Olive Secondary

Olive Secondary Byron Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD3 0AD

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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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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders, including the proprietor, have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met. Pupils are not prepared fully for life in British society. They do not get sufficient opportunities to develop their confidence when mixing with different genders.  Leaders have an over-generous view of the school’s effectiveness. They have not ensured that the curriculum is of a consistently high quality across the school. For example, boys do not get the same benefit as the girls from leaders’ monitoring of English teaching.  Pupils’ inattentiveness develops into low-level disruptive behaviour in some lessons. This hinders their own and other pupils’ learning.  Leaders have not ensured that teaching is effective enough for pupils to make good progress. Some teachers do not consider what pupils can already do when planning lessons. As a result, some pupils’ progress slows. Subsequently some pupils, including the most

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

able, do not achieve as well as they could.  Some pupils do not get enough help to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar. Consequently, the standard of their written work does not match what they know and understand. Some pupils do not take enough care with their written presentation. The school has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The proprietor’s determination to improve pupils’ academic outcomes led to a change in the curriculum offered from September 2016. All pupils now study secular subjects all day. As a result, more pupils are on track to gain a broader range of appropriate qualifications than was the case previously.  Pupils develop a mature and tolerant understanding of people of different faiths and backgrounds.  Pupils are respectful and considerate of others as they move around the school and socialise at break- and lunchtime.  Leaders ensure that pupils experience trips into the community and listen to visiting speakers. This is broadening pupils’ horizons and helps them think about their next steps in education and their future employment. The majority of pupils move on successfully to their chosen destinations.

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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.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management to ensure that: – all of the independent school standards are met consistently – all pupils develop the social and emotional skills needed to be fully prepared to take advantage of the opportunities, experiences and responsibilities of life in Britain – leaders and staff from both the girls’ and boys’ sides of the school contribute fully to improving teaching, learning and assessment by sharing the existing strong practice – leaders from both sides of the school agree and operate the same methods for monitoring all aspects of the school’s work, in order to more accurately evaluate and thus improve the school’s effectiveness – neither boys nor girls are disadvantaged in any way by the organisation of the school.  Improve the rate of progress pupils make by ensuring that all teachers: – consistently plan work that matches the needs and aptitudes of all pupils, including

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

the most able – check and guide pupils to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar when writing across a range of subjects – implement the school’s teaching and learning policy consistently – have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and the presentation of their work.

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

 The proprietor must ensure the effective preparation of both boy and girl pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in British society (paragraph 2(2), 2(2)(i)).  The proprietor must ensure that pupils acquire speaking, listening, literacy and numeracy skills (paragraph 2(2)(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that teaching at the school: – 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 taught subjects (paragraph 3, 3(a)) – fosters pupils’ self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves (paragraph 3, 3(b)) – involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time (paragraph 3, 3(c)) – shows good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainment of the pupils,

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The school must meet the following independent school standards

and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons (paragraph 3, 3(d)) – utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly (paragraph 3, 3(h)).  The proprietor must improve the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils to: – enable pupils to develop their self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-confidence (paragraph 5, 5(b), 5(b)(i)).  The proprietor must ensure persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school: – demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to the role so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a)) – fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently (paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(b)).

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The proprietor and the boys’ and girls’ headteachers have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met. The leaders have not ensured that pupils are fully prepared for life in British society. The different treatment of boys and girls introduces inequality of experience that affects their personal development. They do not ensure that teaching is consistently effective to enable pupils to make good progress in a range of subjects.  All pupils learn about people of different faiths and backgrounds, but they do not have the opportunity in school to develop the social and emotional skills to manage situations where other people’s views may conflict with their own.  Pupils get some opportunities to meet with people of different genders outside their families. The school is working hard to improve this aspect. However, currently, pupils’ opportunities to test out their resilience and confidence with members of the public

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

remain limited.  Leaders have taken action to ensure that pupils have equal access to specialist facilities, but their work in managing some aspects of the school’s separate provision is weak. They have not taken action to ensure that the strong work in literacy for boys was maintained after a key member of staff left. As a result, more boys than girls have weaker reading and writing skills, slowing their progress in a range of subjects. In addition, girls do not get regular opportunities to have physical education (PE) lessons in the local park.  Leaders’ analysis of pupils’ attendance is not sufficiently detailed. Information initially offered to inspectors suggested that pupils’ attendance was much lower than it actually is.  Male and female leaders from the boys’ and girls’ sides of the school meet to share good practice and learn from each other. Leaders monitor the effectiveness of teaching through

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

observations and by reviewing pupils’ books. However, the effectiveness of this aspect of leaders’ work is reduced because male and female staff do not routinely work together or capitalise fully on the skills within the staff body as a whole. Nevertheless, teachers are provided with support and development opportunities. Teachers, including those who are newly qualified, say that they are well supported to improve their practice.  The proprietor and headteachers undertook a probing evaluation of the school’s effectiveness in the light of the disappointing 2016 examination results and increased expectations of the reformed GCSE examinations. As a result, they made a decision to introduce a curriculum focused on secular subjects so that pupils are able to achieve the same set of qualifications as pupils in most other schools. Islamic studies are no longer taught during the school day.  Leaders ensure that the curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, particularly in key

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

stage 3. It is enhanced by a range of trips and activities out of school and by visitors to the school. The range of activities supports pupils’ developing knowledge and understanding of the wider world.  Leaders have made sure that all of the required information is published on the school’s website and is available to parents. The majority of parents who responded to Parent View are overwhelmingly positive about the school.  The school does not currently admit post-16 students. The leaders’ desire to improve the examination success for Year 11 pupils led to a decision to offer only repeat GCSE courses for 17-year-olds to improve their grades. Leaders intend to offer a small range of A-level and other qualifications in the future.

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Governance

 Governance has not made sure that pupils are fully equipped to face the challenges and opportunities of life in British society. The sole proprietor is responsible for the governance of the school. His aim, to, ‘inspire and promote the value of learning and self- worth among pupils and staff to maximise each individual’s potential in order to ensure that they are adequately equipped to meet the challenges of education, work and life’, is threaded through much of the school’s work, but circumstances arising from the different arrangements for boys and girls lead to some inequality of experience.  The proprietor does not discharge his duties under the Equality Act 2010. Boys and girls are disadvantaged to some degree by the management of the separate provisions. In addition, the proprietor maintains an admission policy that clearly states that pupils who have special educational needs are not admitted to the school as their needs cannot be

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Governance

met. There are no clear plans to improve this policy and, as such, it does not comply with the Equality Act 2010.  The proprietor does maintain a special educational needs policy, and pupils who fall behind in their learning are identified. Leaders work with outside agencies, including the local child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) and an educational psychologist, to identify any additional needs pupils may have. Case studies show that when needed, these arrangements benefit pupils.  Inspectors saw evidence during the inspection that boys and girls learn to respect people of different genders, as well as individuals and groups with other protected characteristics. There is no substantial difference in the outcomes for the boys and the girls in GCSE examinations.  The proprietor has taken steps to ensure that pupils are not disadvantaged by the school having separate resources for boys and girls. For example, both sides of the school have

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Governance

specialist resources such as science rooms. However, the leaders have not managed other aspects well: for example, the girls’ library is a better quality learning resource than the one available to boys.  The proprietor is fully involved in the life of the school and has oversight of all aspects of the school’s work. He has correctly identified some of the priorities to improve the school. However, his evaluation of the effectiveness of the school is over optimistic and takes too little account of the disadvantages caused by weaknesses in the management of the separate provisions for boys and girls.  The proprietor holds leaders and other staff to account for the various aspects of their work through regular meetings and reviews. Teachers are initially appointed on probationary periods to ensure that they are suited to working in the school. Teachers and other staff are very committed to the school, as reflected in the very positive

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Governance

responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. However, improvements are not embedded consistently because of the lack of opportunities to share good practice across the whole staff.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The proprietor ensures that a suitable safeguarding policy is published on the website. Records show that staff are trained at appropriate levels and, importantly, know how to use the knowledge they gain from their training. This includes training in the ‘Prevent’ duty. Records of concerns about pupils and the work of the designated leads demonstrate that timely action is taken, including the involvement of other agencies. However, records do not have a clear chronology at the front. The leaders’ approach does not enable them to spot any trends emerging in concerns and/or pupils’ behaviour.  Leaders and all staff are acutely aware of online safety, particularly in relation to protecting pupils from extreme or radical views. Pupils’ access to the internet is well supervised and they are not allowed to use mobile phones in school. Pupils learn how to

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Safeguarding

keep themselves safe when using the internet when at home.  Pupils benefit from relationships and sex education. For example, boys talked confidently about what consent means. They know that the need for consent is an important factor in any relationship they may have in the future.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching in the boys’ and girls’ sides is not consistently effective enough to ensure that all pupils make good progress.  Some teachers routinely take into account pupils’ starting points and aptitudes when planning pupils’ learning. However, this is not consistent. For example, on occasions, most-able pupils complete work that is too easy, such as copying from text books. Furthermore, less able pupils copy out chunks of text that they do not fully understand. This reduces the opportunities for both groups of pupils to learn well and make good progress.  Some teachers lack confidence in the range of subjects they teach. This limits the challenge they provide to pupils, particularly the most able. When teachers’ subject knowledge is stronger in the school, for example in science, they challenge pupils confidently with targeted questions that probe individual pupils’ understanding effectively.  Teaching to address pupils’ poor literacy skills is varied. Unchecked spelling and poor

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

punctuation slow pupils’ progress in a range of subjects. The lead teacher for English is developing the skills of the girls’ teachers in this critically important area effectively, but has had less impact on the boys’ teachers because the sharing of good practice has been patchy.  Teachers encourage pupils to read aloud in most lessons. Pupils’ reading skills are varied. Some of the most able pupils read with confidence, fluency and emphatic expression. Other pupils lack an understanding of the use of punctuation and this hampers their understanding of texts. For example, some pupils read on from a line of poetry to an annotated comment in a text book, without stopping. Some teachers do not notice that pupils lose the meaning of a poem or correct this basic error.  Some teachers do not have consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in lessons. These teachers’ lack of high expectations, combined with activities that do not engage

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

pupils in learning, result in poor behaviour and inattentiveness. In the instances when teachers implement the schools’ behaviour policy consistently, pupils are attentive and develop good attitudes to learning.  Leaders have developed a teaching and learning policy that provides well-thought-out and helpful guidance to teachers. When teachers follow the policy for planning and delivering lessons, pupils learn well.  Most teachers set homework that consolidates pupils’ understanding of what has been taught in lessons and prepares them for the next lesson. Pupils confirmed that teachers set appropriately challenging homework regularly.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Pupils do not have regular opportunities to apply and test out their knowledge and understanding of respect and tolerance of different genders. This means that they are not being prepared fully for life in modern Britain.  Pupils make strong progress in some aspects of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Leaders plan enrichment activities that build on aspects covered in different lessons. As a result, pupils develop an appropriate understanding of different faiths and cultures. Similarly, they learn about the rule of law and their responsibility to uphold the law.  The leaders’ decision to change the curriculum in September 2016 and remove Islamic studies from the core school day has not had a detrimental effect on pupils’ spiritual development. Boys have the opportunity to lead the call to prayer and to lead prayers.

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Personal development and welfare

This adds to their confidence and skills as potential spiritual and community leaders. Girls confidently discuss how their faith guides their decisions and choices.  Pupils gave a good account of how their faith helps them understand people who are different to themselves. In frank discussions about the full range of protected characteristics, including homosexuality, transgender and disability, pupils described how their faith teaches them to respect individual people.  Pupils talk confidently about their school. The school councils, although run separately and organised in different ways, contribute to the development of the school. For example, the girls’ council has influenced the healthy food options available and developed a hygiene project involving an external agency. Equally, the boys’ council runs a tuck shop. They have asked for the profits to be used to help buy practical equipment for the science laboratory. The council members have decided that they want to be

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Personal development and welfare

remembered as the council that helped Year 7 pupils settle in quickly to their new school in September.  Leaders ensure that they comply with all safety regulations and are diligent about safety within the building. Risk assessments are in place when necessary. Staff and pupils show a good understanding of safety when undertaking different activities. For example, boys checked that the teacher had the first-aid kit with him when they set off for PE in the local park, and girls fully understood how to manage risk during their visit to the trampoline centre.  Girls told inspectors that girl-only classes help them focus on their learning. They also enjoy being able to talk about common teenage concerns without worrying about boys listening in. Girls confidently discussed how they choose whether to wear a full-face veil when arriving and leaving school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  Learning is interrupted by the low-level disruption of pupils. This is particularly the case in lessons for the younger boys. Some teachers have to stop in the middle of explaining key facts to remind pupils to listen. Sometimes teachers persist in their explanations while pupils talk over them. In both situations, pupils’ progress is slowed.  A few pupils’ books, in a range of subjects, are spoiled by doodles, over-zealous crossing out and very poor handwriting. These pupils do not show pride in their work and learning. Equally, their books do not provide a good record of their learning to help them revise for examinations and tests.  Leaders’ use of permanent exclusions, because of accumulated incidents of poor behaviour and pupils’ activities deemed contrary to the values of the school, is harsh. Different record-keeping methods are used in the boys’ and girls’ sides of the school, and

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Behaviour

records of incidents do not have sufficient detail to demonstrate that permanent exclusions are proportionate in all cases. Leaders’ records do not include the support offered to pupils following incidents.  Pupils’ behaviour around school, both that of boys and girls, is typically calm and respectful towards others. During social times, pupils enjoy lively conversations with other pupils and staff of the same gender. Pupils enjoy lively games that encourage a positive attitude towards healthy physical activity.  When lessons are planned in line with the school’s teaching and learning policy, pupils engage positively with teachers and learn well. For example, Year 10 boys were observed to maintain their interest and so increase their understanding over a two-hour-long poetry lesson.  Attendance is in line with the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Following the last inspection, the examination results for pupils in Year 11 declined in English and mathematics. In 2016, the proportion of pupils achieving at least a grade C GCSE in English and mathematics was below that achieved in most schools. Progress in mathematics was particularly weak. However, over a range of other subjects including science and religious studies, pupils’ average attainment was similar to that of most pupils nationally.  Current pupils are making stronger progress overall, although there remains some variation across subjects. For example, some pupils, particularly girls, make strong progress in English and citizenship. Boys’ progress in mathematics is improving because of some more effective teaching and the increased time spent teaching the core subjects of mathematics, English and science.  Pupils’ progress is sometimes slowed because of their weak literacy skills. This is

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

particularly the case for boys. For example, pupils develop their understanding about how different poets use a variety of techniques to create images for the reader. However, pupils’ written explanations are not clear because of weaknesses in their punctuation and grammar. Poor spelling and, for some, poor presentation, spoil the overall standard of their work.  A few of the most able pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable. This happens when the work they are given does not provide them with a suitable level of challenge to think deeply and use their knowledge in different ways.  Leaders’ assessment information shows that current key stage 3 pupils are making strong progress in the functional mathematics, English and information and communication technology (ICT) courses they study. Work in pupils’ books confirms gains in pupils’ knowledge and skills in these areas.  Overall, girls and boys make similar rates of progress. There is some small variation

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

between different subjects. For example, boys generally do better in Urdu and science, while girls do better in English, mathematics and ICT.  The overwhelming majority of pupils leave the school to go on to college courses that match their aspirations. In the past, the balance between the secular and Islamic curriculum has influenced the girls’ and boys’ choices about where they go for their post- 16 education. The majority of girls moved on to Islamic colleges where they continued to be taught in female-only environments. The immediate positive impact of the changed curriculum and effective approach to careers advice for boys and girls can be seen in the much wider range of colleges applied for by the current Year 11 pupils. This positive change gives the girls a better chance to achieve their wide-ranging aspirations.

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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

Girls’ school headteacher Amina Mohammed

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School details

Email address amohammed@olivesecondary.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10–12 June 2014

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Information about this school

 Olive Secondary is part of The Olive Foundation, which includes a range of evening schools delivering Islamic studies. The school is an independent Islamic faith school and much smaller than most secondary schools.  The school is owned by the sole proprietor, who governs the school. Boys and girls are taught separately. The girls’ side is led by a female headteacher and has all female staff, and the boys’ side is led by a male headteacher and has all male staff.  The uniform and furnishings within the school follow Islamic codes. The girls’ uniform includes full-face covering when outside school on school activities. Some of the girls choose to wear the full veil at other times when out in the community.  In September 2016, the proprietor changed the curriculum so that the core school day of six hours is based on a range of academic subjects aligned to the English Baccalaureate. The previously taught Islamic curriculum is an option for pupils to follow in the evening

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Information about this school

schools on the same site.  The school does not use alternative provision.  No pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The overwhelming majority of pupils are from Asian backgrounds, many of whom speak English as an additional language. However, the vast majority are fluent English speakers.  Immediately after this inspection, the school applied to the Department for Education to register the girls’ side of the school as a separate school.

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Information about this inspection

 Both inspectors visited lessons on the boys’ and girls’ sides of the school. Lessons covered a range of subjects and year groups. During visits, inspectors talked to pupils about their work, heard them read and reviewed the work in their books.  Inspectors met with groups of boys and girls separately, in line with the school’s organisation. Inspectors also met with the boys’ school council and the girls’ school council.  Inspectors visited all facilities within the school and observed a boys’ PE lesson in the local park, to check on the school’s compliance with the independent school standards.  Meetings were held with the proprietor, the boys’ and the girls’ headteachers, and lead staff from both the boys’ and girls’ sides of the school. As requested by the inspectors, meetings about specific aspects of the school’s work, for example safeguarding, were held with boys’ and girls’ staff together.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including those relating to: the progress of current and past pupils; pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attendance; safeguarding records; and records relating to the core and enrichment curriculum. All documents relating to the independent school standards were reviewed.  Inspectors considered 26 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey, and 24 responses to Parent View, including nine free-text responses to the latter. Inspectors spoke to one parent.

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Inspection team

Susan Hayter, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Sharpe 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.

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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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