Avecinna Academy

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Draft and confidential - Not for disclosure or publication Avecinna Academy 28 September 2016 106 Garrison Lane, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, B9 4BS

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)(ii), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(i)  The inspection team in November 2015 found that the school’s curriculum did not meet this standard as the schemes of work for physical education and humanities were not being delivered as planned.  Previously, the Year 9 pupils were taught with key stage 4 pupils so did not receive the part of the curriculum planned for them. This has now been remedied by the school and Year 9 pupils now receive humanities education as a single year group.  The inspection in November 2015 found that the new premises had not been sufficiently well adapted to enable physical education to be taught in the way stated in the plan. Since that inspection, the school has purchased and installed two basketball posts and two portable football goals, and had lines painted on the playground to provide a football and basketball court.

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Main inspection findings

 The school also makes use of a local playing field to improve the quality of physical education further.  During this inspection, all of the pupils were involved in a sports and activity morning, which included pupils using a wide range of sports equipment and using both the playground and the playing field.  Girls receive most of their physical education on the playground, whereas the boys receive most of their physical education on the playing field. Some pupils said they would welcome the opportunity to use both areas for their physical education.  Timetables show that all pupils now receive weekly physical education lessons.  The previous inspection found that pupils in Years 9 to 11 did not receive any structured aesthetic or creative education. This has been remedied by the school. All pupils now receive weekly art lessons and pupils say that they enjoy these lessons and the opportunity to be more creative.

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Main inspection findings

 The standards in 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b)(ii), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(i) are now met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b)  The previous inspection found that the school failed to make appropriate arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of its pupils.  This inspection found that the school had made significant improvements to safeguarding procedures and health and safety procedures.  The school’s safeguarding policy was checked as part of this inspection and is fully compliant. The policy is available on the school’s website.  The school now meets these standards. Paragraph 11  At the time of the previous inspection, the school did not have a fully compliant health and safety policy. This has since been remedied and the school now has a fully compliant, written health and safety policy. The policy is available on the school’s website. However, it is not being implemented effectively because there is

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Main inspection findings

no written risk assessment policy.  The school does not meet this standard. Paragraph 12  At the time of the previous inspection, there was no documentary evidence that regular safety checks were being carried out. As a result, the school failed to meet this standard. The school now carries out regular checks of fire alarms, emergency lighting and other safety systems. These checks are recorded.  During this inspection, all fire doors were unlocked and clear.  The pupils said that they have termly fire evacuation drills.  The school now meets this standard Paragraph 15  At the time of the previous inspection, the school did not keep a fully compliant admission register or attendance registers. This has since been remedied and the school now maintains attendance registers and an admission register which fully comply with the Education (Pupil registration) (England) Regulations 2006.  The school now meets this standard.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 16, 16(a), 16(b)  The school previously failed to meet these standards as it did not have an effective written risk assessment policy and it had failed to identify several significant health and safety risks around the site.  During this progress monitoring inspection, the inspection team found that all of the previously identified health and safety risks had been eliminated.  All hazardous substances are now kept in a locked cupboard away from areas where pupils have access.  Both of the school gates are padlocked throughout the school day and members of the public cannot access the school grounds during the school day.  Although leaders have significantly improved their risk assessment procedures, at the time of this inspection, the school still did not have a written risk assessment policy.  Paragraph 16(a) remains not met. Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(iii), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(3),

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Main inspection findings

21(1), 21(2), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(i), 21(3)(a)(ii), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(a)(iv), 21(3)(a)(v), 21(3)(a)(vii), 21(3)(a)(viii), 21(3)(b), 21(4)  The previous inspection found that there were significant weaknesses in safeguarding procedures and the school’s safeguarding policy was not being implemented.  At that time, the school did not have an up-to-date single central record. This has now been remedied and the school now maintains a fully compliant single central record in both electronic form and printed form.  The single central record shows that all of the required safety checks have been carried out on all staff working at the school, including the right to work in the United Kingdom, and that these checks are dated.  All members of staff have been subject to an enhanced criminal records check.  The single central record shows that the necessary checks are carried out before a person’s appointment.

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Main inspection findings

 The inspection team checked recruitment files and found that safer recruitment procedures were now being followed by the school leaders.  Three members of the school staff, including the headteacher and deputy headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding lead, have completed safer recruitment and safeguarding training.  All staff members have undergone safeguarding training and are familiar with the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ document.  Leaders are now more focused on ensuring that safeguarding has a high priority in the school.  The school’s admissions register is now fully compliant and includes information about leavers’ destinations.  The school has taken steps to improve the attendance of pupils and this has resulted in improved attendance and vastly reduced the unauthorised absence of girls.  The school now meets all of the standards of these paragraphs. Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

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Main inspection findings

Paragraph 25  The previous inspection found that this standard had not been met as the health, safety and welfare of pupils could not be ensured.  As a result of the improvements made by leaders, this inspection found that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided are now maintained to a standard that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.  The school now meets this standard. Paragraphs 29(1), 29(1)(a), 29(1)(b)  The previous inspection found that the school’s outdoor space did not enable the provision of physical education, in line with the school curriculum, or enable pupils to play outside safely.  As a result of the improvements made by the school to the outside area, and the actions it has taken to identify and minimise potential risks, the outside space now enables full provision of the school’s physical education curriculum and also provides

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Main inspection findings

a safe environment for pupils to play outside.  The school now meets these standards. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  This inspection found that many of the previously identified failings of leaders to ensure that the independent school standards were met had been remedied and significant improvements had been made.  The safeguarding procedures are now robust and the school’s safeguarding policy is being fully implemented.  The school now has a comprehensive health and safety policy, and leaders and managers actively promote the well-being of pupils. However, the impact is limited because the school does not have a written risk assessment policy.  This inspection also identified some independent school standards that leaders are failing to meet.  As the school does not meet all of the independent school standards consistently, it

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Main inspection findings

does not yet meet standards under paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b).

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection  Part 3, paragraph 11 – the health and safety policy is not implemented effectively because the school does not have a written risk assessment policy; paragraph 16(a) – the welfare of pupils at the school is not fully safeguarded and promoted because the school does not have a written risk assessment policy.  Part 8 paragraphs 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) – the standard about the quality of leadership and management is not met because the school does not meet the independent school standards consistently.

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 Part 1 Paragraphs 2(2), 2(2)(a)  Part 3 Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 12, 15, 16(b)  Part 4 Paragraphs 18(2), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(iii), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(3), 21(1), 21(2), 21(3), 21(3)(a), 21(3)(a)(i), 21(3)(a)(ii), 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(a)(iv), 21(3)(a)(v), 21(3)(a)(vii), 21(3)(a)(viii), 21(3)(b), 21(4)  Part 5 Paragraph 25, 29(1), 29(1)(a), 29(1)(b)  Part 8 Paragraph 34(1)(c)

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School details

Unique reference number 140382 DfE registration number 330/6016 Inspection number 10021148 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 Islamic day school School status Independent school Age range of pupils 11–17 years Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 61 Number of part-time pupils 0 Proprietor Mohamed Dahir Chair Not applicable Headteacher Mohamed Dahir Annual fees (day pupils) £2,200 Telephone number 0121 771 4782 Website www.avecinnaacademy.com Email address enquiries@avecinnaacademy.com Date of previous standard inspection 25 September 2014

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Information about this school

 Avecinna Academy is an independent Islamic day school offering full-time education for boys and girls aged 11 to 17.  It was first registered as an independent girls’ Islamic school in November 2013.  Boys were first admitted in September 2014 following an application for a material change.  In September 2015, the school moved to its current premises in the Garrison Centre in the Bordesley Green area of Birmingham.  None of the pupils has a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The majority of pupils are of Somali heritage. English is not the spoken language in the home of the majority of the pupils. However, the large majority of pupils speak English fluently.  All pupils attend the school full time. No use is made of alternative provision for any of the pupils on roll.

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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.  The school received a full inspection in September 2014. Failings were found in the curriculum provision for human and social aspects of education and in physical education.  The school submitted an action plan to the registration authority, which was evaluated in January 2015. The plan was judged to require improvement. A second plan was submitted in August 2015 and was accepted.  The school submitted a request for a material change in September 2015 to admit boys. A progress monitoring inspection was carried out in November 2015. The inspection found a number of areas where the school failed to meet the

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Information about this inspection

independent school standards.  Following the inspection in November 2015, the school submitted an action plan which was evaluated in May 2016.  A notice was issued on 27 January 2016 and this progress monitoring inspection has been carried out to check on the failings in that notice. The inspector met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher to discuss aspects of the school’s work. She talked to pupils about their school, examined documents including documents related to health and safety, safeguarding and the curriculum, and carried out learning walks around the school.

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Inspection team

Janet Satchwell, lead inspector 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

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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

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