Al-Madani Girls School

Madni Institute 339–341 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 5PR

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Inspection dates 31 October–2 November 2017

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have a clear policy on teaching, learning and assessment. Staff apply the policy well and standards have improved as a result.  Leaders and staff work tirelessly and passionately in the best interests of pupils.  Pupils’ attainment on entry is broadly in line with national averages. Year 11 pupils in 2016/17 made strong progress and attained high standards in a range of subjects.  Staff prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. This is due to leaders’ work to promote fundamental British values. The well-designed, spiritual, moral, social and cultural curriculum gives pupils a clear understanding of different religions and cultures, and helps pupils develop a strong moral conscience.  The Islamic nature of the school threads through all aspects of school life. Staff reinforce ‘Zakat’ (alms giving) with pupils through charity work and fundraising across the local community.  Behaviour is typically good. Pupils know one

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

another very well and they are polite, warm and caring towards each other.  Attendance is not yet as strong as it could be. A few pupils do not attend as regularly as they should.  Safeguarding practices and procedures are effective and robust. Pupils’ safety is a high priority at the school. Child protection arrangements are robust.  Governors are highly ambitious for the school. Their vision is that the Madni Institute will instil in pupils a strong belief in their Islamic faith, and that pupils will achieve academic success.  The school has a positive environment for learning and a dedicated staff. Pupils’ personal development, inner confidence and self-esteem improve as they settle into school life.  Leaders have developed a challenging curriculum which focuses on developing pupils’ communication, scientific, linguistic and mathematical skills. Pupils are given opportunities to learn about the arts and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

technology; however, these are not yet available as options at key stage 4.  Most pupils read widely and often. However, some pupils do not read sufficiently challenging books.  Leadership is narrowly distributed. Currently, the headteacher and deputy headteacher take responsibility for all areas of school leadership. Subject leadership needs further development to enhance leadership across the school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Compliance with regulatory requirements The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop leadership capacity across the school by developing subject leaders who can support senior leaders in the running of the school.  Broaden the key stage 4 curriculum offer so that pupils have the opportunity to study a wider range of subjects, including the arts.  Improve reading by: – further developing the school library so there are more appropriate reading materials available for pupils of different reading ages – introduce opportunities for pupils, including those with weak literacy skills, to broaden their ability to read well.  Raise attendance by: – conveying to parents the importance of high attendance at school and its link with progress – sharpening staff’s response so that pupils with low attendance are identified and supported quickly and their attendance rapidly improves.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have focused on ensuring that there is a strong Islamic culture and ethos that permeates throughout the school. Leaders believe that all pupils should succeed academically and have the qualities and attributes that support their Islamic faith. Respect, dignity and equality of opportunity are also inherent in the day-to-day life of pupils at the school.  Leaders have created a culture where all pupils value each other’s qualities and differences. Staff know their pupils well and have high expectations of pupils’ conduct. Consequently, pupils are well behaved, respectful and friendly to one another.  Leaders have focused on improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since the last inspection. A revised teaching, learning and assessment policy recommends that teachers share lesson objectives, skilfully question pupils’ understanding during the lesson and use feedback to identify how pupils can further improve. This is well adhered to by

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

teachers and has improved the pace of learning in lessons.  Leaders have driven improvements in teaching, learning and assessment through rigorous professional development and setting high expectations for all staff. Leaders routinely check on the progress pupils make in class, to ensure that teaching is having a positive impact on pupils’ understanding.  Leaders strongly promote pupils’ personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Activities are threaded throughout lessons and learning conversations so that pupils reflect on and understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  Leaders are keen to further enhance pupils’ self-confidence and resilience. The enrichment programme, work experience and outreach activities in the local community are improving pupils’ confidence and contribution to the wider community. These activities are also supporting pupils’ understanding of their Islamic faith and how they

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

support others.  Leaders are highly driven and aim to secure the best possible offer for pupils and their families. The school’s accurate self-evaluation and development plan records where further improvement is needed. The continual professional development programme for staff supports school improvement extremely well.  Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the positive working relationships between staff and pupils. They value the culture and ethos of the school. Parents recognise that pupils excel due to the hard work and dedication of the staff and leaders at the school.  Leaders have improved how they check and monitor the progress of pupils. They have adjusted the school’s policy for setting targets for pupils and regularly review overall progress. Teachers comply with the policy, reflect on current progress and provide effective feedback and actions for improvement, which pupils find helpful. Pupils use this

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

guidance well to improve their work.  Year 11 pupils receive impartial careers advice and guidance. The careers programme appropriately supports pupils’ next steps to post-16 provision, apprenticeships or employment.  Leaders work with local faith groups and invite them to contribute to an annual faith forum. Pupils use these sessions to question and reflect on similarities and differences, deepening their knowledge of other religions, faiths and beliefs.  Leaders have developed a curriculum that focuses on English, mathematics, science, history, Islamic studies, computing, physical education, Arabic and Urdu. Pupils also follow a programme of enrichment, which incorporates art and design, drama and other cultures. While pupils achieve strong outcomes in their current suite of GCSEs, they would benefit from studying a wider range of GCSE courses, including the arts. This would broaden their post-16 choices and career options.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The leadership team recognises that a few pupils do not attend as regularly as they should. Recent changes in how staff follow up on attendance issues are having a positive impact, which has resulted in some pupils attending more regularly this academic year compared to previous years. However, it is too early to say whether these changes are embedded across the school.  Leaders have invested in a school library and there is a range of both reference and fiction books available for pupils to borrow. Some pupils choose to borrow reading books which are not sufficiently challenging and do not fully develop their ability to read fluently.  School leadership is currently solely managed by the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Work to expand the leadership team so others take on subject leadership and whole-school responsibilities will ensure that there is adequate leadership cover should it be needed, and appropriate succession planning is in place.

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Governance

 The proprietor has appointed a chair and group of governors to oversee the school’s effectiveness. Governors meet regularly with the headteacher to discuss key issues such as safeguarding, school improvement, progress and attainment, attendance and staffing.  Governors now receive school information in advance of meetings. This has made a real difference in how governors analyse and use this information to challenge school leaders.  Governors routinely audit their skills to ensure that they can support all aspects of school life. Governors’ responsibilities are clearly assigned, both individually and collectively. The chair of governors visits the school regularly to check on the quality of the provision, leadership, and health and safety. The governor responsible for safeguarding routinely checks on how pupils are kept safe.  All governors are committed to school improvement and share the ambition, passion and

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Governance

commitment of the school’s leaders. Governors use external training to keep up to date on, for example, effective school leadership, safeguarding, recognising radicalisation and understanding the government’s new slavery law.  Trustees and leaders ensure that all of the independent school standards are met.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Governors, together with staff responsible for safeguarding at the school, ensure that safeguarding is a priority for all. Rigorous systems and meticulous risk assessment arrangements ensure that pupils are safe both on site and during educational visits. Health and safety checks are frequent and comprehensive.  The headteacher and governors ensure that staff recruitment and child protection arrangements are very effective. All staff receive regular and appropriate safeguarding training.  The school’s safeguarding policy is regularly reviewed to take account of all government requirements. Leaders seek advice or consult with other appropriate professionals and agencies to check that they are doing all that they can to keep pupils safe.  Parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, felt pupils were safe and well looked after at school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and they plan purposeful activities which interest pupils, challenge them to think, and deepen their understanding.  Leaders have focused on improving how teachers use the school’s teaching, learning and assessment policy effectively. Consequently, in line with school policy, teachers have very high expectations. They plan engaging lessons and share the objectives and the success criteria with pupils. Teachers assess pupils’ learning through class activities and homework tasks, and provide feedback that deepens pupils’ knowledge and understanding in most subjects. This is particularly effective in English and history. This is improving the pace of learning in lessons.  Teachers have strong subject knowledge and question pupils well. They deploy a wide range of different strategies for questioning, which encourages pupils to extend their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

knowledge and deepen their understanding. For example, in a Year 10 English class, the teacher’s skilful questioning enabled pupils to explore and reflect on the different characters in ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Pupils also explored the perceived differences between a good marriage in Victorian England and a contemporary marriage. This included an interesting pupil-led discussion on British law and the illegal nature of forced marriage.  Teachers are keen that pupils use and understand key words and phrases in their lessons. Leaders have introduced specific spelling initiatives to support pupils’ skills. This is helping to improve pupils’ communication skills and enhance their learning conversations in lessons.  Pupils spend time memorising the Koran and learning about their Islamic faith. Teachers routinely check each pupil’s Arabic pronunciation of phrases, while the imam helps pupils understand how their faith guides them.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Leaders have organised the curriculum so that pupils in core subjects such as English, mathematics and science develop effective strategies for answering GCSE questions throughout key stage 4. This is giving pupils time to reinforce their knowledge and understanding across the key stage. Year 11 outcomes are improving as a result.  Pupils expand their mathematical skills through a well-planned curriculum. Teachers develop pupils’ knowledge and check that they can apply their skills to more complex problem-solving questions in line with new GCSE specifications. Pupils make strong progress as a result.  Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils respond well to their teachers’ questioning. For example, during a science lesson, pupils worked confidently with the teacher to reinforce their own understanding of forces acting on an object.  Links with local businesses help pupils gain an understanding of how computing, business

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

and economics support a successful company. Pupils are given opportunities to attend workshops on strategy and marketing. This deepens their business knowledge and widens their possible career choices.  Pupils are expected to read books for pleasure, and all pupils spoken to during the inspection had a book to read. However, some pupils had chosen books which were too easy for them and lacked challenge. This restricts their communication skills and hinders their progress in literacy-based subjects.  A few pupils with poor attendance develop some gaps in their learning. Staff currently offer periodic after-school intervention sessions to support these pupils. Pupils who attend these extra one-to-one sessions improve and catch up with their peers.  Pupils value the extra-curricular opportunities, including drama, art and language workshops, and attend regularly. Pupils have recently enjoyed performing Macbeth for

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  There are no recorded incidents of bullying on school records. Pupils told inspectors that bullying does not occur at this school; however, they are taught how to recognise bullying should it occur. Staff have trained a group of pupils to be anti-bullying mentors. Pupils have a very clear understanding of who they should speak to if there is a bullying problem.  Pupils have a dedicated PSHE education lesson each week. The curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of how to live a healthy life and build positive relations with one another. Pupils are also taught about their local community and how to use money well.  Pupils are involved in a number of local community projects. In 2016/17, pupils visited and worked with the elderly at a local home, took an active part in ‘cleaning up Slough’ and collected food for the homeless.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils in Year 10 take part in work experience. Pupils are encouraged to organise their own placements. Many choose to work locally in primary schools, or in law or accountancy firms. Pupils told the inspector that this had helped build their confidence and improved their self-esteem.  The Madni Mosque has recently moved out of a shared building, leaving the Madni Institute for girls as the sole occupants. Leaders and pupils are working on improving the school’s image and identity within the local community. Pupils enjoy contributing to potential changes to the school’s logo and alterations to their uniform. They are proud of their school and they want others in the community to recognise that they are pupils of this school.  Leaders meet regularly with the pupil leadership team. Staff use these discussions to gauge the pupils’ thoughts on where further improvements can be made.  Pupils consolidate their knowledge about different cultures and religions by sharing their

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Personal development and welfare

understanding through assemblies to other pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils listen carefully to one another and do not interrupt while others express their opinion. They treat one another with respect and dignity.  Pupils enjoy coming to school. Some pupils act as class monitors, ensuring that all learning spaces are kept tidy and well organised so that others can begin their lessons promptly.  Most pupils attend school daily. However, a few pupils who have previously been home- schooled do not attend as often as others. This is affecting the progress they make in some lessons. Teachers have to spend additional time supporting these pupils with their learning outside of lessons due to their poor attendance.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Most pupils join the school in Year 7 with attainment in line with national averages. In 2017, all pupils attained at least seven GCSEs, with grades A* to C in a range of subjects including English and mathematics.  School baseline data indicates that a few pupils who have been home-schooled often have lower prior attainment on entry. Many of these pupils make accelerated progress in English, mathematics, Islamic studies, science and computing in each year group as a result of well-considered additional support.  The most able pupils follow an extended curriculum. In 2017, these pupils attained high grades in history, Arabic and additional science.  Leaders set challenging targets for pupils and accurately monitor pupils’ learning in order to identify and support any who are falling behind. As a result, the progress of current pupils in English, mathematics, science, history and Islamic studies is strong.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils currently make excellent progress in English across each key stage. English teachers consistently and collaboratively plan, review and assess to drive up standards. This is reflected in pupils’ workbooks, where there is also strong evidence of good progress over time.  Leaders measure pupils’ progress in the Islamic curriculum through pupils’ strength of character and behaviour, by how well pupils memorise the Koran, and through the progress they make in Arabic. As a result of the strong teaching and learning, pupils make effective progress in each of these areas.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Year 11 pupils work with staff to secure their own post-16 college courses and have a clear plan for their future career path.  Although pupils read during tutor time, some pupils are not developing their ability to read well because they are choosing books which are too easy for them. This is limiting

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Outcomes for pupils Good

their ability to write and communicate effectively.

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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

Proprietor Abu Haneefa Educational Trust

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 September–1 October 2015

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Information about this school

 Madni Institute is an independent Islamic secondary school for girls aged 11 to 16. It is situated in a former office building close to Slough town centre. Until very recently, this building had also housed the mosque outside of school hours. The building is also used for religious instruction out of school hours for younger pupils.  The school’s purpose is ‘to provide Islamic and academic education to children in a safe and peaceful Islamic environment’.  The school does not have any pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are no disadvantaged pupils on roll. The school is registered for up to 80 pupils.  The proprietor of the school is the Abu Haneefa Educational Trust. There are currently five governors.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Compliance with the independent school standards was established through a site check, analysis of school records and scrutiny of a wide range of documentation. The school’s admissions and attendance registers and a range of documentation regarding safeguarding were also analysed.  The inspector held meetings with senior leaders, governors and pupils. She observed pupils’ learning and talked to pupils both formally and informally.  The views of parents were evaluated through the analysis of seven responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and five free-text responses. Staff views were gathered and evaluated through responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.  The inspector scrutinised the school’s information regarding the achievement of pupils, and evaluated the moderation and assessment procedures that leaders use to check the accuracy of their assessments.

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Inspection team

Caroline Walshe, 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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