Iqra High School

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Iqra High School 319 Waterloo Street, Glodwick, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 1ER

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7, 7(a), 7(b)  At the previous inspection in June 2017, this paragraph was not met because leaders were too lax in their approach to keeping pupils safe. Leaders produced an action plan in January 2018 and, in the subsequent monitoring visit in May 2018, the inspector identified that improvements were evident. However, the school’s safeguarding policy was out of date and did not have regard of current guidance from the Secretary of State.  In the school’s action plan August 2018, leaders identified the appropriate actions necessary to address this issue. These actions have been implemented effectively.  The school’s safeguarding policy is now complete. It has regard to the latest guidance issued by the Secretary of State and is fully compliant.  The safeguarding policy has been adopted by governors and leaders have shared it with staff. It reflects the school’s much improved and effective procedures. The policy is

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Main inspection findings

available to parents and carers from the school and from the school’s website.  School leaders understand their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. The designated safeguarding lead works effectively with the local authority to develop further the school’s safeguarding practice. A good range of policies and procedures for keeping pupils safe are in place and support the safeguarding policy.  Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training across a broad range of areas linked to safeguarding in areas such as ‘Prevent’. Additionally, all staff are aware of the latest guidance on child protection issued by the Secretary of State. As a result, they work effectively with the pupils and keep them safe. Through the school’s induction processes, new staff and governors gain a clear understanding of the school’s expectations in relation to safeguarding.  Leaders are ensuring that the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures are reflected

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Main inspection findings

in the school’s day-to-day practice. For example, leaders’ effective anti-bullying strategy is evident in the school’s curriculum, assemblies, displays and workshops on issues such as online safety. As a result, pupils learn about issues related to bullying in an effective way as part of their learning.  Pupils represent their school as prefects, peer mentors and student councillors. They are proud that this provides them with opportunities to encourage other pupils to behave well and remain safe.  Leaders ensure that clear procedures are in place if staff have any concerns about pupils. Pupils spoken to during the inspection said that they felt safe in school and were confident that they could speak to members of staff if they needed support or advice. They talked of their ‘trusted adults’ who were the school’s designated safeguarding lead teachers.  This standard is now met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  The previous inspection in June 2017 found that leaders had not ensured that all the independent school standards were met. Following the progress monitoring inspection in May 2018 only one standard remained unmet. The school’s safeguarding policy was not up to date and did not have due regard to the guidance issued by the Secretary of State for Education.  The school action plan of August 2018 has been implemented effectively. Leaders were able to provide convincing evidence that the planned improvements are in place. Leaders, including the proprietor, and members of the local authority are working well as a team to ensure that all safeguarding procedures are effective in keeping pupils safe.  Leaders ensure that the new safeguarding policy contributes to the well-being of pupils. This was evident in the good practice noted in school during the inspection. For

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Main inspection findings

example, pupils demonstrated a clear awareness of how to stay safe when using the internet. They are aware of the importance of acting responsibly and of the procedures to follow if they suspect that they might be vulnerable to harm online.  Leaders have now addressed all the standards that were unmet at the time of the previous standard inspection.  This standard is 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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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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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 Iqra Educational and Welfare Trust

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 6–8 June 2017

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Information about this school

 Iqra High School is an independent Muslim day school for pupils between 11 and 16 years of age. The school is owned by the Iqra Educational and Welfare Trust, which is a charity. The school is non-selective. It is located in the Glodwick area of Oldham on the same site as a madrasa which is managed by the Khadija Education and Youth Centre and attended by both boys and girls. A good proportion of girls who attend the school also attend the madrasa in the evening to undertake Koranic and Islamic studies.  The school was opened in September 2014. It is registered for 100 pupils. There are 72 girls on roll. Although the school is registered for girls and boys, no boys have attended the school yet. No pupil has an education, health and care plan.  The school uses no alternative provision.  All pupils are of British, Arab or Asian heritage.  There are no pupils identified as being disadvantaged.  The school offers secular and Islamic education.

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Information about this school

 The school’s vision, values and aims include: ‘Iqra High School will become a centre of achievement for all pupils irrespective of their background and ethnicity. We sincerely intend to produce learners who are confident individuals, responsible citizens and positive contributors to our own community and society at large. We will become a beacon of high quality in lifelong learning at all levels. All of our pupils will develop better understanding of Islamic faith, positive self-esteem, confidence, high aspirations and ambition to achieve their full potential.’

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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.  This is the school’s second progress monitoring inspection since the full inspection in June 2017. This is because the school had failed to meet certain standards. The school submitted an action plan following the previous progress monitoring visit to show how it would remedy outstanding issues.  The inspection was unannounced.  During the inspection, the inspector talked with pupils about their learning and their experience of school life, linked to safeguarding. The inspector met with the acting headteacher, the proprietor, the designated leader for safeguarding and a group of teachers. The inspector toured the school site and scrutinised documentation relating to

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Information about this inspection

the management of safeguarding. This included the school’s child protection/safeguarding policy, governor minutes, staff training records and a range of other policies and procedures linked to safeguarding such as risk assessments.  The inspector observed pupils’ movement around school and conduct during lessons.

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Inspection team

Gill Pritchard, 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

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 visitwww.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

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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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