Iqra High School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Iqra High School 21 September 2016 319 Waterloo Street, Glodwick, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 1ER

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 3, 3(a) and 3(c)  The inspection in May 2015 judged the teaching standards as unmet. Teachers did not make sure that pupils made good progress and the work that teachers set was often too easy or too difficult. There was not enough guidance to pupils about how to improve their work.  School leaders planned to take action to meet the standards. They planned to provide additional training for teachers and to commission an educational consultant to help teachers to plan lessons so that the needs of different groups of pupils were met. Leaders were also planning to buy resources such as textbooks to support teachers in providing easier or more complex work.  In January 2016, the monitoring inspection judged the standard still not to have been met. The inspector noted that teachers had been trained and new resources had been purchased. Teachers’ assessment was judged to be inconsistent,

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Main inspection findings

particularly in relation to pupils’ starting points as they join the school. Teachers and leaders found it difficult to identify how much progress pupils were making or whether teaching had been effective. The inspector made a judgement that leaders did not have a good enough overview of pupils’ progress.  Since the progress monitoring visit in January 2016, leaders have created a system to track pupils’ progress in all subjects over the year. The system identifies each pupil’s starting point and their target for the end of the year as well as for GCSE examinations at the end of Year 11. There are four planned assessment points across the year, including at its start, and pupils’ attainment at each of these points is recorded. This means that leaders have an overview of pupils’ progress throughout the year, progress towards their targets and how well particular groups of pupils are progressing in each subject. These systems and procedures have led to

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Main inspection findings

much greater consistency in assessment practice among staff.  Teachers use a mix of text books, work sheets and targeted teaching to enable low- attaining pupils to catch up with others in the class and to make sure that the most able pupils can start on more complex work at the level needed. Lessons are better planned than previously to cater for pupils’ different abilities. There is evidence in pupils’ books that, particularly since April 2016, pupils are making good progress in a range of subjects. Teachers provide pupils with helpful oral and written feedback. The senior leaders have an effective system to check on how well teachers are marking pupils’ work. This checking provides teachers with individual feedback about the quality of their work.  The standards in relation to teaching is met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  The inspector, in the January 2016 monitoring inspection, judged that the unmet

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Main inspection findings

standards from the inspection in May 2015 had been met. The inspector identified some additional standards, however, that were not met. This was because the main entrance door to the school was not always kept securely closed during the school day. Visitors were not required to sign in on arrival, nor to have their credentials checked.  Senior leaders, in the action plan, identified some changes to the procedures regarding visitors to the school and to the front door security.  Senior leaders took fast action to rectify the unmet standards. They have located the visitors’ book by the main entrance and make sure that all visitors sign in and out of the building. They have bought an electronic system which enables the senior leaders to see who is calling at the front door to the school. The door is now closed throughout the day and a member of staff supervises pupils entering and leaving the school at the start and at the end of the day. The door is electronically closed, which

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Main inspection findings

means that the school is not accessible to members of the public other than by controlled admission through staff.  Senior leaders have a written risk assessment regarding safeguarding and security. They have accurately identified and judged the level of risk. They have planned actions to mitigate each risk. They highlighted, for example, visitors being able to walk into the school through an open front door. They then planned actions in the risk assessment to reduce the level of risk to pupils and staff.  The safeguarding policy available on the school’s website has not been updated to reflect changes made to national requirements at the start of this school year. However, the policy in use within the school is up to date.  The standards in relation to welfare, health and safety are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  The standards for leadership and management were not met at the May 2015 inspection or at the monitoring inspection in January 2016 because not all of the independent school standards were met.  Senior leaders have taken action to tackle each of the unmet standards. They have demonstrated good skills and knowledge and have made effective use of external expertise such as the local authority safeguarding specialists and educational consultants and their partner schools. As a result, leaders now have a good overview of the progress that pupils make, an up-to-date child protection policy that meets national and local guidelines, and a much improved security system to protect pupils. They actively promote the well-being and welfare of the pupils.  The standard in relation to the leadership and management of the school is met.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 Part 1, paragraphs 3, 3(a) and 3(c)  Part 3, paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 16, 16(a) and 16(b)  Part 8, paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c).

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School details

Unique reference number 141087 DfE registration number 353/6002 Inspection number 10021400 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. Type of school Faith school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 59 Number of part-time pupils 0 Proprietor Iqra Educational and Welfare Trust Chair Manzoor Ahmed Shakir Headteacher Mohammed Farooq Annual fees (day pupils) £2,000 Telephone number 0161 652 8563 Website http://iqrahighschool.org.uk Email address headteacher@iqrahs.org.uk Date of previous standard inspection 1 May 2015

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Information about this school

 Iqra High School is an independent, non-selective Muslim day school for pupils between 11 and 16 years of age. It is registered for up to 100 boys and girls but since opening in 2014, only girls have attended. There are four classes, one for each year group between Year 7 and Year 10. At the start of September 2016, 17 Year 7 girls joined the school.  The school is owned by Iqra Educational and Welfare Trust and is located on the same site as a madrasa, managed by Khadija Education and Youth Centre. Boys and girls attend the madrasa. The school is close to Oldham town centre in a highly populated area of Glodwick.  All pupils are British and have an Asian heritage. All speak English as their first language. None has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged not to comply with at its previous inspection.  Following the previous standard inspection, the school prepared an action plan. This plan was approved with modifications by the Department for Education in December 2015.  This was the school’s second monitoring inspection.  The inspector observed the pupils arriving at school at the start of the day. He looked at the procedures for visitors signing in and looked at the changes made to the front door. He met and spoke with the headteacher and teachers.  The inspector observed teaching and looked through some pupils’ work for the 2015/16 academic year. He looked at the school’s system to track pupils’ progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector looked at a range of documents regarding safety and safeguarding, including risk assessments, school policies and the single central record. He also examined the school’s action plan.  This inspection was conducted without notice to the school.  The inspector examined the school’s safeguarding policy published on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Allan Torr, lead inspector 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

Parent View 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. 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 children looked after, 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-

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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