Normanton House School

Emergency inspection school report Normanton House School

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Normanton House, Village Street, Derby, DE23 8DF

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Reason for the inspection

 This inspection was conducted at the request of the Department for Education (DfE). The Department specified that the inspection should cover Part 3 of the independent schools standards, the welfare, health and safety of pupils.  The inspection was conducted with no notice.

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Main findings

 Insufficient arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils. The school’s safeguarding policy does not have regard to the latest statutory guidance from the Department for Education. The school’s safeguarding policy, as published on the school’s website, does not comply with the latest statutory requirements.

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Main findings

 A check on the school’s single central register found that leaders have not checked whether teachers have received prohibition orders or recorded this on the single central record. The school has not taken appropriate action to ensure that it meets the requirements of the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009, where applicable. The required checks on staff working with pupils aged eight and younger have not been undertaken. Leaders stated they were unaware of the requirement to do so.

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Main findings

 School leaders have recently led training for staff on safeguarding matters. While staff have been given clear guidance on how to spot signs of abuse, and how to record and report concerns, not all of them follow the correct procedures.

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Main findings

 Teaching staff record concerns about children’s welfare in the class file. No distinction is currently made between minor concerns, which are easily resolved, and concerns that may indicate more serious bullying issues. Concerns regarding safeguarding are logged in the class file; they are not stored confidentially. Not all concerns have been brought to the attention of the designated safeguarding lead.

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Main findings

 Although the correct administrative procedures have been followed when referrals to children’s social care services have been made, the school has not always passed on important and relevant information to local authorities. School leaders have not been alert to the potential risks for children who are missing education. A number of pupils have left the school during the course of the academic year. The school does not know where some of these pupils are, keep a record of this, or inform the local authority that pupils are no longer on the school roll.

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Main findings

 The proprietors have failed to ensure effective implementation of the school’s health and safety policy. The side entrance to the school, used by pupils arriving early or late, is insecure. The internal door into the main school building has a keypad lock, but this had been disabled at the time of the inspection. Inspectors found a fire door in the library to be blocked, with heavy items stored in front of it. Garden tools were found lying around in the outdoor play area of the Emergency inspection: Normanton House School, 7 July 2015 2 of 6

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Main findings

Reception class. A roll of barbed wire had been discarded in the front car park. Pupils arriving late were observed using this entrance.

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Main findings

 The primary school is in the process of converting the loft space into accommodation for the secondary pupils who are currently educated in a separate building. Equipment, materials and other items have been removed from the loft and deposited around various parts of the school to allow the work to be done. This presents several hazards. For example, a roll of material was placed in front of a fire extinguisher, making it less easy to access in case of fire.

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Main findings

 Scrutiny of the school’s attendance registers showed that incorrect codes were used to record pupils’ absence. For example, pupils who had a prolonged period of absence for illness were recorded as attending medical appointments.

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Main findings

 The school does not rigorously follow up the prolonged absence of some pupils. Procedures to make telephone calls to parents on the first day of absence are followed, and school staff make home visits when they are unable to contact home. However, there are no clear procedures for when pupils are absent for longer periods of time or when staff have not been able to make any contact with the family.

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Main findings

 During the inspection, the downstairs boys’ toilets were out of order. The school had plans in place to organise their repair, but these had not been carried out by the end of the inspection visit.

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Main findings

 The accommodation for the medical examination and treatment of pupils was unavailable for use during the inspection, as the bed that is normally used for such purposes had been moved to the library.

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Main findings

 Those persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school do not demonstrate the required skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that all the independent school standards are met. They do not actively promote the well-being of the pupils in the school. The school’s safeguarding policy, as published on the school’s website, does not meet requirements.

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Part 3: Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 The proprietors must ensure that appropriate arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school, and that the arrangements have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraphs 7, 7(a) and 7(b)).  The proprietors must ensure that an effective anti-bullying strategy is drawn up and implemented (paragraph 10).  The proprietors must ensure that the written policy on compliance with the relevant health and safety laws is effectively implemented (paragraph 11).  The proprietors must ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (paragraph 12).  The proprietors must ensure that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (paragraph 15).  The proprietors must ensure that the welfare of pupils is safeguarded and promoted by the Emergency inspection: Normanton House School, 7 July 2015 3 of 6

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Part 3: Welfare, health and safety of pupils

drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy and that appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified (paragraphs 16, 16(a), 16(b)).

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Part 4: Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors

 The proprietors must ensure that no such person is employed at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2003 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction (paragraphs 18(2), 18(2)(a)).  The proprietors must ensure that the single central register shows that all such checks referred to in 21(3)(b) have been carried out (paragraph 21(1)).  The proprietors must ensure that such checks in relation to each member of staff are carried out to establish whether each member of staff is subject to a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order (paragraphs 21(3), 21(3)(b)).

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Part 5: Premises of and accommodation at the school

 The proprietors must ensure that suitable toilet and washing facilities are provided for the sole use of pupils (paragraph 23(1), 23(1)(a)).  The proprietors must ensure that suitable accommodation is provided to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils, including accommodation for the medical examination of pupils and for the short term care of sick and injured pupils (paragraph 24(1), 24(1)(a), 24(1)(b)).  The proprietors must ensure that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured (paragraph 25).

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c). Emergency inspection: Normanton House School, 7 July 2015 4 of 6

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Inspection team

Deirdre Duignan, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Normanton House is an independent Islamic day school in Normanton, near to Derby city centre. It admits girls and boys from four to 11 years of age, and girls up to the age of 16. There are currently 130 pupils on roll. The majority of pupils are from Pakistani and Bangladeshi families who were born in the United Kingdom.  No pupil currently has a statement of special educational needs, and none is at the early stages of acquiring English.  The early years consists of one Reception class for children aged four and five years old. There are currently 18 children in the Reception class. Two children attend on a part-time basis; all other pupils attend full time.  The school opened in 2003. The primary school is located in a large refurbished and extended Victorian building. There are 25 girls in the secondary school, which is located in a separate building less than a mile away.  The school is owned by the Al Akram Trust and provides a mix of Islamic and secular teaching.

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Information about this school

It aims to ‘offer children a firm foundation in Islamic education, developing in them a deep love for ALLAH (The Exalted), the Quran and his Prophets (salutations and peace be upon them) as well as offering a broad, holistic primary education to enable every pupil to achieve their fullest potential, in the comfort of a supportive and stimulating Islamic ethos to become a positive and responsible member and contributor to the wider society’. The school further aims to help pupils realise that their well-being is closely connected to the well-being of others.  The school was last inspected in June 2014. Emergency inspection: Normanton House School, 7 July 2015 5 of 6

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School details

Unique reference number 134294 Inspection number 465073 DfE registration number 831/6006 Type of school Primary and secondary school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 4–14 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 130 Number of part time pupils 2 Proprietor Al-Akram Trust Chair Dr Piracha Headteacher Miss Anissa Iqbal Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2014 Annual fees (day pupils) £1,800 Telephone number 01332 769333 Fax number N/A Email address admin@alakramtrust.org.uk Emergency inspection: Normanton House School, 7 July 2015 6 of 6

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School details

guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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

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 and as part of the inspection.

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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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 and 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 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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