Rawdhatul Uloom Islamic Primary School

School report Rawdhatul Uloom Islamic Primary 184 Whalley Old Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5NZ

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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This school is good because

 Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils very well. They question them skilfully to continually check their knowledge and understanding.  Leaders and managers have ensured that the quality of teaching and standards pupils reach have significantly improved since the last inspection.  Most pupils reach standards in English and mathematics that are expected for pupils their age. Some reach much higher standards.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and say it is ‘like a big family’. They feel safe and very well cared for.  Pupils’ behaviour and personal development is outstanding. The respect they show to each other and to all adults is excellent.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Pupils do not get enough information about how they can improve their work and the knowledge and skills they need to move to the next curriculum level.  Leaders and managers do not regularly share the best practice in teaching with other teachers to improve the amount of outstanding teaching.  Not all teachers are involved in using the information about the standards pupils reach to improve the quality of teaching.

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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 inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, staff, pupils and trustees. There were insufficient responses to Ofsted’s on-line Parent View to be considered. Thirteen questionnaire responses from staff were analysed.  The school’s documentation was checked including schemes of work, teachers’ planning, records of pupils’ progress, assessment records, development planning and self-evaluation. Welfare, health, safety and safeguarding policies and procedures were examined, together with attendance records and records relating to behaviour and complaints.  Inspectors observed 11 lessons taught by seven different teachers. Pupils’ books were studied during the lessons observed.

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Inspection team

Jo Sharpe, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Saleem Hussain Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Rawdhatul Uloom is an independent Muslim school which is registered to provide full-time education for girls and boys between the ages of four and 11 years. The school opened in 1992.  The school aims to ‘provide the very best possible education to our children’ and to achieve ‘utmost optimum learning for each child in a happy atmosphere where children feel valued’.  There are currently 128 pupils on roll, none of whom has a statement of special educational needs.  The school was last inspected in November 2010. A progress monitoring visit took place in April 2012.  The school uses an off-site facility for some of its physical education activities.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to raise attainment by:  sharing the elements of outstanding teaching with all teachers  ensuring that all teachers use the information gathered on the standards pupils reach more effectively  using more detailed marking to ensure that pupils are made aware of how they can improve their work  ensuring that pupils are made more aware of the skills and knowledge that they need to achieve to move to the next National Curriculum level.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Achievement is good. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and experiences which are generally just below that expected for their age. They make good progress and leave the school at the end of Year 6 with standards in English and mathematics that are at or above other pupils of the same age nationally. The standards pupils reach in all subjects is improving over time, particularly in mathematics and science where many pupils are now making outstanding progress. Pupils make outstanding progress in some lessons, for example in a Year 5 English lesson about synonyms, due to the high expectations of teachers. Pupils take entrance examinations to apply for places at Muslim secondary schools. The vast majority of pupils pass these and gain entry to the school of their choice.

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Pupils’ achievement Good

Leaders and teachers in the Early Years Foundation Stage make sure that children make good and sometimes outstanding progress due to the high quality of teaching and the curriculum. These young children learn well through a wide range of activities, including those led by adults and others they choose for themselves. Pupils who need extra support from time to time as they may have additional learning needs or are at risk of falling behind make progress in line with their peers. Pupils read regularly to adults and although standards in reading have fallen slightly this year compared to last year, pupils enjoy reading and read fluently by the end of Year 6. Pupils achieve well in their Islamic studies. They study various aspects of the Islamic faith such as Hadeeth and gain a good understanding of the importance these aspects play in their religion.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Pupils’ behaviour and personal development are outstanding. The daily teaching of good manners and personal development (Akhlaaq) supports and promotes the excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. Pupils’ self-esteem is nurtured and they eagerly take on responsibilities, for example as monitors. Monitors ensure everybody is very safe and happy during break-times. These roles are taken on with great maturity and older pupils deal very sensitively with the younger children. Pupils take great care of their environment and each other. Pupils move around the school carefully at all times, and ensure that their school is tidy and litter free.

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and are eager to participate in discussions, demonstrating their growing confidence and independence. In lessons, they share ideas and help others very well. They feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Pupils and staff comment that behaviour is consistently outstanding at all times. Attendance is good. The school has highly robust systems in place to deal with non-attendance and lateness. Younger children learn from visiting speakers, such as the local fire service, about how to keep safe. Pupils learn about their own religion and other faiths and cultures so that they are well prepared for life in modern democratic British society. Pupils develop a clear understanding of right and wrong, and a respect for the law. They complete a topic on London which helps them to further their understanding of public institutions and services in England. Equal opportunities are promoted well and the school takes

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Pupils’ behaviour and personal development Outstanding

great care to ensure that pupils appreciate different points of view. Pupils comment that, ‘We are one family from different parts of the world but we should treat everyone the same.’ Pupils show a good awareness of how to keep safe when using information and communication technology (ICT) and are continually reminded to ‘think before you click’ and ‘do not give out personal information’.

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Quality of teaching Good

The quality of teaching is good and is reflected in pupils’ good achievement. Teachers are highly skilled at questioning pupils to find how much they know and understand, and help them think more carefully. All adults are skilful at questioning pupils to fully assess their understanding so that good and better progress is made. Pupils in a Year 6 mathematics lessons made outstanding progress due to this skilful questioning. Such continual assessment means that teachers know their pupils well and this helps them to support all the different abilities within the class. The good quality teaching means that pupils are interested and fully engaged in their learning. In all lessons, the relationships between teachers, teaching assistants and pupils are excellent. All adults work exceptionally well together to ensure that all pupils are learning throughout the lessons. As a result, pupils are keen succeed and confident in seeking help. Teachers’ subject knowledge is

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Quality of teaching Good

good. Teachers set consistently high expectations and the presentation of pupils’ work is always of a high standard. Teachers are highly reflective and are eager to consider how they can improve their teaching to improve pupils’ achievement.

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Quality of teaching Good

Teachers mark pupils work regularly. However, they do not let pupils know how they could improve their work. Pupils are aware of the National Curriculum level they have reached in most subjects. However, very few of them know the skills and knowledge they have learnt to achieve that level. Pupils are also not aware of the skills and knowledge they must work on to achieve the next level.

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Quality of curriculum Good

The quality of the curriculum is good. It covers all the required areas of learning and provides pupils with a range of subjects and topics which capture and promote interest and engagement. Leaders and teachers ensure the secure development of English and mathematics skills and knowledge through this carefully planned curriculum. The curriculum is enhanced by the high quality of Islamic studies which contribute strongly to the personal development of pupils. All teachers plan carefully to ensure that skills and knowledge are taught to pupils at the appropriate age and in a manner that will help them to learn. Teachers in the Early Years Foundation Stage have ensured that the curriculum now covers all the areas of learning that are required for children of this age. The curriculum is excellent at promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Adults enhance the curriculum by welcoming visitors, for example the nurse and the

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Quality of curriculum Good

doctor, to the Early Years Foundation Stage. Older pupils visit different places to support learning that takes place in the classroom. There are some activities that take place outside the school day. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage use ICT confidently in their learning activities. Leaders ensure that the ICT suite is used by all pupils on a regular basis and these sessions successfully support their good and often outstanding learning across different subjects.

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Outstanding

Pupils’ welfare, health and safety are outstanding. All the independent school standards and the welfare requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. All adults ensure that the highest level of care and every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of pupils at all times. All adults are trained in child protection procedures, and leaders and managers train more than the required number of staff in aspects such as higher level safeguarding and first aid. Recruitment is robust and ensures the suitability of all adults in school, including supply staff who are provided through an agency. All the necessary checks are made and recorded on a single central register. Policies cover a wide range of topics, are robust, kept up-to-date and implemented effectively. Procedures such as fire testing, evacuations and checking the safety of appliances take place regularly and are systematically recorded. Arrangements to keep pupils safe in school and when on

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Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Outstanding

Adults take great care to ensure that pupils are well supervised at all times. Relationships between adults and pupils are excellent and this enables pupils to feel confident in raising any questions or worries. The school’s procedures for promoting outstanding behaviour, and for dealing with and eliminating bullying, are consistently implemented and highly effective. Pupils say bullying does not take place in school and behaviour is always excellent. Pupils and adults all expect and maintain exceptionally high standards of behaviour. Leaders and managers keep careful records of incidents of misbehaviour or disagreements. Attendance and admission records meet requirements and particular attention is paid to their accuracy. Any absence is followed up immediately to ensure the safety of all pupils.

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Leadership and management Good

The leadership and management of the school are good. Leaders and managers are highly committed to maintaining and building on the strong improvements made since the last inspection. This dedication to moving forward and making the school outstanding in all aspects is shared by all adults. The trustees ensure the effective management of the finances and the premises. Leaders and trustees know their school well. Their self-evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement accurately informs their plans for development. They work well to tackle areas of weakness and this is evidenced by the improvements seen in the quality of teaching and the standards pupils reach. All adults are excellent role models to pupils by demonstrating respect and care to everybody. Leaders, managers and the trustees have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.

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Leadership and management Good

The premises and accommodation are well maintained. Although space is often limited, leaders and managers utilise the available space well. A complaints policy is available on the school website and careful records are kept of all complaints. Parents and carers are kept well informed about their child’s learning and progress through detailed written annual reports and consultation evenings. The school’s website and workshops keep parents, carers and others well informed about the school and its work.

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Leadership and management Good

Teachers say they are well supported and take part in training on a regular basis both internally and externally. However, leaders and managers do not share the outstanding practice in teaching in the school with all teachers in order to improve teaching across the school. Teachers, leaders and managers assess the standards pupils reach with exceptional accuracy and regularity. This information is held on a centrally based commercial programme but it is not shared with all teachers. As a result, they are unable to consider the progress all pupils are making and then use this information more effectively to improve the quality of teaching.

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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 the quality of education has serious weaknesses.

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School details

Unique reference number 119848 Inspection number 422708 DfE registration number 889/6003 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. Type of school Muslim day School status Independent School Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 128 Proprietor Siddiqiyya Educational Trust Headteacher Mr A W Wasway Date of previous school inspection 9 November 2010 Annual fees (day pupils) £960.00 Telephone number 01254 670017 Fax number 01254 670017 Email address info@gardenofknowledge.co.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

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School details

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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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