Darul Uloom London School

Darul Uloom London Foxbury Avenue, Off Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6SD

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Sixth form provision Inadequate Overall experiences and progress of children and young people in the boarding provision Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership and management in the school and the boarding provision are inadequate. Leaders have failed to ensure that all the independent school standards and the national minimum standards for boarding schools are met.  School leaders do not follow their safeguarding policy and the statutory guidance.  Governors do not challenge leaders about their poor safeguarding practice. They do not actively promote the welfare and safety of boarders and pupils.  School leaders do not implement the complaints policy effectively. Their responses to concerns raised by parents and carers are inconsistent.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare and the sixth-form provision are inadequate. The overall experiences and progress of children and young people in the boarding provision are inadequate. This is because of the poor safeguarding practice, which has a negative impact on pupils’ welfare.  Teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

outcomes require improvement. The most able pupils are not making enough progress in English and pupils do not develop their scientific skills well enough.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils have strong relationships with each other and get on well.  School leaders have developed an effective system for monitoring pupils’ progress. Pupils make good progress in mathematics by the end of Year 11.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Compliance with regulatory requirements and national minimum standards for boarding schools

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, the national minimum standards for boarding 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 and management and the welfare of pupils by ensuring that: – leaders follow the school’s safeguarding policy and statutory guidance when responding to concerns so that pupils are kept safe – governors hold leaders to account for failure to follow the school’s agreed safeguarding policy and procedures – leaders refer concerns and respond appropriately to concerns raised by professionals – leaders record behaviour incidents correctly and consistently so that it is clear what happened, what action has been taken, what the outcome is and what lessons have been learned from the incident by the school and the parties involved – the complaints policy is implemented correctly so that concerns from parents and pupils received by the school by methods other than formally in writing, such as by telephone or by email, are recorded – whoever first receives the complaint in school understands and implements the policy

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

correctly so that parents and pupils are assured that there will be a consistent response to their concern – out-of-date planning documents for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education are updated in order to support pupils’ personal development – the roles and responsibilities of the keyworkers are reviewed so that their responsibilities are appropriate for their age and so that younger boarders are safeguarded effectively.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and outcomes for pupils by ensuring that: – teachers make better use of pupils’ progress information to plan learning activities which are appropriately challenging, especially for the most able pupils in English – teachers develop opportunities for pupils to improve their extended writing across a range of subjects – teachers develop pupils’ scientific and practical skills alongside their understanding of science content.

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 The proprietor must ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of boarders while they are accommodated at the school; and such arrangements have regard to the National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools (paragraph 8, 8(a) and 8(b)).  The proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that a record is kept of the sanctions imposed upon pupils for serious misbehaviour (paragraph 9 and 9(c)).  The proprietor must ensure that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents of pupils and which allows for a complaint to be made and considered initially on an informal basis

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

(paragraph 33 and 33(d)).  The proprietor must ensure that they comply with the standard about the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role, fulfil their responsibilities effectively and actively promote the well-being of pupils, so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).  The school must ensure that if there has been any member of staff who has been disciplined, dismissed, is currently under investigation or left prior to the end of an investigation for causing emotional, psychological, physical or sexual harm, neglect or risk of harm to children, they refer any such person deemed to be unsuitable for working with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service (safeguarding procedure).

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schools

 The school must ensure that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State (NMS 11.1).  The school’s governing body and/or proprietor monitors the effectiveness of the leadership, management and delivery of the boarding and welfare provision in the school, and takes appropriate action where necessary (NMS 13.1).  The school’s leadership and management demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role (NMS 13.3).  The school’s leadership and management and governance actively promote the well-being of pupils (NMS 13.5).  The records specified in Appendix 2 are maintained and monitored by the school and action taken as appropriate (NMS 13.8).  The school has, and follows, an appropriate policy on responding to complaints that is compliant with the relevant regulatory standards (ISS paragraphs 33–33(k)) and the

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schools

school’s written record of complaints identifies those complaints relating to boarding provision, and action taken by the school as a result of those complaints (regardless of whether they are upheld) (NMS 18.1 and 18.2).  Any prefect system (or equivalent) gives prefects (or equivalent) specific duties and suitable responsibilities that are appropriate for them, with adequate staff supervision, training and measures to counter possible abuses of the role (NMS 19.1).  The school must ensure that if there has been any member of staff who has been disciplined, dismissed, is currently under investigation or left prior to the end of an investigation for causing emotional, psychological, physical or sexual harm, neglect or risk of harm to children, they refer any such person deemed to be unsuitable for working with children to the Disclosure and Barring Service (NMS safeguarding procedure).

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Inadequate

 School leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards and the national minimum standards for boarding schools are met.  The safeguarding arrangements to protect pupils are inadequate because school leaders do not follow their own safeguarding policy and the statutory guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2016). This has a negative impact on pupils’ welfare and safety and puts them at risk of harm.  School leaders and governors are responsible for the shortfalls in safeguarding. Senior leaders failed to follow procedures in response to a serious child protection allegation. They did not inform the local authority designated officer (LADO) or the Disclosure and Barring Service. This demonstrates a lack of understanding of senior staff in key safeguarding positions in the school and boarding provision.  The leadership team did not accept full responsibility for the shortfalls in safeguarding

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Inadequate

practice during the inspection. They did not demonstrate to inspectors that they understood that these shortfalls placed pupils at risk of harm. Their attitude is a concern as it creates a barrier to learning and improving safeguarding practice.  School leaders do not implement the complaints policy effectively. They have not kept records of concerns by parents or responded appropriately to them. School leaders argued that these concerns were not formal complaints because they were not made in writing. However, leaders have no effective procedures in place for responding to complaints before the formal stage. Consequently, their response to parents’ concerns is inconsistent and haphazard and some concerns go unanswered. This presents a risk to pupils’ welfare.  In addition to complaints, a number of other records were incomplete or poorly maintained. Records of staff appraisal and supervision records are incomplete. Incidents

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Inadequate

of poor behaviour by pupils, responsive action taken by staff and outcomes of the incidents are not recorded.  School leaders have not ensured that all the planning documents for PSHE reflect the school’s ethos and current practice. The promotion and delivery of PSHE meet the independent school standards. However, leaders have not ensured that some of the legacy documentation is removed.  School leaders have ensured that the school meets the independent school standards for the curriculum. English literature has been introduced this year and a specialist teacher for art is providing art teaching for all year groups. Pupils’ opportunities for extra- curricular activities and visits are growing and leaders are committed to developing this aspect of their provision further. Pupils play football, go swimming and have the opportunity to attend self-defence classes. Curriculum visits include going to the Imperial

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Inadequate

War Museum and the Greenwich planetarium.  Subject teachers are well supported to develop their teaching. Senior leaders scrutinise pupils’ books and observe teaching regularly. Teaching is evaluated against the teachers’ standards and staff receive written feedback. Subject teachers meet regularly with senior leaders to reflect on pupils’ progress and subject leaders find this helpful. The school’s systems for monitoring pupils’ progress are a strength of the school and provide valuable information for pupils, staff and parents.  The school has taken positive steps to address concerns raised at the previous inspection undertaken on 1 March 2017. They have developed a system for recording safeguarding concerns and have initiated contact with a safeguarding professional to consult on safeguarding practice. They have also addressed concerns relating to the security of the building and the preparation and storage of food.

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Governance

 The trustees of the school were aware of a serious child protection allegation. However, they did not challenge school leaders when leaders took no action in response to these concerns. This demonstrates that the governance of the school does not actively promote the welfare and safety of boarders and pupils.  During the inspection, trustees acknowledged in part the failure of their safeguarding practice but sought to minimise the potential impact of these failings on the welfare of the pupils. They did not accept full responsibility for their failure to notify the appropriate authorities and instead blamed other professionals. They have not learned from their mistakes and this indicates a poor safeguarding culture within the school.

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Safeguarding

 Safeguarding is not effective.  The school has a safeguarding policy, which is readily available to parents. The policy meets requirements but school leaders do not follow it. Similarly, staff training and the training of the designated safeguarding leads meets requirements. However, leaders do not put this training into practice.  The safeguarding arrangements to protect children do not meet statutory requirements because school leaders do not follow their own safeguarding policy and the statutory guidance in ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September, 2016). School leaders failed to notify the LADO when they became aware of a serious child protection allegation. Leaders did not act on concerns in an appropriate manner or take the steps necessary to safeguard the welfare of pupils at the school. During the inspection, school leaders, including those with responsibility for safeguarding, sought to justify their inaction and

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Safeguarding

interpretation of the guidance, which was inaccurate. Leaders have not created a safe culture in the school.  Leaders do not work effectively in partnership with other professionals to safeguard pupils. Pupils are placed at risk of harm because leaders do not seek professional advice and incidents are not subject to external scrutiny and investigation.  Sixth-form pupils volunteer as key workers in the boarding provision. However, the duties and responsibilities for this role, as outlined in the boarding provision records, give the key workers responsibility for the supervision, welfare and safety of other young people. This places an unacceptable level of responsibility on the key workers and means that, at times, younger boarders are under the supervision and care of other pupils who may lack the maturity, experience and knowledge to keep them safe. These arrangements are incompatible with the boarding provision’s requirements to safeguard younger pupils from

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Safeguarding

the risk of abuse by older peers.  The single central register of staff recruitment checks meets requirements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement because pupils do not yet make enough progress in English and science. Learning activities are not consistently designed well in order to meet the needs of all pupils.  In English, learning activities do not provide enough challenge for the most able pupils. Pupils enjoy the range of books, poetry and plays through the new focus on English literature. This is starting to have a positive impact on their learning.  In science, pupils’ learning is inconsistent. Work in pupils’ books shows that teaching is focused on scientific knowledge. However, pupils, particularly in key stage 3, do not develop their scientific skills well enough. There are not enough opportunities to carry out investigations and take their own measurements and observations.  Teachers do not always plan learning activities in subjects other than English to enable pupils to develop their writing skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. Pupils who spoke to inspectors were positive about how well teaching helps them to learn. Pupils say that they always get help if they need it and that teachers explain things clearly to them if they get stuck. Pupils say they enjoy their learning.  Parents spoken to by inspectors were positive about the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. They say that their children develop strong study habits, work hard and make progress in their subjects.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate because leaders do not ensure that pupils are safe.  Pupils gave a consistent message about having a strong feeling and sense of community. They described how they support each other and treat each other with respect. They attributed this to their faith and learning from Islamic teachings and values.  Pupils are self-confident. They are articulate and were keen to talk to inspectors about their learning, their religious faith and their understanding of British values. Pupils learn about the Equality Act and the protected characteristics in PSHE and about other religions in religious education. This has a positive impact on their understanding of respect and tolerance for each other and for people from other backgrounds.  Pupils say there is very little bullying but that it is dealt with effectively when it happens.

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Personal development and welfare

Pupils can identify a trusted adult to share concerns with and have access to an independent person to speak to in confidence. They feel safe from bullying and feel safe in the school and the boarding provision.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They have strong relationships with each other and get on well. Support from their peers has a positive impact on their experience at school and in the boarding provision.  Pupils’ conduct around the school is good. The school is orderly and calm. Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors.  Pupils are clear about the rules and expectations of behaviour and follow them. They say the rules are fair and that teachers intervene proportionately to tackle any incidents that do occur.  There were no classes taking place in the secular curriculum during the inspection. However, pupils are clear that good behaviour in classes enables them to learn well and their concentration is not disrupted. This is supported by observations in brief visits to classes in the religious curriculum and the views of teachers and parents.  Pupils’ overall attendance is above national figures.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 In 2015, pupils’ attainment in GCSE English was well below national figures. School leaders took action and in 2016 pupils’ attainment in English rose and was above national figures. However, pupils are not making enough progress in English and so too few pupils are achieving the highest grades.  In mathematics, pupils make good progress and the proportion attaining high grades is above national figures. For pupils currently in the school, this is supported by the work in pupils’ books in Years 10 and 11 where teachers plan extension work for the most able pupils.  In science, GCSE results show that pupils make good progress and attain high grades. Work in pupils’ books across year groups shows that pupils are working at age-related expectations in terms of content. However, there is a lack of science skills and opportunities for practical work.  Pupils’ progress and attainment in other GCSE subjects is variable. Pupils attain well in

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

history but attainment in information and communication technology is below national figures.  A specialist teacher for art was appointed in September 2016 and although this is not a GCSE subject, pupils are making better progress in art in Years 7 to 9.  Pupils’ speaking skills are good. They are articulate and keen to talk to visitors about their school, their beliefs and aspirations. The careers information, advice and guidance for pupils meets requirements and plans are in place to develop this further.

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

 The sixth form provision is inadequate. School leaders have failed to ensure that sixth- form students are safeguarded effectively and this has a negative impact on their welfare and the quality of the provision.  Sixth-form students often act as key workers for younger pupils in the boarding provision. This provides work experience for students as part of their vocational social care courses and enables them to contribute to their school. Students have training for this role. Nevertheless, the duties and responsibilities for this role place an unacceptable level of responsibility on sixth-form students.  The programmes of study for sixth-form students vary from year to year and do not consistently ensure progression in education and employment. The range of A-level courses currently includes mathematics, science, history, Arabic and Urdu. School leaders sometimes supplement this with additional tuition in other subjects if there is a demand.

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

Some students also study vocational qualifications.  Students enjoy their learning in the sixth form. Teachers help and support them and courses are well resourced. However, learning activities do not provide enough challenge to ensure that students make good progress from their starting points.  Students’ progress in their sixth-form A-level courses is broadly average and is consistent across all subjects. Pupils’ progress in mathematics is particularly strong.  Students progress to a range of destinations after their studies. Some go to sixth-form colleges to take further GCSEs and A levels, others to other Darul Uloom schools to complete advanced theology studies. Some students enter employment in mosques. A small number of students progress directly to higher education.  Students are articulate speakers and very supportive of the school. They value the school’s religious ethos and talk clearly and with passion about their beliefs. Students are

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Sixth form provision Inadequate

positive role models for younger pupils.

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Inadequate

 The judgement for this area is inadequate because of the concerns in relation to safeguarding and the effectiveness of the leadership and management of the school and boarding provision.  Young people enjoy boarding at the school. They speak positively about their relationships with each other and with boarding staff. One young person said that ‘Staff are nice; they listen to you and help you with problems.’ Another young person described how much he liked being around his friends.  Young people feel supported in their education during boarding hours. They described how staff help them with their studies and that there are a range of after-school study groups to help them. Several staff work across the education and boarding provision. This means that communication is good and young people experience well-planned, seamless transitions between both provisions.  Young people described how staff and other pupils helped them settle in when they first

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Inadequate

came to the school. They learn useful skills for independence and are taught how to take responsibility for cleaning, preparing food, doing laundry and taking care of their possessions.  Young people benefit from healthy routines. They respond positively to clear expectations from staff in respect of behaviours and boundaries. They are able to access health care when they need it and staff administer medications in accordance with the school’s policies and procedures. Each young person has an individual file, which highlights any particular needs each person may have in respect of health care or welfare concerns.  Young people engage in a range of productive activities. They regularly play football and engage in active sports such as swimming and self-defence.  Many parents are positive about their children’s experience and progress in the school and boarding provision. One parent commented that his son was getting on well in

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School details

Social care unique reference number SC006927

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School details

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. The inspection of boarding provision was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for boarding schools.

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School details

School category Independent boarding school

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 27

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–10 December 2015

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Information about this school

 Darul Uloom London is a boarding school which is registered for pupils aged from 11 to 19. The school is located in purpose-built premises in Chislehurst, in the London Borough of Bromley.  The school has a Muslim ethos and aims to prepare pupils to be good Muslims and responsible citizens in modern Britain.  There are currently 136 male pupils on roll. All pupils board in accommodation that is located within the school. The pupils return home every other weekend.  There are no pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan, and none who speak English as an additional language.  Pupils follow a religious curriculum in the morning and a secular curriculum in the afternoon.  The school does not use any alternative provision. The school uses the facilities at Farringtons School in Chislehurst for swimming.  At the time of the inspection, the school’s website was not available because it was shut

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Information about this school

down for maintenance. School policies are available from the school office on request.

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Information about this inspection

 There were no classes in the secular curriculum subjects during the inspection because pupils in all year groups were taking examinations.  Five groups of pupils met with inspectors, showed their work, and discussed how well they are learning and their views of the school. Over 20 pupils attended an advertised drop-in session with inspectors to give their views on the school and the boarding arrangements. There were no responses to the pupil survey. Inspectors talked informally with pupils at break and lunchtime.  Inspectors scrutinised a selection of pupils’ books to see how well pupils are learning and what affects this has on their progress.  Meetings were held with the principal and other members of the senior leadership team with responsibility for safeguarding, the curriculum, teaching and boarding. Inspectors also met with subject leaders.  A meeting was held with a group of trustees.  A telephone conversation was held with the designated officer for safeguarding for

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Information about this inspection

Bromley local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised school documents including records of pupils’ progress and attendance, minutes of governors’ meetings and safeguarding records.  Inspectors held telephone conversations with a selection of current parents and parents of pupils who had recently left the school. Inspectors considered the 13 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View.  There were no responses to the online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Janet Hallett, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lee Kirwen Social Care Regulatory Inspector

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Inspection team

Barnaby Dowell Social Care Regulatory 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.

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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

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.

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Inspection team

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 .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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