Al Ashraaf Secondary School

Al Ashraaf Secondary School 102−105 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7RA

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The proprietor, leaders and governors have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met.  The required safeguarding checks on the proprietor, governors and staff have not all been carried out. Safeguarding arrangements are ineffective.  Leadership and management are inadequate and are not improving. There are no systems for holding teachers to account for the quality of education.  The curriculum is not broad and balanced. It does not prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.  Pupils are not given adequate opportunities to learn about people who have different beliefs, characteristics and cultures from their own. The careers advice they receive is not good enough to enable them to make informed choices about their future options.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare are inadequate. Leaders have not carried out all the required risk assessments nor ensured that the premises are safe.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching, learning and assessment are inadequate. Staff do not question pupils effectively or give them helpful advice on improving their work. Teachers do not challenge pupils to achieve as well as they could. The standards of teachers’ own writing and presentation are not always high enough.  Pupils’ attendance and progress, the quality of teaching and incidents of misbehaviour are not monitored effectively.  The governance of the school is ineffecti v e in holding leaders to account. The proprietor has not undertaken the required training, including that for the ‘Prevent’ duty and safer recruitment.  Behaviour requires improvement because pupils are too reliant on adults to guide their learning. The school has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the teaching.  Pupils are usually polite and compliant. They say they feel safe in school. Compliance with regulatory requirements

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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) Regulation 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements. The details are listed in the main report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Rapidly improve the effectiveness of safeguarding by ensuring that: – the proprietor and governors undertake the required safeguarding checks and record the information about the checks in the school’s single central record (SCR) – the necessary checks are made on new staff and information about the checks and their outcomes is recorded diligently – all staff have undertaken training in accordance with ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2016), and that the school’s safeguarding policy reflects the Secretary of State’s latest guidance – the proprietor and leaders have completed the required training to promote the safer recruitment of new staff – risk assessments are completed in accordance with requirements, especially in relation to work experience placements and visits from outside speakers – the building and facilities are well maintained to help to ensure pupils’ safety.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– all the independent school standards are met – effective arrangements for governance are established so that governors have formal channels of information about the school’s effectiveness and are in a position to hold its leaders fully to account – attendance registers are accurate so that staff know who is on the site at all times of the day – leaders and teachers know how well pupils are doing, and provide support and challenge for them to improve rapidly – a performance management system is put in place; leaders collect, analyse and use information about teaching quality and pupils’ progress to hold staff to account and identify and address areas for improvement – the curriculum is well planned to promote rapid progress in all subjects; it covers all the required areas of learning, and ensures that pupils learn more about people of other faiths and of none, and about differing lifestyles – pupils have access to high-quality information about career options

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– behaviour is monitored effectively, and the school records incidents of misbehaviour, as well as the actions taken to reduce them – the written reports to parents include information about each pupil’s progress as well as their attainment in tests – the school’s website is compliant with the independent school standards.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ achievement by ensuring that teachers: – provide appropriately challenging activities to enable pupils, including the most able, to make good or better progress – question pupils effectively and provide helpful guidance to deepen their understanding and correct misunderstandings – demonstrate high standards of presentation and accuracy in their own writing – help pupils to become less reliant on staff to support their learning – receive high-quality professional development focused on improving achievement.

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 Ensure that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively (paragraph 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 pupils with an education, health and care plan (paragraph 2(1)(b)(i)).  Ensure that the written policies, plans and schemes of work do 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 (paragraph 2(1)(b)(ii)).  Ensure that the written policies, plans and schemes of work give pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education (paragraph 2(2)(a)).

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 Ensure that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills (paragraph 2(2)(b)).  Ensure that the written policies, plans and schemes of work provide 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 (paragraph 2(2)(d), 2(2)(d)(i) and 2(2)(d)(ii)).  Ensure that pupils receiving secondary education 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)(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 and are prepared effectively for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

(paragraph 2(2), 2(2)(h) and 2(2)(i)).  Ensure that teaching enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught (paragraph 3(a)).  Ensure that teaching fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves (paragraph 3(b)).  Ensure that teaching involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraph 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 lessons (paragraph 3(d)).  Ensure that teaching utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range (paragraph 3(f)).

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 Ensure that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly, and that information from that assessment is used to plan teaching so that pupils can progress (paragraph 3(g)).  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 (paragraph 3(i)).  Ensure that a framework for pupils’ performance to be evaluated, by reference to the school’s own aims as provided to parents or national norms, or to both, is in place (paragraph 4).  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, (paragraph 5 and 5(a)).  Ensure that principles are actively promoted which further tolerance and harmony

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

between different cultural traditions by enabling pupils to acquire an appreciation of and respect for their own and other cultures and encourage respect for other people, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the 2010 Act (paragraph 5(b), 5(b)(v) and 5(b)(vi)).  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 (paragraph 7, 7(a) and 7(b)).  Ensure that a written behaviour policy is implemented effectively and a record is kept of the sanctions imposed on pupils for serious misbehaviour (paragraph 9, 9(b) and 9(c)).  Ensure that an admission and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (paragraph 15).  Ensure that the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and protected through the

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy and appropriate action is taken to reduce the risks identified (paragraphs 16, 16(a) and 16(b)).  Ensure that persons named as the proprietors of the school are not barred from regulated activity relating to children in accordance with section 3(2) of the 2006 Act, which is regulated activity within the meaning of Part 1, Schedule 4 of the Act, and do not carry out work, or intend to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order, or any other direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act (paragraphs 18(1), 18(2)(a), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(c)(i), 18(2)(c)(ii), 18(2)(c)(iii), 18(2)(c)(iv), 18(2)(d), 18(2)(e), 18(2)(f) and 18(3)).  Ensure that a range of checks are also carried out for each proprietor, including an enhanced criminal records check, an identity check and a check of their right to work in

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

the United Kingdom and any other such checks required by guidance issued by the Secretary of State (paragraphs 20(6), 20(6)(a), 20(6)(a)(i), 20(6)(a)(ii), 20(6)(b), 20(6)(b)(i), 20(6)(b)(ii), 20(6)(b)(iii) and 20(6)(c)).  Ensure that the proprietor keeps a register which shows that all the checks required by guidance issued by the Secretary of State have been carried out(paragraphs 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)(vi), 21(3)(a)(vii), 21(3)(a)(viii), 21(3)(b), 21(4), 21(5), 21(5)(a), 21(5)(a)(i), 21(5)(a)(ii), 21(5)(b), 21(5)(c), 21(6), 21(7), 21(7)(a), 21(7)(b), 21(8)).  Ensure that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured (paragraph 25).  Ensure that an annual written report of each registered pupil’s progress and attainment in

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

the main subject areas taught is provided to the parents of that registered pupil, except that no report need be provided where the parent has agreed otherwise (paragraph 32(1)(f)).  Ensure that the proprietor and 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, fulfil their responsibilities effectively and actively promote the well-being of pupils (paragraph 34, 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leadership and management are inadequate. The proprietor and senior leaders have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met for leadership and management, including those relating to safeguarding and child protection.  The proprietor and leaders have not made sure that the building is maintained to a suitably high standard to ensure pupils’ health, safety and welfare. Broken computers and furniture, graffiti, damage to walls, unemptied wastepaper bins and the poor standard of decoration in the classrooms and corridors do not inspire successful learning.  The senior team of two comprises the headteacher and the assistant headteacher. Out of necessity, they have focused on the school’s day-to-day running. Senior leaders freely admit that they have been overstretched this year and have not had enough time, support or training to focus adequately on improving teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Staff are contracted and paid only for the time they are teaching in the classroom. As a result, there are no opportunities for them to have training and development. There is no formal system for the management of staff performance, including that of the headteacher. Consequently, teachers are not held to account for the quality of their teaching and areas for improvement are not routinely identified.  The school’s curriculum is neither broad nor balanced and offers only a limited range of GCSE subjects. Physical education and personal, social, health and economic education are only taught in Year 10. Currently, there are no resources set up for the teaching of information and communication technology or for aesthetic and creative subjects.  Leaders do not provide a planned programme for each subject. As a result, teachers are unable to plan their lessons to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to make good

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

or better progress.  The school’s curriculum planning does not give enough information about the content to be covered in each subject or of the order in which topics will be studied. The written plans do not ensure that pupils develop their skills progressively or in depth to acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills.  There are no extra-curricular activities on offer. The impact of the curriculum is not evaluated to ensure that it helps pupils to make good or better progress.  The school’s curriculum does not promote pupils’ respect for people with protected characteristics. When asked, pupils were able to list those groups of people who are at risk of being vulnerable and are protected by the law. However, this aspect of the school’s work is underdeveloped because pupils have few opportunities to explore or discuss the issues in any depth.  Similarly, the school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

development is ineffective. Pupils learn moral responsibility and respect and care for others. The school celebrates a few religious festivals, including Diwali. However, pupils have a limited understanding about people of different faiths from their own, and this does not prepare them well for British society.  The school does not have an effective system to check on pupils’ progress. As a result, leaders and teachers do not know how well pupils are doing or what they should be expected to do. Staff do not have enough information to provide effective support and challenge to help individual pupils make rapid progress.  The annual written reports to parents do not include information about pupils’ academic progress, but comment only on their attainment and effort. There were no responses by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.  Pupils receive some careers guidance but the range of outside speakers from the world of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

work and the variety of work experience placements are limited. As a result, pupils have limited awareness of the range of career pathways available to them when they leave school.  The school does not promote good progress for its most able pupils. It does not check their progress carefully or provide work that challenges them fully enough.  Arrangements for the monitoring of pupils’ behaviour and attendance are not robust enough. For example, the school does not keep effective records of misbehaviour incidents or the actions taken to reduce them over time. Pupils’ attendance is recorded when they arrive in the morning but not when they return from their off-site lunch break. Leaders do not analyse pupils’ attendance. They were unable to give any indication of how regularly they attended the school, either for the current academic year or previously.  The headteacher and the assistant headteacher are able to pinpoint accurately the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

strengths and weaknesses in the teaching. They observe teaching when they can and provide very brief feedback to staff. However, they do not use the information to improve its quality.

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Governance of the school

 Governance is ineffective.  The proprietor and governors were unavailable during the inspection to meet with the lead inspector, despite several attempts by the headteacher to convene a meeting.  No evidence was given to the inspector to show that either the proprietor or governors play any role in supporting the school or holding it to account. They have not ensured that all statutory requirements and independent school standards are met.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective.  The proprietor and leaders have not ensured that safeguarding has been given the highest priority. For example, the school’s SCR of recruitment checks does not contain the names of the proprietor or governors as it should. Other omissions include checks on whether staff or governors are prohibited from teaching, or barred from the management of independent schools.  The proprietor, governors, leaders and staff have not undertaken the most up-to-date safeguarding training. As a result, safeguarding practice and the school’s policy do not reflect the Secretary of State’s latest guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2016). The safeguarding policy and all the other required policies are not published on the school’s website but are available to parents on request.  Risk assessments are not used consistently to evaluate the risks posed to pupils. For

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Safeguarding

example, at the time of the inspection, risk assessments had not been carried out on the suitability of visiting outside speakers or work experience placements. However, following the inspection, evidence was submitted that showed risk assessments for pupils’ work experience placements had been completed.  Leaders have not carried out an assessment about the risk of pupils being radicalised.  The school does not retain any records of recruitment interviews. It is therefore unable to confirm that the appropriate safeguarding questions were asked by leaders and answered satisfactorily by applicants. Furthermore, neither the proprietor nor the leaders have undertaken the required safer recruitment training.  When considered together, these omissions reveal a weak and lax culture in relation to safeguarding. The flaws in safeguarding arrangements put the pupils at risk of harm and compromise their welfare, health and safety.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate, and has not ensured that pupils make good progress in all subjects.  Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough. Teaching often lacks challenge, particularly for the most able. Activities in lessons often focus on the mechanical completion of tasks rather than on deepening pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills. Planning does not provide strategies to help pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills across a range of subjects. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should.  Leaders and teachers do not monitor the progress of individuals or of groups of pupils. Teachers do not therefore have the information they need to plan effective lessons with work at the right level for the pupils’ needs.  Teachers do not always demonstrate good presentation or accuracy in their own writing,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

either on paper or on the whiteboards. Pupils do not therefore have consistently good models to help them to improve their work, their accuracy in using language, or the quality of their diagrams and graphs.  Teachers’ questioning and guidance are not challenging enough to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Consequently, pupils do not develop their thinking skills and make the progress of which they are capable.  Resources are of poor quality, frequently consisting of printed materials that have not been adapted for pupils’ specific needs. The classroom environment is often untidy and not conducive to learning, with unused textbooks, broken furniture and displays that are tired and not stimulating. The use of new technologies is underdeveloped because the school provides very few laptops or computers.  The school does not offer any staff training or development opportunities. There is no

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

formal system of staff appraisal and there are no arrangements for sharing good practice.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  The school has not put suitably robust systems in place to safeguard pupils. Leaders were unable to provide the inspector with information about pupils’ attendance for this year or for the previous one. While morning attendance registers are taken, afternoon ones are not (following pupils’ off-site lunchtime recreation). This procedure is not rigorous enough to ensure that leaders know, for example, who is in the building and who has not returned and is missing. Also, leaders do not analyse the attendance information carefully enough to identify trends or patterns in order to review the effectiveness of strategies to improve pupils’ attendance.  The school’s curriculum does not actively promote mutual tolerance and respect for people who have different beliefs, characteristics and cultures. As a result, pupils are not

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Personal development and welfare

helped to understand the diversity of modern British society.  Careers guidance is limited and pupils are not therefore well prepared for their next steps after school.  Pupils reported that they feel very safe and self-confident in school because of the security measures they believe staff have provided.  Pupils know how to stay safe online and the potential risks of social media. They have a good understanding of how to stay safe outdoors and when using public transport.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. It is not good because pupils are too reliant on adults to support and guide their learning.  Leaders do not track or monitor misbehaviour consistently. As result, they are unable to spot patterns or trends in order to review the effectiveness of strategies to improve pupils’ behaviour. This indicates that leaders do not fully appreciate the importance of keeping and checking this information in order to support pupils’ needs.  In lessons and around the school, pupils usually conduct themselves well. They are courteous and engage well with visitors.  In discussion with the inspector, they reported that they feel safe and that there is no bullying. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Outcomes for pupils are inadequate because of the shortcomings in teaching and because coverage of the content in each subject is not planned well enough. As a result, pupils  particularly the most able  do not achieve as well as they should in all subjects.  Leaders do not check pupils’ academic progress well enough. Leaders and teachers do not know whether pupils are making rapid enough progress.  Staff do not check pupils’ attainment accurately when they arrive at the school, and so are unable to measure progress from starting points.  Pupils’ individual attainment levels are recorded by teachers, but these assessments are not checked for accuracy.  Samples of work seen across the school showed that pupils are not making enough progress in a range of subjects. Tasks seen in pupils’ books are not consistently challenging them to achieve their potential, particularly in science and geography. This is

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

because work is often a repetition of what has already been learned, or simply a reproduction of published material.  Pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is stronger than in other subjects. This is due to activities being set at the correct level for pupils’ abilities, which is usually not the case in other subjects.  This is the first year that the school has had Year 11 pupils. All have been offered provisional places in further education or apprenticeships.

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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.

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School details

Email address headteacher@alashraaf.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8−10 July 2014

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Information about this school

 Al Ashraaf Secondary School is a Muslim day school registered to provide full-time education for up to 60 boys aged 11 to 16. There are currently 34 pupils on roll.  The school is part of the Al Falah Educational Trust, which is also responsible for one other independent school in Hackney, the Al-Falah Primary School.  Since September 2016, only key stage 4 pupils have been educated at the school, following a decision by the proprietorial board.  While all the pupils in attendance are Muslim, pupils of all faiths are welcome. The school accepts pupils from a wide range of nationalities and cultures and, while English is not the only language used at home, most pupils speak it fluently. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The school aims to prepare pupils to live by the Islamic code of life and participate fully in British society without compromising their faith.

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any off-site training.  The school was last inspected in July 2014, when it was judged to require improvement.  The headteacher and assistant headteacher are leaving the school at the end of the summer term 2017.  The school’s website does not meet the requirements of the independent school standards. Nevertheless, all the required policies are available from the school on request, although the safeguarding policy is not compliant with the latest guidance.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out without notice.  The inspector observed teaching and learning across the school, almost all jointly with the headteacher or assistant headteacher. He spoke to pupils informally at various times during the inspection.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Leaders have not conducted any surveys of the views of pupils and parents.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, assistant headteacher and other members of staff. The proprietor and governors were unavailable during the inspection. Among other topics, the inspector discussed with the headteacher the school’s compliance or otherwise with the independent school standards.  The inspector reviewed key documents and policies, including those related to safeguarding, to check the school’s compliance with the independent school standards. He scrutinised pupils’ books and learning files, and the school’s information about pupils’

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Inspection team

David Scott, 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

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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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