Al-Falah Primary School

Al Falah Primary School 48 Kennington Road, Clapton, London, E5 8BY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good 2

Achievement of pupils Good Quality of teaching Good Behaviour and safety of pupils Good Leadership and management Good

p.1

Summary of key findings

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well. The vast majority make good progress and reach standards that are above average.  Most teaching challenges pupils effectively because teachers have good subject knowledge and know pupils very well. Some teaching is outstanding, especially in English and mathematics.  Pupils work hard in most lessons. Their behaviour is often very good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils generally behave safely around the school and they are well supervised.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is very strong.  Leaders play a key role in making sure teaching is good and improving. They know the key strengths of the school and what needs to be done to make further improvements. As a result, pupils’ achievement has improved since the last inspection.  Members of the management committee regularly challenge school leaders to make sure that improvements are made at the right

p.1

Summary of key findings

rate. Their knowledge of the school is good, and improving.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is not always precise enough in providing guidance about what needs to be improved.  A small proportion of lower-ability pupils make slightly slower progress than other pupils.  Occasionally, pupils are not given work that is sufficiently challenging.  The management committee’s role in evaluating improvements is not defined sharply enough.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 11 lessons and made short visits to a further 12 lessons.  Meetings were held with school leaders, two members of the management committee, staff and pupils.  A range of the school’s documentation and records was scrutinised, including policies, curriculum planning and information about pupils’ achievement.  Inspectors heard pupils read, analysed examples of their work and observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime and breaktime.  There were 19 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents and carers. Inspectors also met with a group of parents and carers.  Inspectors considered 14 responses to the staff questionnaire.

p.2

Inspection team

Matthew Haynes, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Rory O’Doherty Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Al Falah Primary School is an independent, Muslim day school. It opened in 2001 as a boys’ primary school and it extended its provision in 2005 to admit girls as well as boys. The school provides an Islamic curriculum in addition to all subjects of the National Curriculum. The school aims to give equal significance to both areas, integrating ‘Islamic values into our pupils’ social and moral education’.  There are currently 98 pupils on roll aged from six to 11 years, with slightly more boys than girls. The school is registered to admit a maximum of 120 pupils. No pupils have a statement of special educational needs.  All current pupils are Muslims, although the school’s admissions policy is welcoming to pupils of all faiths and none. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds. While English is often not the only language spoken at home it is fluently spoken by all pupils.  The school has been inspected twice before, in 2007 and 2010. At the time of the last inspection

p.3

Information about this school

the school’s overall effectiveness was judged to be satisfactory.  A management committee was formed in May 2013 to provide strategic governance for the school.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of pupils who make rapid and sustained progress by:  making sure that lower-ability pupils consistently make the same progress as other pupils  challenging pupils effectively in all lessons by giving them work that is well suited to their different abilities  regularly giving pupils precise feedback about what they need to do to improve and making sure that they make these improvements.  Strengthen leadership further by ensuring that the management committee has a clearly-defined role in evaluating improvements.

p.3

Achievement of pupils Good

 The standards achieved by pupils in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 are higher than national averages because, overall, pupils make good progress from a wide variety of starting points. Good teaching and an effective curriculum lead to pupils’ good achievement.  Pupils’ achievement in other areas of the curriculum is usually good because the schemes of work that teachers use to plan lessons are detailed and include appropriate content. This includes Islamic Studies and the study of the Qur’an, which are well balanced with the full range of subjects in the National Curriculum.  Pupils learn to recite the Qur’an accurately and explore the meaning of what they are reading. Islamic Studies effectively broadens and deepens their understanding of the Muslim faith.  Pupils get a range of opportunities across the curriculum to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. Work is neat and well organised since pupils take pride in the presentation of their work.

p.4

Achievement of pupils Good

 Pupils read frequently, enthusiastically and widely. Early reading skills are taught well. In addition to making good use of the school’s library, pupils visit the local library very regularly to borrow a wide range of books.  The most able pupils make good progress because they are set difficult work that challenges them. Some make very rapid progress. Consequently, these pupils attain highly.  The majority of lower-ability pupils make good progress, but the progress of a minority is slower than it is for other pupils. When they get the extra help and support they need, their achievement invariably rises.  Teachers assess pupils’ achievement often and accurately and leaders frequently check to make sure pupils are on track to make good progress. When pupils are at risk of falling behind, leaders make sure that action is taken to help them catch up.  Boys and girls achieve equally well. All pupils, therefore, have an equal opportunity to succeed.

p.4

Achievement of pupils Good

 Parents are well informed about their children’s achievement.

p.4

Quality of teaching Good

 Most teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teaching is generally strongest in English and mathematics.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and know pupils’ abilities well. As a result, teachers plan lessons that are usually well adapted to meet pupils’ needs.  In the best lessons, pupils are given challenging work. They are clear about what they are learning and why, and what they need to do to succeed. Pupils are given a number of opportunities to reflect on what they have learnt, for example through the use of ‘learning logs’. Homework makes a positive contribution to pupils’ work in class.  Questioning by teachers and teaching assistants frequently deepens and extends pupils’ thinking. Pupils are given helpful verbal feedback during lessons which contributes effectively to their good progress.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. However, they do not always give pupils advice that precisely identifies what needs to be improved. Also, pupils are not always required to make

p.4

Quality of teaching Good

improvements to their work.  Pupils are occasionally given work that is not hard enough. When this happens, it is usually in subjects other than English and mathematics or in the Islamic curriculum. This means that pupils, including some lower-ability pupils, do not always make as much progress as they could.  Parents and carers value the work of teachers and teaching assistants.

p.4

Behaviour and safety of pupils Good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good.  In the majority of lessons pupils’ behaviour is at least good and often outstanding. Pupils concentrate hard, work well together and want to achieve well. In a minority of lessons, however, pupils can lose concentration because they are not fully challenged.  Teachers and other adults manage pupils’ behaviour effectively because they consistently apply the clear policy that is in place. Pupils are polite and courteous to adults and to each other.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and value their education. As a result, attendance is above average.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The school is a safe place and security is tight. Leaders ensure that all statutory safeguarding requirements are met. The school implements the necessary policies to keep pupils safe, including doing thorough checks on all staff.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including on the internet.

p.5

Behaviour and safety of pupils Good

 Pupils are aware of the different types of bullying and how to tackle them. Bullying is very rare, however, and when it does occur it is minor and dealt with swiftly and effectively.  At lunchtime and breaktime, pupils are well supervised by adults. Pupils play well together, although occasionally they can be a little boisterous. Also, some pupils move around the building too quickly at these times.  Pupils understand the differences between people of different backgrounds and faiths, showing a strong level of tolerance. They are taught about what is right and wrong, British law and about life in modern democratic Great Britain, primarily through humanities subjects and personal, social and health education (PSHE). They also make a number of trips, for example to the offices of the London Mayor and to the Houses of Parliament.

p.5

Leadership and management Good

 The headteacher regularly makes thorough checks on teachers’ performance. Teachers and teaching assistants receive regular, well-targeted training. As a result, teaching and achievement have improved since the last inspection and are good overall.  Leaders’ checks on how well the school is doing are accurate and detailed. These lead to a well- targeted improvement plan which focuses rightly on a number of key priorities.  Subject leaders play an important part in improvement. They observe lessons, check teachers’ planning and scrutinise pupils’ work. They also frequently check information about pupils’ progress, identifying any pupils at risk of falling behind, and rightly acting to put extra help and support in place.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a key strength of the school. This is because weekly assemblies on a range of appropriate topics combine effectively with a carefully-

p.5

Leadership and management Good

planned curriculum, extra-curricular activities and a number of activities in the community involving pupils.  The curriculum prepares pupils well for the next stage in their education. It is thoroughly planned and Islamic Studies and the National Curriculum integrate well to provide pupils with a rich and balanced experience.  Members of the management committee meet regularly and challenge leaders about the school’s effectiveness. This is based on increasingly detailed information about pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. They check the headteacher’s performance frequently. They also ensure that only good performance by staff is rewarded, and that any areas of weakness are dealt with effectively. While they are aware of the priorities for improvement for the school, they do not yet have a sharply-defined role in evaluating improvements.

p.5

Grade Judgement

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Requires improvement Grade 4 Inadequate

p.6

Grade Judgement

Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Non-association independent school inspection handbook which is published on the Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/140053 .

p.6

School details

Unique reference number 133449 Inspection number 422751 DfE registration number 204/6410 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 Primary School status Independent Muslim day school Age range of pupils 6–11 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 98 Number of part time pupils 0 Proprietor Al Falah Education Trust Chair Imtiyaz Hajat Headteacher Mohammad Abu Hussain Date of previous school inspection 30 November-1 December 2010 Annual fees (day pupils) £2,400.00 Telephone number 020 8985 1059 Fax number 020 8985 1059 Email address info@alfalahschool.org.uk guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If

p.7

School details

you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

p.8

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

p.8

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,

p.8

School details

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.8

School details

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

p.8