Al-Madina School

Lady Aisha House, Duke Street, Banbury OX16 4AH

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is an inadequate school

 The school does not meet the independent school standards. Its arrangements for safeguarding pupils do not meet statutory requirements.  Leaders and governors have not ensured that all the independent school standards in relation to the quality of education are met. As a result, too few pupils reach the expected standard by the time they leave the school.  Adults do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. They do not provide effective feedback to pupils. Consequently, pupils do not know what they need to do to improve their work.  Insufficient emphasis is placed on making sure high standards of behaviour are the norm.  Teachers do not use the information they have about what pupils know and can do to plan lessons. Consequently, some pupils have work that is either too easy or too hard or have to repeat work that they have already done.  Information about pupils’ achievement is not

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This is an inadequate school

checked thoroughly enough to make sure it is accurate.  The curriculum does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to make good progress. Pupils do not study a broad enough range of subjects in sufficient detail. They are not prepared well enough for life in modern Britain. The resources to support learning are not good enough.  Currently there is no school improvement plan in place. It is unclear how leaders and managers are going to bring about improvements.  Not enough is being done to check on the quality of education. Systems in place to monitor the work of the school lack rigour and accuracy.  Some pupils display negative attitudes which demonstrate a lack of respect to adults and other pupils. This has a detrimental effect on their learning. Some pupils do not regulate their own behaviour well enough and they do not act with the maturity expected for their age.  Attendance is below average and too many pupils

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This is an inadequate school

arrive late.  Outcomes are inadequate. Pupils are not making enough progress. Standards are too low.

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The school has the following strengths

 The newly formed governing body are fully committed to improving the school. They know that standards have slipped. They understand the urgency required to bring about rapid improvement.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership, management and governance by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

making sure that all staff and governors undergo suitability checks prior to appointment including all staff and governors on the single central register creating a culture of high expectations in all aspects of the school’s work ensuring the curriculum provides a wider range of opportunities for pupils to learn and make good progress developing an effective improvement plan, with clear actions, timescales and responsibilities which can clearly measure success in order to drive rapid improvement increasing the accuracy of assessment information devising and implementing a wide range of monitoring activities to bring about rapid improvement ensuring pupils are prepared more effectively to contribute positively to life in modern Britain.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and, as a result, accelerate pupils’ progress by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring all adults have high expectations of what pupils can achieve increasing teachers’ skills in accurately assessing pupils’ learning making sure teachers use assessment information more effectively to plan for pupils’ learning, taking account of their starting points providing effective feedback to pupils to help them to know what they need to do to improve their work improving the use and provision of resources to support learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

promoting positive attitudes to learning increasing pupils’ ability to self-regulate their own behaviour improving attendance and punctuality.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school must meet the following independent school standards.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Ensure that there is a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which is implemented effectively (paragraphs 2(1) and 2(1)(a)). Ensure that the written policy, plans and schemes of work take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those with an education, health and care plan (EHC) and does not undermine the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. (paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), and 2(1)(b)(ii)). Ensure that pupils gain experience in technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education as well as linguistic, mathematical, scientific and Islamic studies (paragraphs 2(2) and 2(2)(a)). Ensure that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills (paragraphs (2(2) and 2(2)(b)).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Ensure that pupils receive personal, social, health and economic education which reflects the school’s aim and ethos and encourages respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010 (paragraphs 2(2), 2(2)(d), 2(2)(d)(i) and 2(2)(d)(ii)). Ensure that pupils have access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that is presented in an impartial manner, enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options and helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential (paragraph 2(2), 2(2)(e), 2(2)(e)(i), 2(2)(e)(ii) and 2(2)(e)(iii)). Ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress in all subjects (paragraphs 2(2) and 2(2)(h)). Ensure that the curriculum effectively prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society (paragraphs 2(2) and 2(2)(i)). Ensure that teaching enables all pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress in all

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

subjects according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught (paragraphs 3 and 3(a)). Ensure that teaching fosters pupils’ self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves (paragraphs 3 and 3(b)). Ensure that teaching in all subjects involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraphs 3 and 3(c)). Ensure that teaching shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons (paragraphs 3 and 3(d)). Ensure that teaching utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range (paragraphs 3 and 3(f)). Ensure that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can make good progress (paragraphs 3 and 3(g)). Ensure that teaching utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly (paragraphs 3 and 3(h)). Ensure that teaching does not undermine the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs (paragraphs 3 and 3(i)) Ensure that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs (paragraphs 5, 5(a)). Ensure that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils enables them to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence, encourages them to accept responsibility for

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely, and further tolerance and harmony between different cultural traditions, by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation and respect for their own and other cultures (paragraphs 5, 5(b), 5(b)(i), 5(b)(iii)) and 5(b)(v)). Ensure that all teaching precludes the promotion of partisan political views and provides pupils with a balanced presentation of opposing views, while they are in attendance at the school, while they are taking part in extra-curricular activities which are provided or organised by or on behalf of the school, or in the promotion at the school, including through the distribution of promotional material, of extra- curricular activities taking place at the school or elsewhere, they are offered a balanced presentation

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

of opposing views (paragraphs 5, 5(c), 5(d), 5(d)(i), 5(d)(ii) and 5(d)(iii)). Ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school and that such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraphs 7, 7(a) and 7(b)). Ensure that the written behaviour policy is implemented effectively, and that a record is kept of the sanctions imposed upon pupils for serious misbehaviour (paragraphs 9, 9(b) and 9(c)). Ensure that the relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy (paragraph 11). Ensure that the written first aid policy is implemented effectively (paragraph 13). Ensure that pupils are properly controlled and supervised through the appropriate deployment of school staff (paragraph 14). Ensure that all required checks are made to confirm the suitability of staff, supply staff and

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

proprietors and that such checks are made within the required timeframe in relation to the appointment of staff, supply staff and proprietors, and that the proprietor keeps a register which shows such of the information as is required (paragraphs 17, 18, 20 and 21). Ensure that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured (paragraph 25). Ensure that the name of the headteacher, contact details of the proprietor during school holidays, and the name, address and contact details of the Chair of the Governing Body are made available to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils (paragraphs 32(1) and 32(1)(a)). Ensure particulars of educational and welfare provision for pupils with EHC plans are made available to parents of pupils and parents of prospective pupils (paragraphs 32(1) and 32(1)(b)).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Ensure 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 (paragraph 34(1) and 34(1)(a)). Ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraphs 34(1) and 34(1)(b)). Ensure that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraphs 34(1) and 34(1)(c)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Leaders have not ensured safeguarding is effective. There is a suitable policy in place that meets current statutory guidance, but it is not fully implemented. Consequently pupils are exposed to unnecessary welfare, health and safety risks. Many of the independent school standards are not met.  Senior leaders have not paid enough attention to ensuring pupils are provided with a good quality of education. Teaching is not of a sufficiently high quality to ensure pupils make the progress they are capable of.  Leaders do not have an accurate view of the school. Judgements about all aspects of the school’s work are over-generous. The headteacher is aware that standards are not high enough. Recently a system to regularly assess pupils’ achievement has been put in place, but the assessments teachers make about pupils’ attainment and progress are not accurate. Evidence gathered during the inspection shows that the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

attainment recorded for some pupils is not supported by the evidence in their work.  The curriculum is narrow. It does not provide pupils with a breadth of experience in different aspects of learning. It does not enable pupils to make good progress. Too little emphasis is given to physical, technological, aesthetic, creative, human and social education. Pupils are not provided with the necessary skills in science, because they are not able to carry out scientific experiments to enable them to fully appreciate health and safety considerations and the use of appropriate apparatus.  Pupils in key stage 3 are not taught religious studies, so they do not develop an understanding of other faiths and cultures. This limits their ability to appreciate other cultures and means they are not prepared well enough for life in modern Britain. There is no overall curriculum plan to inform parents what pupils will be studying. The schemes of work contain little detail and the resources to teach are inadequate.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The headteacher does observe teaching and provides helpful feedback to teachers to help them to improve. But the systems currently in place are not robust. There is no formal link between the performance of teachers and the outcomes for pupils. As a result, teachers are not held sufficiently to account for the impact of their teaching.  Senior leaders responded well to try to address some of the shortcomings found by inspectors during the inspection. Some unsafe areas of the school were quickly made safe. For example, inspectors found an unlocked gas meter in the outside play area where the grass was far too long and not suitable for pupils to use. Also, the hard outside space was strewn with debris. Senior leaders took swift action to address these issues. The grass was cut, the cupboard locked and the debris cleared before the end of the inspection. The standard in relation to providing suitable outside space for pupils to play is now met.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Concerns raised by inspectors about windows in the upstairs classroom and fire evacuation procedures were also dealt with during the inspection. Senior leaders took helpful advice from the fire officer who visited, on request, to assess the situation. Senior leaders are committed to ensure that they act on the advice of the fire service.  Although pupils are provided with some career guidance, for example by visiting the Skills Show in Birmingham, they are not given enough impartial advice to help them to make effective career choices.  The governance of the school The governance of the school is inadequate. Prior to December 2015 governors did not take an active role in the oversight of the school. Since the previous inspection, standards have declined. Governors did not take effective action to stem the decline. Governors have not monitored the work of the school well enough. During their first meeting in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

December, they identified some weaknesses that need addressing. However, there is no school improvement plan in place at present. This limits their ability to check whether the improvements they have identified are being addressed. The newly formed governing body recognise that currently their work has very limited impact. However, there is a determination for improvement toward excellence. As the chair of governors stated: ‘We want to get things right, we are not shirking our responsibilities. We want excellence, to equip pupils with the skills to join the outside world.’  The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. The single central register does not include all staff and governors. Appropriate checks are not always carried out. Those that are carried out are not always thorough enough. For example, overseas checks to confirm staff suitability to work with children have not always been carried out when a staff member has lived or worked abroad for a period of time.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teaching is not planned well enough. It does not take into account pupils’ starting points, what they have already learned or what their next steps should be. In mixed-age classes, all pupils are taught at the same level. Activities are often based on pupils completing the same worksheets. This means that some more-able pupils are not challenged. They often repeat work they have already learned. Those pupils who find learning more difficult are not supported well enough to make good progress.  The school has no clear approach to assessing pupils’ learning and teachers do not provide sufficient feedback to pupils. As a result, pupils do not know what they have done well or what they need to do to improve their work.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations. Consequently, pupils do not take pride in their work or in their attitudes to learning in lessons.  Teachers do not always command respect from pupils. This is because the behaviour policy is not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

implemented consistently enough. Pupils recognise this. They know that their behaviour is better with some teachers than others, because they are aware that clear consequences are applied by teachers who expect higher standards of behaviour.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Leaders have not ensured that all the welfare, health and safety standards have been met. There are serious failings in the safeguarding arrangements that place pupils at unnecessary risk.  Policies, particularly for safeguarding, behaviour and first aid are not implemented effectively. Records are not robust.  Pupils understand how to keep safe when using the internet and know about the dangers of a range of types of bullying. Most say that bullying does not exist, but a few expressed concerns that the bullying they have experienced at school has not been dealt with well enough.  The health and safety policy is not implemented effectively. Staff do not report hazards in line with the school policy. Maintenance checks are not thorough enough and are not carried out regularly enough. Not all activities have been assessed sufficiently well to mitigate against the risks they might pose.

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Personal development and welfare

 Parents who responded to the Parent View survey online say that their child feels safe in school. Pupils spoken to during the inspection also say they feel safe.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate. Pupils do not demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. This has a negative impact on their progress.  The behaviour policy is not implemented consistently across the school. The list of sanctions is unwieldy. Consequently sanctions are not applied well enough and do not address low standards of behaviour. Rewards are not used sufficiently well to encourage pupils and foster good relationships.  Individual pupils are generally polite and courteous, but some pupils show disrespect and an immaturity in their behaviour.  During breaks in lessons, pupils are often left unsupervised and some overly boisterous behaviour is evident.  Pupils do not show a pride in their work. The quality of presentation in their books is poor.  Pupils’ rates of attendance are below average and punctuality is poor. Too many pupils arrive late to school on a regular basis.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 Outcomes are inadequate because teaching, learning and assessment do not provide pupils with the opportunity to learn and make the progress of which they are capable. As a result of this, and limited opportunities to acquire knowledge in a wide range of subjects, pupils are not well prepared for the next stages of their education.  Leaders have not devised a system to accurately measure the progress pupils are making in lessons and in their books. Assessments carried out by teachers at various points throughout the year have not been thoroughly checked against a range of work to confirm that the information is valid. Consequently, records of achievement of pupils are flawed.  Groups of pupils, including the most able and those who find learning more difficult, do not achieve well enough. Learning tasks are not set at the right levels to enable pupils to progress well.  The proportion of pupils achieving five A* to C grades including English and mathematics in the last two

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

years is well below the national average. Evidence in pupils’ books confirms that a similar outcome for current Year 11 pupils is likely.  Pupils’ work in books is of poor quality. Spelling, punctuation and grammar errors are widespread and not corrected. Pupils’ handwriting is not consistently joined and legible. They do not take a pride in the presentation of their work. Some mathematical calculations, geometric and data presentations are inaccurate.

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School details

Unique reference number 134166 Inspection number 10007714 DfE registration number 931/6121 Type of school Muslim secondary school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Girls Number of pupils on the school roll 21 Number of part-time pupils 0 Proprietor Ash-Shifa Trust Chair Noorud-deen Rashid Headteacher Amna Abbasi Annual fees (day pupils) £2,000 Telephone number 01295 266 062 Website http://www.almadinaacademy.net Email address info@almadinaschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection 9 December 2010

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Information about this school

 Al-Madina School is an independent day school for girls from 11 to 16 years of age.  The school has an Islamic ethos and was founded by Ash-Shifa Trust in 2002. It gained registration in 2005. The school was first inspected in 2007.  The ownership of the school transferred to Al-Madina Trust after the last inspection. In April 2013 Ash- Shifa Trust resumed ownership of the school. A governing body was formed on 1 December 2015. Their first meeting was held on 6 December 2015.  The headteacher took up the post in September 2014.  The school provides secondary education based on national curriculum subjects and also delivers Islamic studies.  All pupils are from the Pakistani community.  The school uses the local parish church hall for physical education lessons.  There is no off-site provision.  Al-Madina’s vision is ‘to develop young children with the tools to share their Islamic perspective of life in

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Information about this school

the wider society as confident and active Muslim citizens who will have a positive impact on all those they come across in the cross roads of life’.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in a number of lessons. One lesson was observed jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors carried out a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ work, both current work and work over time.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, including a meeting with the headteacher in her role as the special educational needs coordinator, the school administrator, one teacher and the chair of governors. A telephone conversation was held with another member of the governing body. Her Majesty’s Inspector also had a short conversation with the fire officer during his visit to the school.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils through a discussion with a small group of pupils and informal discussions during breaktimes and lunchtimes.  The views of parents were taken into consideration through informal discussions at the start of the school day, and the 10 responses to the Parent View online survey. In addition, four parents made free-text

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Information about this inspection

comments which were also considered.  A range of documents were scrutinised including the school’s own evaluation of its work, records of the governors’ meeting held in December 2015, curriculum plans and schemes of work and records of pupils’ achievement. Information about safeguarding arrangements was checked, as was the single central record, risk assessments and a range of policies. All of the independent school standards were checked during this inspection.

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Inspection team

Ann Henderson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rowena Green Ofsted 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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