesthetic experiences. Time restrictions still result in some limitations in the human and social area of learning, in particular a lack of geography in the Key

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Quality of curriculum Good

Stage 3 curriculum. Students have insufficient access to computers, across the curriculum, to develop skills of research and presentation. Students have good opportunities to study foreign languages and they achieve substantial success in Arabic and Urdu. The Alim curriculum provides the essential balance which enables students to understand important aspects of their cultural and religious heritage.

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Quality of curriculum Good

The focus of the secular curriculum is on the preparation of students for GCSE examinations. All students achieve well by the end of Key Stage 4, and are suitably prepared for transition to further education and employment. Careers education is a strong feature of the curriculum in Key Stage 4 and all students have an opportunity to complete an ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network) award in preparation for working life. Year 11 students also reported the success of their work experience during Year 10; the current Year 10 students were out of school on work experience during the inspection. There has been an increase in the range of experiences for students in physical education since the last inspection, although limited use of off-site facilities restricts the further development, for example, of swimming or racquet sports. Good curriculum planning and constant review, together with suitable schemes of work and lesson plans, provide a

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Quality of curriculum Good

strong basis for the development of learning experiences over time. A good range of visits is being developed to places of relevance within the curriculum.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

Arrangements for students’ welfare, health and safety are good. There has been good progress with the implementation of these responsibilities since last full inspection of the school. All regulatory requirements are met. The headteacher pays good attention to the development of policy and monitors its consistent implementation. All aspects of routine administration, for example, the accurate completion of admission and attendance registers, are thorough. There is clear guidance for staff regarding the management of students and any concerns which may arise. Students report that they feel safe in school and have no concerns about bullying. Procedures and training for safeguarding and child protection, first aid and fire safety are thorough and up-to-date. Suitable, regular checks are maintained to ensure fire safety; records are maintained regularly and any remedial action is logged. Safe recruitment procedures are implemented effectively. Staff are

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Good

deployed effectively throughout the day to ensure adequate supervision and security for students.

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Leadership and management Good

The quality of leadership and management is good and all the required regulations are met. The school has made good progress since the last inspection, embedding a culture of moderation and tolerance throughout the school community. Governors and trustees took decisive action to enable the school to recover quickly from the negative influences at the time of the previous full inspection. Good attention is given to the core purposes and aims of the school. There are effective arrangements for staff development, with an appropriate focus on classroom management. The headteacher demonstrates good judgement in the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning. The school has been very well supported and challenged in its development by the work of a consultant improvement partner whose contribution continues to have a positive impact on the ethos and values of the school. Outstanding progress has been made, under the excellent

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Leadership and management Good

leadership of the headteacher, with the implementation of strategies for the assessment of students’ progress. The outcomes of regular assessment are fed back to teachers and have a positive impact on classroom teaching. The premises and accommodation provide a satisfactory environment for learning; some parts are a little drab and in need of freshening up. Appropriate information is provided for parents and carers through the school handbook and website, and a suitable procedure for managing any complaints is in place and implemented effectively. The school’s leaders have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and have identified suitable areas for improvement in its self-evaluation. The quality of leadership by the headteacher, well-supported by the staff, underpins the school’s capacity for continued development and success.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of education and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of education that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of education it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and/or the quality of education has serious weaknesses.

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School details

Unique reference number 103586 Inspection number 420214 DfE registration number 330/6078 This inspection was carried out 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.

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School details

Type of school Muslim faith day school School status Independent School Age range of pupils 11–19 Gender of pupils Boys Number of pupils on the school roll 110 Number of part time pupils 0 Proprietor Jami Mosque Chair Jahangir Akbar Headteacher Talal Hussain Date of previous school inspection November 2011 Annual fees (day pupils) £2,000 Telephone number 0121 772 6408 Fax number 0121 773 4340 Email address head@darululoom.org.uk guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

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School details

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School details

inspects to 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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