Al Islah Girls' High School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Al Islah Girls’ High School 108 Audley Range, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 1TF

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  These standards relate to the safeguarding of pupils at the school. They were not met at the previous inspection because school leaders had not implemented current guidance from the Secretary of State. ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) 2016 had not been implemented in school and no staff had seen copies. Leaders had not implemented policies on sexting and appropriate monitoring and filtering as required in the guidance. The school had no appropriate filtering in place. The proprietors and leaders had not undertaken prohibition checks on teachers or proprietors, including section 128 checks on those responsible for school leadership.  These standards are now met. Soon after the previous inspection, leaders rewrote the school’s safeguarding policy. This policy now incorporates current guidance from the Secretary of State. Leaders also wrote a number of policies on separate safeguarding

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Main inspection findings

issues, such as sexting, e-safety, safer recruitment and the ‘Prevent’ duty.  Adults have received appropriate levels of training in how to keep children safe. Leaders have implemented effective systems for ensuring that new and part-time staff are trained effectively and are aware of the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures. All members of staff have read part one of KCSIE (2016) and have completed a workbook to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. The school now works closely with the local authority, and a number of safeguarding consultants, to ensure that its approach to keeping children safe is thorough and effective.  Pupils told the inspector how they receive information from external speakers on topics such as extremism and sexting. They also described how lessons in personal, social, health and economic education, and citizenship provide them with knowledge on a

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Main inspection findings

range of safety issues. Pupils said they feel safe at school and that they are well supported to make balanced and informed judgements about matters relating to personal safety.  Members of staff described to the inspector how thorough the school’s approach to safeguarding had become. One member of staff said that safeguarding is now ‘top of the agenda’. Staff were also able to explain what particular safeguarding concerns are likely to be more prevalent within the school’s context. They also demonstrated a secure knowledge of the potential symptoms of neglect and different forms of abuse. Staff are vigilant to any changes in pupils’ mood or presentation.  The leadership of safeguarding has improved considerably since the last inspection. A second designated leader of safeguarding has been appointed to build capacity. Furthermore, leaders have formed a safeguarding team, which includes teachers and

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Main inspection findings

safeguarding leaders. This team ensures that all aspects of the school’s work, including the curriculum, school environment and parental liaison, contribute to keeping children safe. A member of the governing body has been tasked with the responsibility of overseeing safeguarding at the school. This governor works closely with the leaders of safeguarding and conducts a number of checks on the quality of the school’s work to keep children safe. For example, he regularly checks that all appropriate checks on staff are carried out and that these are accurately recorded on the school’s single central record. Leaders make referrals to external agencies as appropriate. They have ensured that safeguarding records contain an appropriate level of detail.  Leaders have implemented appropriate measures to ensure that the internet is monitored and filtered in line with current guidance. The headteacher closely monitors

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Main inspection findings

these systems and takes appropriate action to deal with any issues that arise.  As a result, the standards relating to the safeguarding of pupils are now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 4. Suitability of staff, supply staff, and proprietors Paragraphs 18, 18(2), 18(2)(b), 18(2)(c), 18(2)(e), 18(3), 20, 20(6), 20(6)(a)(ii), 21, 21(3)(a)(iii), 21(3)(b)  These standards were not met because leaders had not ensured that prohibition checks had been carried out for staff and governors. Leaders have ensured that all prohibition checks, including section 128 checks, are now carried out before a person’s appointment. These checks are recorded on the school’s single central record. These standards are therefore now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 6. Provision of information Paragraph 32(1)(c)  The inspection in November 2016 indicated that this standard was met.  The scope of the action plan evaluation of March 2017 did not include this standard.  The safeguarding policy is accessible via the school’s website. As a result, this standard remains met.

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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 that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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The school now meets 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 no such person carries out work, or intends to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act, or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction (paragraph 18, 18(2) and 18(2)(b)).  The proprietor must ensure that the checks referred to in sub-paragraphs (2)(c) and (except where sub-paragraph (4) applies) (2)(e) must be completed before a person’s appointment (paragraph 18 and 18(3)).  The proprietor must ensure that any individual (‘MB’), not being the Chair of the school,

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

who is a member of a body of persons corporate or unincorporate named as the proprietor of the school in the register or in an application to enter the school in the register, if MB does not carry out work, or intend to carry out work, at the school in contravention of a prohibition order, an interim prohibition order, or any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in either such direction (paragraph 20, 20(6) and 20(6)(a)(ii).  The proprietor must ensure that, in relation to each member of staff (‘S’) appointed on or after 1 May 2007, whether a check was made to establish whether S is subject to any direction made under section 128 of the 2008 Act or section 142 of the 2002 Act or any disqualification, prohibition or restriction which takes effect as if contained in such a

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

direction (paragraph 21 and 21(3)(a)(iii).  The proprietor must ensure that, in relation to each member of staff (‘S’), whether a check was made to establish whether S is subject to a prohibition order or an interim prohibition order, including the date on which such check was completed (paragraph 21 and 21(3)(b)).

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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 The Islamic Educational Society

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 16–18 November 2016

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Information about this school

 The Al Islah School is an independent Muslim day school that is registered to provide full- time education for girls aged from 11 to 16. The school opened in 1999.  There are currently 79 pupils on roll. There are no pupils on roll who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The school uses alternative off-site provision for some physical education activities.  Since the last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed. There have also been several changes of personnel on the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school was last inspected on 16–18 November 2016, when it was judged to be inadequate in terms of its overall effectiveness. Following this inspection, the school submitted an action plan to the registration authority for independent schools.  The school’s action plan was evaluated on 30 March 2017 and was not judged to be acceptable.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection of the school to check on its progress in meeting the independent school standards that were judged to be unmet in November 2016.  The inspection was undertaken without notice to the school.  The lead inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s single

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Information about this inspection

central record of checks and vetting of staff, and documents connected with the safeguarding of children.  The lead inspector had discussions with the headteacher and leaders who have responsibility for safeguarding. The inspector also met with a group of pupils, a group of staff and the chair of the governing body.

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Inspection team

Will Smith, lead inspector 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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