Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation

Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation 277 St Anne’s Road, Suffolk Road Entrance, Tottenham, London N15 5RG

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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 and trustees have tackled areas for improvement from the last inspection effectively. As a result, teaching is now consistently good overall and pupils achieve well.  Teachers provide effective support for pupils of all abilities in mathematics.  Pupils make sustained progress in reading and writing. Teachers plan effective lessons which help pupils develop a personal response to the books they read.  The curriculum is well planned. It ensures that pupils learn about British institutions and strengthens their understanding of religions other than their own.  Teaching in some subjects varies in its impact on helping pupils deepen their knowledge and understanding.  Pupils behave well and work hard. Attendance is improving due to good management.  The good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare enables them to recognise risks and understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle.  There is effective provision for pupils’ spiritual,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

moral, social and cultural development.  Trustees help leaders identify areas for improvement with precision. However, they are not always aware of the impact of leaders’ actions.  Leaders have made significant improvements to the early years. Teaching is consistently good, particularly in accurately assessing children’s progress using a wide range of evidence.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 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?

 Further improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that there is consistent challenge and support to help pupils deepen their knowledge and strengthen skills, particularly in subjects such as history and geography.  Ensure that trustees monitor and evaluate school leaders’ actions rigorously.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher leads the school effectively. Successful collaboration with trustees and other leaders since the last inspection has ensured that the quality of teaching and outcomes has improved, particularly in English and mathematics.  The curriculum is organised well so that it provides pupils with a broad and balanced education across all areas of learning. Teachers are able to use assessment information effectively to ensure that pupils build on prior knowledge and skills and sustain good progress.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is promoted effectively. Strong links with local schools of other faiths ensure that pupils develop a good understanding of a range of religions. Teachers expect pupils to develop a personal response to ideas and literature. Leaders have focused sharply on this as part of professional development since the last inspection. As a result, older pupils are capable of responding personally and with

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

sophistication to the literature that they read. Pupils’ work also indicates that they progress well in debating moral issues and understanding how democracy has developed in Britain over time.  The headteacher and other leaders check on the effectiveness of teaching rigorously. They use these checks to make sure that teachers implement agreed policies consistently and set wise priorities for staff training. Leaders’ work to improve the teaching of English and mathematics has had the greatest impact. There is work still to be done in ensuring that teaching in some subjects such as history and geography is as effective.  The head of Arabic ensures that the quality of the teaching of Arabic leads to pupils sustaining strong progress in learning this language.  Staff, parents and pupils agree that leaders communicate well with them and lead by example in upholding the school’s stated aims and values. The headteacher has a strong

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

view of what the school stands for, which is understood and appreciated by staff and parents.  Leaders use resources effectively to ensure that the small number of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are able to participate in school life to the full and make good progress.  The number of pupils on roll at the time of the inspection exceeded the number for which it is registered.

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Governance

 The board of trustees are regularly involved in the work of the school. They use the information which they gain from this direct involvement to help leaders set appropriately challenging priorities for improvement. They have ensured that leaders remain focused on weaker aspects of provision so that these have been improved. For example, their determination to seek the support of the local authority in further developing early years provision has been fruitful. On occasion, however, trustees are not fully aware of timescales for tackling some agreed priorities.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Checks on the suitability of staff are made in accordance with the requirements of the independent school standards and recorded centrally.  Leaders ensure that the safeguarding policy reflects current statutory guidance and is available on the school’s website for parents. They review training regularly to ensure that staff can recognise signs of abuse or risk, including those related to radicalisation or extremism.  The headteacher responds with tenacity in following up individual concerns so that the welfare of pupils is kept under close scrutiny.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The teaching of English and mathematics is of a consistently high quality. Teaching across the wider curriculum is good, but more variable in its impact on helping pupils to deepen their knowledge and skills in some subjects such as history and geography.  Teachers ask effective questions to check understanding and challenge pupils’ misconceptions. However, a scrutiny of pupils’ work across a range of subjects taught shows that variations remain in how deeply teachers enable pupils to probe into themes and topics. Variations also remain in the consistency with which teachers enable pupils to build on skills specific to some subjects.  Teachers enable pupils of all abilities to understand what is effective in their writing and how they could improve it further. As a result, pupils’ work clearly demonstrates how pupils gain confidence and skill in writing across a range of genres through the school year.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 In mathematics, teachers use assessment well to decide how to challenge and support pupils of all abilities. Pupils’ work demonstrates how they benefit from effective challenges to deepen their understanding. For example, Year 5 pupils make strong progress in understanding the use of negative numbers when measuring temperature.  The teaching of reading exemplifies teachers’ secure subject knowledge. This includes the skills necessary to help pupils who are new to English or who speak other languages.  Teachers support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities well to ensure that they make progress towards personalised targets.  The teaching of Arabic is good. Pupils build systematically on their knowledge and skills, including the use of grammar, over time.  Leaders have invested in training teachers to help pupils think carefully about the books they read. As a result, pupils develop a personal response to texts. The most able are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

skilled in applying some of the techniques of published authors to their own writing.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils’ work demonstrates pupils’ secure understanding of the part played by others in helping them develop. This is preparing pupils well for their future lives.  The curriculum provides good opportunities for pupils’ personal, social, health and economic education. Leaders have worked with parents to help them understand how the school promotes an understanding of the range of protected characteristics in line with the Equality Act 2010. Pupils show an understanding of tolerance and respect for individual differences.  Pupils learn the importance of healthy eating to their development. Younger pupils take responsibility for assessing how healthy their packed lunches appear to be.  Visits to the Houses of Parliament and a recent topic on women’s suffrage have been successful in developing pupils’ understanding of democracy and voting.

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Personal development and welfare

 Leaders and trustees conduct and record regular checks on the safety of the premises. This includes the use of specialist advice such as that from the fire services. The assessment of risk is typically managed in a satisfactory manner which meets the requirements of the independent school standards.  Pupils possess a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when they use the internet.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Lessons are typically free from disruption. Pupils’ work shows that they can sustain concentration and respond positively to teachers’ guidance. Some pupils need occasional reminders from teachers about how to behave safely or retain attention.  Pupils, parents and staff are typically pleased by the high standards of behaviour leaders expect. Records of poor behaviour and sanctions demonstrate that bullying and other discriminatory behaviour are a rare occurrence.  During playtimes and when moving around the school pupils show that they understand the importance of sharing and mutual respect. While some older pupils told inspectors that boys and girls prefer to stay apart during breaks, their observed behaviour demonstrates that this is not a typical view or one condoned by school leaders.  Pupils’ attendance is a little below average. While most pupils come to school nearly every

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Behaviour

day, leaders continue to work with some parents to try and reduce absence due to term- time holidays.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils sustain good progress overall. By the end of each key stage, pupils’ work shows that nearly all reach at least expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics and most exceed this. The achievement of pupils across the wider curriculum is more variable. However, by the end of key stage 2, pupils are generally well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The most able pupils develop effective strategies to deepen their understanding, particularly in English and mathematics. For example, older pupils can discuss their own writing and that of established authors using a secure knowledge of features such as figurative language.  Pupils sustain strong progress in learning to read. Those who read to inspectors can attempt unfamiliar words using good phonics skills. The wide range of books representing different cultures and genres available to pupils helps them become enthusiastic, well-

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Outcomes for pupils Good

rounded readers.  There is little variation in the progress of different groups of pupils. Those who speak English as an additional language and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities sustain similar good progress to others from their starting points.  The progress pupils make across the wider range of subjects taught is good overall but variations remain. Pupils’ work shows that there is inconsistency in the depth of their learning, particularly in some parts of the curriculum.

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Early years provision Good

 There has been a marked improvement in early years provision since the last inspection. Leaders have ensured that assessment arrangements are consistent and accurate in each of the settings. They have also secured good teaching, which is leading to sustained progress for children from their varied starting points. As a result, children are well prepared for Year 1 by the time they leave Reception.  The early years leader has continued to draw on the expertise of other effective providers and the local authority in deciding on priorities for further improvement. For example, there is a current focus on further improving the impact of their discussions with children about their learning.  Leaders have also improved the effectiveness of the outdoor provision attached to the Tifly Daycare provision. All children in the early years enjoy a wide range of well-selected and skilfully guided activities. These contribute well to children’s early development,

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Early years provision Good

including their skills in reading, writing and mathematics.  The calm but purposeful atmosphere in each setting encourages children to think and cooperate. This contributes well to children’s good behaviour.  Safeguarding is effective in the early years and all of the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage are met. Parents and staff are confident that children are safe. Supervision is vigilant and leaders keep staff training for first aid and safeguarding under regular review.

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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

Type of school Alternative Islamic school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16–18 June 2015

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Information about this school

 The Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation School is registered for 88 pupils aged three to 11 years. The Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation Trust also manages a second school in Slough. Each school has its own headteacher, but they share the same board of trustees.  There are 90 pupils on roll, with 33 children in the early years. Of these, 24 attend part time.  Provision for early years consists of two full-time classes of 15 children each in the main building and also a part-time provision called Tifly Daycare, which is in a separate part of the premises.  Pupils come from a range of ethnic backgrounds, with a large proportion speaking English as an additional language.  A very small number of pupils have SEN and/or disabilities.  The school does not place pupils in off-site alternative provision. It uses outdoor physical education facilities at a nearby maintained primary school.  The school was last inspected in June 2015 and judged to require improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection took place with one day’s notice.  Inspectors observed teaching and learning in each year group. Some of these observations were carried out jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors carried out a detailed examination of pupils’ work with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, two of the trustees and the local authority adviser for early years.  Inspectors held short meetings with senior leaders of two primary schools which work with this school.  Inspectors met with a group of pupils and heard some younger pupils read.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation related to safeguarding, risk assessments, the curriculum and school policies.  There were five responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, which is too few for analysis. Inspectors spoke to a number of parents at the start of the school day. They also considered 14 responses to the staff questionnaire and a number of written

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Inspection team

Andrew Wright, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nasim Butt 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

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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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