Al-Madani Girls School

Madni Institute Bath Road, Slough, SL1 5PR

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Inspection dates 29 September–1 October 2015

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Outcomes for children and learners Require improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Satisfactory

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Teaching, learning and assessment require improvement. Not enough teaching ensures good progress, particularly in English and mathematics.  Work set in Key Stage 3 is not hard enough and students in Key Stage 4 are not sufficiently stretched. Some teachers’ questioning does not challenge students to think deeply or to discuss their ideas with confidence.  Not all students are given a good enough grounding in literacy. Students persist in making the same spelling, punctuation and grammar errors because teachers do not correct them. Students do not have enough time to practise extended writing, which limits their progress.  Leaders do not monitor the quality of teaching closely enough. When monitoring teaching, school leaders pay more attention to what the teacher does than to how well students learn.

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The school has the following strengths

 Leaders, governors and the proprietor are determined guardians of the school’s welcoming culture, maintaining Islamic values while preparing students to take their place in modern British society.  Teaching and outcomes are improving quickly, notably in science and mathematics.  Leaders do all they can to protect students from extremism and radicalisation. Students understand how to keep themselves safe from risk.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher have made a considerable impact on students’ personal development and welfare in a very short time. Students feel safe and are safe in the school.  Students behave well at all times. Their conduct is characterised by a deep sense of tolerance and dutiful compassion towards others. Consequently, students’ behaviour is good.  Leaders have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching, learning and assessment, particularly in English and mathematics, by: asking more challenging questions to deepen students’ understanding and thinking managing students’ responses more effectively, so that they can communicate with greater confidence ensuring that tasks and topics set in each year group are hard enough in order to ensure progression from year to year.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve outcomes for all students, including the most able, by: tackling students’ errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar effectively planning sufficient time for students to write accurately and at length.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the impact of leadership and management by: ensuring that teachers’ targets for performance are precisely based on how well students are learning providing more detailed feedback and guidance for teachers when observing lessons and scrutinising students’ progress and work following up on reviews of teachers’ work with specific training and further observations.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher have not ensured that outcomes for students are good. While improvements have been made over the last two years, teaching and learning are not yet at a consistently good standard. This is why leadership and management require improvement.  Teachers’ appraisal targets do not relate closely enough to students’ progress. School leaders’ regular checks on teaching have focused too much on what teachers are doing, and whether they are following recommended approaches, rather than their impact on students’ learning. Feedback on teachers’ work is not detailed enough and is not linked to students’ results. When weaker teaching is observed, it is not always followed up with appropriate training and further checks.  School leaders have ensured that the independent school standards are met. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are committed role models for the students and carry out their duties with

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

intelligence and devotion. They have ably demonstrated their capacity to improve the school through their impact on students’ personal development and welfare. British values are actively promoted with diligence and determination. There are healthy relationships with the local Prevent team and school leaders make sure that they follow up on students’ concerns promptly and sensitively.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Parents spoken to during the inspection pointed to improvements made by the current school leaders. Nearly all expressed complete confidence in the vision for the school and its promotion of Islamic and British values. One parent who contributed to Parent View said, ‘I am happy that the school pays so much attention to character building and practises and preaches tolerance, respect for all and understanding within society.’  The headteacher and deputy headteacher have wisely guided students, including those who may be at

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

risk of forming overly strict views, to look into their own hearts and examine their faith to find the right path. Students learn about other faiths and cultures, democracy and British law. They talk maturely about the virtues of tolerance and respect for all. They know that these virtues match the principles of Islam and are also echoed in other belief systems in modern Britain. Spiritual, cultural and moral values are threaded through all subjects. This helps teachers and students to relate their faith to what they are learning about the world and themselves.  Students study a balanced range of subjects, including English, mathematics, science, art, technology, citizenship, Islamic studies and physical education. They are therefore equipped well for the next stage in their education. They also learn Arabic and Urdu, and study the Qur’an. A wide range of trips and visits ensures that students have the chance to encounter different experiences and people. Students also

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

participate in project work and plan group presentations in order to encourage their enterprise and creative skills.  A comprehensive programme of careers education and guidance ensures that students are well prepared for their next steps. Students regularly visit careers fairs, attend presentations and prepare personalised action plans. Nearly all have ambitious plans for their futures and are looking forward to successful careers. During the inspection, a member of the Prevent team delivered a presentation about careers in the police force. Some students had not considered this as a career choice open to them. In this way, the school broadens students’ horizons.  The headteacher has not shirked from tackling inadequate teaching and is crystal clear about what needs to be done to improve the school. School leaders have forged helpful links with neighbouring schools, including maintained secondary schools, in order to observe good practice, which they plan to share with

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

teaching staff.  The governance of the school The proprietor and governors are committed guardians of the values of the school, including its promotion of British values. They know exactly how much the school has improved over the last two years and how much it still needs to improve. Governors ensure that teachers’ pay progression is based on the quality of their work and take decisive action when teaching does not meet requirements. Governors are ambitious for the school and are rightly confident in the recent appointments of the current headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Meticulous attention is paid to all aspects of students’ safety and physical well-being. Safeguarding procedures and practices meet all requirements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching and learning require improvement because some teaching does not challenge students’ thinking or stretch the most able. Expectations of what students can achieve in Year 7 are set too low. By the time students reach Year 11, some have lost ground because teachers do not ensure sufficient progression from year to year.  Teachers’ questioning does not always provoke deep exploration of ideas or encourage students to communicate confidently in discussions. Sometimes teachers ask strings of questions without giving students enough time to contemplate and grapple with difficult concepts.  There are not enough examples in students’ books of extended writing, not only in English but also in other subjects. Students are therefore not practising sustained and accurate writing.  Students’ persistent spelling, punctuation and grammar errors have not been tackled successfully. Students who are not at an advanced stage of learning English often make the same error over and over

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

again. A few teachers make mistakes themselves when writing on the board, which does not set a good example. As a result, students do not progress as well with literacy as they could.  School leaders have ensured that the relevant independent school standards are met. Recent improvements to teaching are beginning to have an impact on students’ progress. For example, books are marked regularly; students appreciate the overall feedback they receive and know what to do to improve.  Teaching in science is emerging as a strength in the school. A winning combination of theory, practical work and discussion about science in the outside world has captured students’ interest and stimulated them to work harder and consider careers in science.  Topics for study and sequences of lessons are usually well planned with interesting and inspiring resources. However, students’ experience of different arts and technologies is constrained by the lack of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

resources. Superficial coverage of some aspects of the arts curriculum limits students’ creativity and expressiveness.  School leaders have a direct overview of exactly how much progress each student is making in each subject. This has enabled them to make crucial decisions about which students need more support and intervention to help them to catch up, particularly in Year 11, when students are taking public examinations. However, there is less useful intervention in the lower years, where it would be timely and helpful, particularly for those students who join the school at a lower starting point.  Students are diligent and willing to learn. They take pride in their work; their books are neatly kept and are useful for revision.  Teachers expect students to continue their studies at home. Homework is set regularly and students complete this with a strong sense of motivation. Parents are also able to track progress of their children

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

through a well-designed and easily accessible virtual learning environment.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote students’ personal development and welfare is good.  Leaders have ensured that all the independent standards relating to welfare, health and safety are met. They have also ensured that the school adheres to recent guidance regarding the school’s active promotion of British values.  Students demonstrate impressive awareness of the world around them and are successfully encouraged to focus on decisions, character and duties. For example, during an assembly, students spoke with dedication about making healthy and safe choices within relationships and how such choices build character. A powerful key message of their assembly was ‘character is destiny’.  School leaders have ensured that students help to shape the purpose and vision for the school. They were invited to contribute their own vision statements about what they wanted for the school and their own future. These included their wish to contribute to British society, gaining confidence and ‘looking for

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Personal development and welfare

a better future for Muslim women’.  Students are kept safe from the risks of extremism and radicalisation. Students understand that they may be vulnerable and are able to talk openly about any concerns with school leaders. Students speak knowledgeably about what they have learned from the regular presentations from the Prevent team in Slough.  Other potential risks to students’ safety and physical well-being are discussed openly and maturely, such as female genital mutilation, sexual exploitation and forced marriage. Students have also learned about principles of equality, democracy and English law. There is little, if any, bullying in the school.  Students make the most of opportunities to attend clubs and activities after school, including arts and crafts clubs and karate classes. They demonstrate their commitment to helping others, including a vast array of fund-raising work for a range of charities both in Britain and abroad.

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Personal development and welfare

 Students’ personal development and welfare are not outstanding because not all students are confident and ambitious learners.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good.  Leaders have ensured that an effective system is in place to manage behaviour and promote good conduct. The independent school standards are met. There are very few incidents of poor behaviour or disruption to learning.  Students are polite and take a friendly and curious interest in visitors. They conduct themselves with modest dignity and are proud of the school and its values.  Reminders about cleanliness and tidiness displayed around the school are nearly superfluous because students take excellent care of the environment. Students dress appropriately according to the school code. Nearly all bring the right equipment and understand that they have a duty to contribute to lessons and participate actively in school life.  Students have a well-developed understanding of bullying, including how homophobic bullying and derogatory language contradicts British and Islamic values and damages self-esteem.

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Behaviour

 Students attend school regularly and are punctual. Their attendance rates compare favourably with those found in mainstream schools. School leaders have established highly effective and strict systems for tackling any signs of poor attendance promptly, including the facility to fine parents for unauthorised absences. As a result, no students are persistently absent.  Behaviour is not outstanding because, when they are not closely guided or directed by teachers, some students do not participate as actively as they could and a very few are not always self-disciplined. This is more noticeable when teachers do not manage discussions well or insist upon good concentration.

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Outcomes for children and learners require improvement

 Until recently, the legacy of weak teaching resulted in outcomes that require improvement. For example, progress in English is too variable. Students in the current Year 10 and Year 11 groups have made slow progress until recently. Students in Key Stage 3 are not all making the gains in their learning of which they are capable, particularly students who were in Year 7 last year.  In mathematics, students did not make enough progress during Years 8 and 9. However, the progress of students currently in Years 10 and 11 is beginning to accelerate. Teachers have raised their expectations and are aiming high. They are ensuring that students are focused on catching up and being prepared for their GCSE examinations.  The most-able students do not make as much progress as they should. Their rates of progress do not compare well with those of the most-able students nationally, particularly in in English and mathematics.

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Outcomes for children and learners require improvement

This is because of a history of weaker teaching and lack of challenge. However, under the leadership of the current headteacher and deputy headteacher, increased expectations and ambition are beginning to lead to higher standards.  Similarly, outcomes for students in other subjects are not securely good. Students’ progress and outcomes in science are stronger, reflecting the higher-quality teaching students receive. Students also achieve well and in line with age-related expectations in history. However, in art, technology and physical education, students are making slower progress.  Leaders are rightly focusing on those students with impending GCSE examinations. As a result of a similar programme last year and recent improvements to teaching, all school leavers succeeded in gaining GCSE grades in line with the school’s expectations. All took up places to study higher-level courses in sixth forms or further education colleges. However, some students did not gain the highest grades of which

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Outcomes for children and learners require improvement

they were capable, particularly in English and mathematics.  Students read widely and with enjoyment. Students told inspectors about how much they had appreciated books studied in class. They also enjoy their private reading of books from the modern and classic British literary heritage. Students regularly visit the public library, which is helping to broaden their reading diet. However, students’ access to a wide range of books is limited by the school’s library, which is in its infancy and rather sparsely resourced.

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School details

Unique reference number 136955 Inspection number 10007516 DfE registration number 871/6002 This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, 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 Secondary School status Independent school Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Girls Number of pupils on the school roll 32 Number of part time pupils 0 Proprietor Aqeel Lone Chair Aqeel Lone Headteacher Zobia Ali Annual fees £2,760 Telephone number 01628 298841 Website www.madniinstitute.com Email address admin@madniinstitute.com Date of previous school inspection 20–21 June 2012

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Information about this school

 Madni Institute is an independent Islamic secondary school for girls aged 11 to 16. It is situated in a former office building close to Slough town centre. The building is used as a mosque and for religious instruction out of school hours.  The school’s purpose is ‘to provide Islamic and academic education to our children in a safe and peaceful Islamic environment’.  There are currently 32 students on roll. The school is registered for up to 80 students.  The proprietor of the school is the Abu Haneefa Educational Trust.  The school was last inspected in June 2012 when the quality of education was judged to be satisfactory.  The current headteacher and deputy headteacher were appointed in 2014.  The remaining teaching staff are unqualified. Some are employed on an hourly basis.  The school does not admit students with education, health and care plans.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.  Inspectors toured the school and checked that the premises met all relevant independent school standards and scrutinised displays.  Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 16 different lessons. Of these, seven were jointly observed with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Inspectors met with groups of students and spoke to them in lessons. The lead inspector also observed an assembly led by students.  A sample of students’ work across all subjects was reviewed by inspectors, as was information about their progress.  Inspectors checked compliance with the independent school regulations. They reviewed a range of school documentation, including documents relating to safeguarding, progress information, records of behaviour and attendance. The inspection team also considered the school’s records of the monitoring of teaching and teachers’ performance and minutes from governors’ meetings.

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Information about this inspection

 On the first day of the inspection, a member of the Slough Prevent team was presenting a talk on careers in the police force. An inspector observed the presentation, spoke with students and met with the police officer.  Inspectors met with school leaders, the proprietor and two governors. A number of parents spoke to an inspector at the end of the second day of the inspection. Five responses from the online survey Parent View were recorded. Three responses included written comments about the school, which were taken into consideration. Inspectors also considered parents’ views in the school’s own questionnaire.  Inspectors met with staff and considered the nine responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Janet Pearce, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Haynes Her Majesty’s Inspector 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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 the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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