Assunnah Primary School

Assunnah Primary School 565A High Road, Tottenham, London N17 6SB

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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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 governors have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met.  Teaching, learning and assessment in the early years and in key stage 1 are poor. Teachers do not manage pupils’ behaviour effectively in key stage 1. Behaviour requires improvement.  Teachers do not support pupils in developing their vocabulary or their spoken language skills effectively. Some teachers’ written English and spoken English do not demonstrate correct English grammar.  Teachers do not plan effectively to meet the needs of all learners. Pupils of all abilities are given the same work to do most of the time.  Leaders and governors do not have a consistent or accurate view of the school’s effectiveness. Complaints are not dealt with effectively. Governance is weak and adds little capacity to leadership.  Leaders do not inform the local authority when pupils leave the school. They do take sufficient steps to ensure that pupils have arrived safely

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

at their new schools.  Safeguarding is not effective. Risk assessments are not sufficiently thorough, staff are not well trained and leaders lack rigour in their safer recruitment checks and record-keeping.  Teachers do not plan effectively to develop pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills in mathematics.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The curriculum pays sufficient regard to respect for people with the protected characteristics and supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils play well together and the oldest pupils in the school develop a positive attitude to learning and achieve well. Pupils attend school regularly.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must act to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by: – ensuring that governors fulfil their duties to support and challenge leaders to improve the school – providing teachers with the training and support they need to help them to improve pupils’ learning and outcomes and to manage behaviour, particularly in key stage 1 – ensuring that records relating to safer recruitment are kept up to date and that all necessary checks are undertaken promptly – ensuring that risk assessments relating to site security are re-evaluated so that they precisely and effectively plan for potential risks – ensuring that all staff – including the designated safeguarding lead – receive essential safeguarding training – ensuring that the complaints policy is strictly adhered to when responding to formal complaints from parents and carers.  Improve the quality of teaching and learning and improve pupils’ progress – particularly in

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

key stage 1 – by ensuring that: – teaching in English and mathematics is planned and delivered effectively so that it meets the needs and abilities of pupils – teachers help pupils to deepen their vocabulary and practise their speaking and listening skills – teachers provide effective opportunities for pupils to develop problem-solving and reasoning skills in mathematics – teachers consistently manage behaviour well in classrooms so that learning is not disrupted.  Improve the early years by: – ensuring that practitioners in the Nursery focus more sharply on learning – improving the quality of teaching so that children make good progress from their starting points – ensuring that staff help children to develop their spoken English language skills – improving the quality and use of the learning spaces so that they inspire children to learn and focus on all the areas for development in the early years foundation stage.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 The school must meet the independent school standards, as set out in the annex of this report.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The proprietor and leaders have not ensured that the school meets all of the independent school standards.  Leaders have conflicting views and information about the school’s effectiveness. The proprietor and the headteacher differ in their understanding of actions that have been taken with regards to safer recruitment, the admissions register, risk assessments and complaints. They demonstrate no sense of urgency with regard to appropriate safeguarding training for staff. Leaders’ evaluation of all aspects of the school’s work is weak and inaccurate.  Leaders have had difficulties with the recruitment and retention of staff. Even so, they have not put in place a programme of monitoring and support to improve teachers’ skills and provide them with the training they need. Not all leaders have confidence or accuracy in their monitoring of teaching. The more incisive evaluation that occasionally takes place

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

has limited impact due to the lack of time and capacity to follow through with improvement actions.  New curriculum plans have been introduced since the previous inspection. These specify the content to be taught in a range of subjects, in line with the national curriculum. However, leaders do not consistently monitor the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics.  There is a balance between the secular and the religious curriculum. The religious curriculum enables pupils to develop their skills in Arabic. However, the secular curriculum is not effective in providing pupils with adequate skills in English.  The curriculum supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. It reflects the school’s values of love, tolerance, determination, patience and appreciation. Leaders’ work to promote British values is a strength. For example, pupils enjoyed visiting

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

Buckingham Palace and they take part in voting activities to learn about how democracy works. The school works in partnership with other faiths in a range of ways. For example, they share a playing field with the local Quaker group. Pupils visit care homes in the local community and support a range of charities.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have revised schemes of work to provide opportunities for pupils to develop their respect for people with protected characteristics as defined by the Equalities Act. Leaders have also introduced better opportunities for pupils to learn about other faiths.  Leadership has been effective in introducing assessment systems which summarise pupils’ achievement. However, these have had little impact as yet because teachers do not use them to plan activities that build on pupils’ needs.  The school has changed the age range and number of pupils on roll. It is not registered to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

admit pupils under the age of three. However, the school receives funding from the local authority to accommodate two-year-old provision for 14 part-time and full-time placements. This inspection included a material change to assess whether the two-year- old provision was likely to meet the independent school standards. The provision was found to be inadequate and the material change is not recommended. Leaders have not ensured that the independent school standards are likely to be met if the material change were to be approved.  Leaders have not handled complaints from parents in accordance with the school’s policy.  Only four parents shared their views on the school via the online survey. This was too small a number for analysis.

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Governance

 Governance is inadequate. Governors do not fulfil their duties to safeguard children. They do not hold leaders to account or support them in their school improvement work.  Governors do not adhere to the school policy when they receive complaints from parents.  Governors – except for the proprietor – were unable to meet with or talk to inspectors during the inspection. Governors do not keep records of meetings they attend or evaluate the impact of their work or that of the school. There was no documentary evidence of governors’ work available.  Details of the current chair of the governing body were out of date on the website and in the parent pack.  Information gathered about the current governing body was confusing, with a lack of clarity about governance underpinning the whole inspection process.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  Leaders do not have carefully thought-out risk assessments for the complex issues related to the site. One of the buildings is a mosque and is used for three half-hourly sessions a day for prayer. These sessions are open to the public. During the inspection, at least 70 men joined the prayer sessions on each occasion. Only some of these are known to leaders. The fire exit for pupils is not accessible during these times every day. The site manager and security manager are committed to keeping children safe but risk assessments do not support them in doing so.  Leaders do not ensure that staff receive appropriate safeguarding training. Leaders have not checked that all staff have read the most up-to-date guidance documents regarding keeping children safe in education. Many staff had not undertaken training in the ‘Prevent’ duty prior to the inspection. Some of them completed online training during the

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Safeguarding

inspection. Several other staff have not completed this training and are therefore not prepared to be vigilant in relation to radicalisation and extremism. There has been no school-based ‘Prevent’ duty training for three years.  The headteacher does not have up-to-date training as the designated safeguarding lead.  Leaders do not routinely inform the local authority when pupils leave the school, and 34 pupils have been taken off roll since June 2018. Leaders were unaware of several pupils’ destinations until the inspection, with the register simply recording that they had ‘gone abroad’.  Leaders completed the record of checks to support safer recruitment during the inspection. However, there were many gaps at the start of the inspection. Leaders were unaware of the checks needed in relation to managers of the school and had not included part-time staff on the single central register. Some staff had been employed by the school

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Safeguarding

for eight years but had not been included on records.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The overall quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate because it varies considerably across subjects and year groups.  Teaching in key stage 1 is inadequate because teachers do not manage pupils’ behaviour well. Pupils are consistently distracted or disruptive and teachers often lose control over their classes.  Teachers’ subject knowledge of written English is poor. Their written feedback to pupils does not demonstrate standard English grammar.  Pupils’ work in English and mathematics mainly consists of worksheets, none of which are adapted to meet the needs of pupils of different abilities. As a result – and as a consequence of inadequate support and intervention – the progress pupils make is poor and below the standards recorded in leaders’ assessment information.  Pupils have little opportunity to develop problem-solving and reasoning skills in mathematics until they are in Years 5 and 6, where teaching is stronger.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Teachers do not support the development of pupils’ spoken English well. Interactions in classrooms are mainly concerned with classroom organisation or to challenge behaviour.  Pupils learn Arabic in lessons which are set according to ability. The higher-attaining pupils make adequate progress, but teaching does not meet the needs of the lower- attaining pupils.  Teachers have implemented a programme of phonics. Pupils in Year 1 achieve in line with the national average in the national phonics screening check. However, they are given few opportunities to apply their developing knowledge of letters and sounds to support their writing.  Teachers pay little attention to developing vocabulary of pupils who speak English as an additional language. While these pupils are able to use phonics to help them read texts, they are not confident in expressing their understanding of what the texts mean.  Pupils enjoy a range of work across a full range of subjects. The oldest pupils are studious

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

and hard-working and benefit from stronger teaching. They are also helped by after- school clubs which focus on end-of-year tests, contributing to their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of the Year 6.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development requires improvement.  Pupils feel safe at school but leaders have not secured a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Despite caring for their pupils, staff do not have the necessary training to be confident in fully understanding potential risks to pupils’ safety and well-being.  Pupils contribute to life in the local community. They are tolerant and respectful of faiths and beliefs which are different from their own and they show respect for people with protected characteristics.  Most pupils are polite to visitors and keen to talk about their school.  Pupils say that bullying is rare and is dealt with swiftly by staff.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Behaviour in key stage 1 is poor. Lessons are constantly interrupted by shouting or disruptive behaviour. Behaviour in key stage 2 is better – particularly in Year 6 – where pupils demonstrate very positive attitudes to learning.  Pupils of both sexes play happily together at playtimes. Leaders organise the space well and ensure that playtimes are well supervised.  Behavioural incidents are recorded but the actions taken by staff lack consistency. Records relating to behaviour are poorly organised.  Information provided by leaders shows that pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average for primary schools.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Outcomes are inadequate because pupils across the school make weak progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are given the same work irrespective of their ability and this hampers the progress that the most and least able pupils make.  Pupils in key stage 1 do not make adequate progress from their starting points because teaching is weak and teachers’ subject knowledge is poor.  Leaders presented school data which showed pupils’ attainment in different year groups. The assessment information on pupils in key stage 1 was not reflected in the work of current pupils, which is at a much lower standard. For example, a number of pupils in Year 1 are currently working on letter sounds which are more suitable for Reception-aged children.  Pupils in Year 6 are on track to achieve well in their end-of-year tests and are well equipped to start the next phase of their education.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 The early years provision is inadequate because it does not focus sharply on children’s learning and progress. Classrooms do not inspire or enthuse children to explore and learn within all the areas of learning outlined in the early years foundation stage. Resources are poorly organised and of poor quality.  Leaders are highly committed to improving the provision and to providing staff with the professional development they need to become successful teachers. However, this is yet to lead to significant improvement. Leaders have helped to support slight improvements to the quality of the Reception provision since the previous inspection, taking account of external advice.  Leaders have developed a small outside learning space. They make good use of this to ensure that all children have a turn to go outside. However, the adults’ role in developing learning through questioning, prompting or supporting is not typically evident when

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Early years provision Inadequate

children go outside. Teachers said that children enjoy the outdoor field which they share with their neighbours.  Practitioners typically play alongside children, organise them and manage their behaviour. In the Nursery class, interactions are often silent. Practitioners watch the children, pass them a toy and make an encouraging sound or gesture. However, they rarely model the English language for children or help them to articulate or express themselves with confidence. Practitioners readily accept nods or shakes of heads without insisting that children use their developing words or language. This has a significant and negative impact on children’s communication, language and literacy development.  The quality of teaching in Reception is slightly stronger than in the Nursery class and focused more on learning. For example, during the inspection, children were making clocks and some could say confidently what the time on their clock was. Children show

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Early years provision Inadequate

some enthusiasm for their work and their learning in this part of the early years.  Practitioners in Nursery and Reception are kind and reassuring to children and seek to keep them safe and happy. However, only two staff on this separate site have undertaken training on the ‘Prevent’ duty. This means that they are not well equipped to be vigilant regarding radicalisation and extremism.  Leaders do not chart the progress that children make from their starting points effectively. However, children’s ‘learning journeys’ provide some helpful evidence for parents and staff about the activities children have enjoyed and benefited from.  The school’s 2018 information shows that the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year was in line with the national average. This is not consistent with other inspection evidence, including the progress of children currently in Reception.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 The provision for two-year-olds is inadequate because practitioners are not skilled in teaching the prime areas of learning effectively. Staff are patient and attentive but they do not support children to express themselves or to develop their words and their spoken English language. For example, if children appear to be sad or disengaged, they comfort them and hold their hand for a while, but do not talk about what made them sad or try to engage them with something that captures their interest. The resources in the Nursery class are not sufficient to support two-year-olds in taking a comfortable and peaceful nap.

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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

Number of part-time pupils 15 (early years)

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School details

Email address myusuf@assunnahschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10–12 October 2017

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Information about this school

 Assunnah Primary School is an independent Muslim day school located in the Bruce Grove area of North London. It opened in September 2009.  There are 34 children registered in the Nursery. Five attend full-time and the rest attend part-time. Fourteen of these children are two-year-olds.  There are no pupils with an education, health and care plan.  The primary school shares its site with a mosque complex. The early years operates from a separate site across the road from the school.  None of the pupils attend alternative provision.  Most pupils are of Somali heritage and speak English as an additional language.  The school was inspected in October 2017 and was found to require improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out without notice. The inspection consisted of a full standard inspection, a progress monitoring inspection and a material change inspection.  Inspectors carried out observations in classrooms and toured the premises at both sites with school leaders.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s information about pupils’ achievement and scrutinised pupils’ books.  Inspectors talked with pupils about their school and their community.  Inspectors observed playtimes.  Meetings were held with the proprietor and school leaders to discuss the school’s safeguarding arrangements. They looked at a range of documentation regarding the running of the school.  There were four responses to Parent View which inspectors considered, alongside complaints received from parents.

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Information about this inspection

Ruth Dollner, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(b) fosters in pupils self-motivation, the application of intellectual, physical and creative effort, interest in their work and the ability to think and learn for themselves; – 3(c) involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught; – 3(f) utilises effectively classroom resources of a good quality, quantity and range;

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

– 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress; – 3(h) utilises effective strategies for managing behaviour and encouraging pupils to act responsibly.

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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; – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State.  9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 9(b) the policy is implemented effectively; and – 9(c) a record is kept of the sanctions imposed upon pupils for serious misbehaviour.  15 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that an admissions and attendance register is maintained in accordance with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006[13].  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written risk assessment policy; and – 16(b) appropriate action is taken to reduce risks that are identified.

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Part 6. Provision of information

 32 (2) The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that- – 32(2)(c) where there is a governing body, the name and address for correspondence of its chair.

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

 33 The standard about the manner in which complaints are handled is met if the proprietor ensures that a complaints procedure is drawn up and effectively implemented which deals with the handling of complaints from parents of pupils and which- – 33(e) where the parent is not satisfied with the response to the complaint made in accordance with sub-paragraph (d), establishes a formal procedure for the complaint to be made in writing; – 33(f) where the parent is not satisfied with the response to the complaint made in accordance with sub-paragraph (e), makes provision for a hearing before a panel appointed by or on behalf of the proprietor and consisting of at least three people who were not directly involved in the matters detailed in the complaint; – 33(g) ensures that, where there is a panel hearing of a complaint, one panel member is independent of the management and running of the school; – 33(h) allows for a parent to attend and be accompanied at a panel hearing if they wish;

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Part 7. Manner in which complaints are handled

– 33(i) provides for the panel to make findings and recommendations and stipulates that a copy of those findings and recommendations is- – 33(i)(i) provided to the complainant and, where relevant, the person complained about; and – 33(i)(ii) available for inspection on the school premises by the proprietor and the head teacher; – 33(j) provides for a written record to be kept of all complaints that are made in accordance with sub-paragraph (e) and- – 33(j)(i) whether they are resolved following a formal procedure, or proceed to a panel hearing; and – 33(j)(ii) action taken by the school as a result of those complaints (regardless of whether they are upheld).

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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. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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