Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School

Inspection report for boarding school: Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School 1 Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School Board of trustees Thornton View Road, Clayton, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD14 6JX Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this boarding school

Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria School is an independent Muslim school for girls. All pupils are boarders and attend the school full time. Their age range is from 11 to 23 years. The school has four boarding houses and a new purpose-built teaching block. Plans to develop additional facilities including new science laboratories are well under way and these facilities may be ready for use in September 2018. Inspection of the education provision took place prior to that of the boarding inspection and is subject to a separate report. At the time of the inspection, there were 467 pupils on roll.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The boarding school provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the school contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report for boarding school: Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School 2 Date of last inspection: 19 May 2015

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Key findings from this inspection

This boarding school is outstanding because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Pupils thrive, and their all-round development is exceptional.  The quality of the pupils’ day-to-day lives is excellent. The school is welcoming and friendly, and the pupils are happy and confident.  School leaders and staff are aspirational, and pupils in turn become ambitious and strive to achieve their best.  Creative practice, such as social experiments and a life skills award contribute towards the excellent progress that pupils make.  The promotion of equality and diversity is extensive and an integral part of school life.  Pupils are safe, and their behaviour is exemplary.  Risks are managed well, and there are thorough safeguarding arrangements in place.  Leadership is inspirational and ensures that pupils receive the best quality of care.  Pupils and parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and staff.

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outstanding

Pupils thrive in a nurturing, cohesive school community where they are empowered to become responsible, mature young adults by the time they leave. New pupils are supported to settle in quickly and benefit from older pupils who befriend and mentor them.

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outstanding

Pupils adapt well to becoming more independent and taking part in their school duties. Each year group has their own tasks, such as litter picking or mopping floors. Pupils develop practical skills, such as cooking, laundry, sewing and budgeting and they undertake a life skills award in their own time that promotes their social skills and personal development.

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outstanding

Morning assemblies, prayers and learning from a range of external visitors promote tolerance, equality and diversity. Although this is a single-faith school, there is a combined wealth of cultural differences from pupils’ backgrounds and experiences. Inspection report for boarding school: Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School 3 Their growing independence, combined with their secular education and religious teachings, empowers pupils to become self-disciplined, confident, empathic and skilled leaders. They know how to look after themselves, respect others and value diversity. They are well equipped to become responsible citizens in modern society.

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outstanding

Pupils enjoy and benefit from their significant contribution to the local and wider community through volunteering and fundraising activities. Pupils learn how to plan projects, work as a team and develop their understanding of disadvantaged groups in society, both in the United Kingdom and internationally.

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outstanding

The school environment is peaceful. Pupils are happy and enjoy themselves. There are plenty of activities that pupils like, including cake decorating, sports, board games and fun days. At the time of the inspection, pupils were eager to take part in the school’s version of the football world cup. The quality of their day-to-day lives is outstanding. They build positive friendships with each other and enjoy good relationships with staff. Pupils feel very supported and encouraged to do their best and, as a result, become aspirational themselves.

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outstanding

The staff relate well to the pupils and they naturally spend a lot of time together through lessons, prayers and work duties. Staff get to know the pupils well and therefore spot if any are feeling anxious or are behaving differently.

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outstanding

There are excellent facilities and support for pupils when they are unwell. The school has a dedicated medical team, with specialist pharmaceutical input and visits from the local authority school nurse. School leaders ensure that the healthcare provided is in partnership with the pupils’ parents. Consequently, the school successfully supports pupils, some of whom have had significant health issues, to continue their education and development in familiar surroundings.

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outstanding

There is an active school council and pupils feel listened to. They have a good voice, and school leaders are receptive to requests from the council. Pupils are given understandable explanations when their requests are turned down. Pupils are happy with these arrangements and consider that the staff and school leaders do their best on behalf of the pupils. Pupils often refer to Jaamia as a ‘big family’. The support for pupils during religious events and celebrations, such as Ramadan and Eid, is exceptional and makes these occasions memorable for the pupils. This year, when Ramadan and Eid fell at the same time as exams, the school made the religious festival a special time for all the pupils.

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outstanding

The pupils feel safe and highly value the support available from the staff. Typical comments from the pupils include, ‘How could you not feel safe here?’ and ‘Jaamia makes me happy.’

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outstanding

Staff give the pupils’ physical and emotional health and safety a high priority through Inspection report for boarding school: Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School 4 a range of strategies that, combined, contribute to exceptional pupil safety.

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outstanding

The personal, social, health, citizenship and economic education curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of guidance on how to be healthy and stay safe. The imaginative use of social experiments enhances and promotes the school’s anti- bullying aims. Access to the internet is closely monitored, and pupils are able to explain how they are taught to use social media safely when they are at home. Consequently, they have a thorough understanding of bullying and the dangers of exploitation.

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outstanding

Pupils develop their understanding of health and safety by visits from the police, from the school nurse and from training to become fire marshals.

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outstanding

Transparent expectations about pupil behaviour are promoted from the start through the admission process. School rules and the promotion of equality, diversity and tolerance are clearly communicated. This is consistently and regularly reinforced by staff and through the school’s religious teachings. Pupils respect this and consequently their behaviour is exemplary. It is a credit to them and to the school.

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outstanding

On rare occasions when there are misunderstandings between pupils, staff take appropriate action to support them. This is followed up by the independent listeners who offer an additional form of support for pupils who may want to talk to them. The atmosphere at school is friendly and welcoming, and pupils respect their differences.

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outstanding

Pupils are rarely missing from the school. There has been one incident since the last inspection. Vigilant staff and regular attendance checks meant that staff took swift action, which helped ensure the safe return of the pupils. Pupils do not smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs.

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outstanding

There is a well-developed system of risk assessment and risk management that contributes to pupils’ safety. Staff undertake a wide range of training about relevant safeguarding topics, boarding and mental health. This ensures that the staff understand the pupils’ needs and pay particular attention to their emotional well- being.

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outstanding

School leaders have strong links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board. They ensure that policies and procedures comply with statutory guidance and that identified staff have additional training about safe recruitment and lead safeguarding roles. Overall, school leaders maintain a through and comprehensive approach to safeguarding pupils.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is inspirational leadership and management that are realistically ambitious and set high expectations for pupils to achieve their best. This is driven by a resourceful and accomplished headteacher who is fully supported by the head of boarding, teaching and boarding staff. Inspection report for boarding school: Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School 5 The exceptional quality of leadership ensures that pupils receive the utmost levels of support, and this prepares them thoroughly for their future careers. The high priority given to their emotional well-being, personal development and learning ensures that pupils make excellent all-round progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

School leaders ensure that academic, personal, social and emotional development is monitored and assessed. Leaders have a thorough understanding of pupils’ progress and their individual needs. Staff ensure that targeted additional support over and above what would normally be expected encourages pupils to achieve their full potential. For example, one-to-one tutoring is provided when ill health prevents full attendance in class.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Pupils and parents consulted were overwhelmingly positive about the staff and the school. Pupils feel encouraged and inspired to achieve well, become leaders and contribute positively to the school and wider community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff induction and training are thorough and, despite a high staff turnover, the staff team still achieves exceptional outcomes for the pupils. A significant number of staff are previous pupils of the school and they use this experience confidently and successfully in their new role. Regular team meetings and monitoring by senior staff ensure that there is a cohesive staff team that maintains high standards of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

School leaders have a comprehensive understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Their monitoring and evaluation are accurate, detailed and informed by advice from external consultants. Leaders are purposeful and committed to continuous improvements. The recommendations from the last inspection are met, and there are numerous other improvements, such as networks with other schools, pupils’ access to and contribution to the local community, new facilities, decor and furnishings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The proprietor and trustees are proactive in holding the school leaders to account and in ensuring that there are well-developed systems of governance. The proprietor in particular has extensive oversight of the school and he ensures that the voice of pupils is promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The boarding experience and secular and religious studies are thoroughly integrated. Staff work across all areas; consequently, they know the pupils really well. The exceptional whole-school approach supports students into further education, training or employment, and in holding positions of responsibility in the community. Inspection report for boarding school: Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the school knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the national minimum standards.

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Boarding school details

Social care unique reference number: SC001275

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Boarding school details

Headteacher/teacher in charge: Mrs Zebunnisa Hajee

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Inspectors

Simon Morley: social care inspector Jamie Richardson: social care inspector Inspection report for boarding school: Jaamiatul Imaam Muhammad Zakaria Boarding School 7 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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