Tayyibah Girls' School

Tayyibah Girls’ School 88 Filey Avenue, Stamford Hill, London N16 6JJ

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an inadequate school.  The trustees, governors and school leaders have not demonstrated the ability to meet all the independent school standards consistently over time.  Inspectors found examples of inappropriate literature in the school’s library. The books’ contents promote intolerance towards women and people of different races.  Leaders’ inability to account for how the books came to be there increases the risk of pupils being exposed to this literature and undermines the positive work in pupils’ personal development.  Leaders do not sharply focus on strengthening teachers’ skills. As a result, the small number of low-attaining pupils are not set work that meets their needs. This hinders their progress over time.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The overall quality of teaching is good. This enables most pupils to make good progress across all key stages.  At the end of Year 11, pupils achieve well across a range of subjects. Their attainment in mathematics is particularly high.  Pupils display good conduct and behaviour. They show respect to others and are proud of their school and their achievements.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They work hard and are aspirational for their future.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and, as a result, their attendance is high.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must take action 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: – reviewing how the library is managed and maintained, to ensure that regular checks are made on the appropriateness of texts and who has access to the library and its resources – ensuring that all staff are trained to recognise and understand the reasons why inappropriate literature should not be in the school and what to do if they find any – holding each other to account for maintaining a strong focus on meeting the independent school standards consistently over time.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, by – ensuring that teachers are equipped with the skills to provide lower-attaining pupils with work that is matched to their needs, so that they make the progress of which they are capable – improving teachers’ use of questioning and other assessment techniques that check pupils’ understanding, particularly for lower-attaining pupils.

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Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate.

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Inspection judgements

 Senior leaders, trustees and governors have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met consistently. Since the previous full inspection in 2016, the school has had three monitoring inspections. Leaders only managed to ensure that the school met all the standards checked by inspectors on one occasion.  Leaders and managers lack the ability to sustain improvements over time. Although leaders respond appropriately to the findings of each inspection report, they do not build on their successes in a secure and sustainable manner to meet all the independent school standards.  During the inspection, inspectors found books in the school library containing texts which undermine British values. The books include text that promotes intolerance rather than respect for people of different races and women. Their presence indicates that leaders have not been attentive or thorough enough when checking texts in the school library, as

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Inspection judgements

they were not able to provide inspectors with an explanation for the books’ presence.  The books’ contents promote intolerance towards characteristics protected by law. An excerpt from one book states: ‘Islam has spared women the burden of having to earn a living, and has made it obligatory on her father, brother, husband or other male relative to support her… So the Muslim woman does not seek work outside the home unless there is pressing financial need… or her community needs her to work in a specialised area such as befits her feminine nature and will not compromise her honour or religion.’ Another book states: ‘One day, a Muslim woman went to a market place owned by the Jews of Banu Qayanuqa. She was a chaste and modest woman… The Jews saw her and disliked the fact that she was chaste and covered.’  Leaders have made improvements to the school since the previous inspection, but not enough to ensure that all the independent school standards are met.

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Inspection judgements

 Staff morale is high. They feel generally well supported by leaders and value their guidance. However, they would welcome more opportunities to receive high-quality training to develop their teaching skills further.  Senior leaders gather assessment information about pupils’ attainment and progress effectively across all phases of the school. They use this to plan further improvements. As a result, outcomes at key stage 4 have been consistently strong over the last two years. Inspection evidence shows that most pupils at key stage 4 are making at least good progress over time.  The curriculum has an academic core and is well planned. As a result, subjects taught at key stage 3 provide continuity of learning from the primary phase, and pupils gain the broad knowledge, understanding and skills needed to support high achievement at key stage 4 and beyond.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the

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Inspection judgements

formal curriculum and many enrichment experiences. These include many visits to museums and theatres, and a range of speakers who visit the school. In addition to the Islamic studies curriculum, pupils learn about other faiths, listen to visitors talking about their religious beliefs and practices, and take part in interfaith activities with other schools. Pupils learn about people with protected characteristics and show respect and tolerance for those who are different from them, including in gender and sexual orientation. Pupils’ access to the inappropriate books found in the library weakens this good practice.

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Governance

 Since the previous inspection, communication between governors and school leaders regarding self-evaluation and development planning has improved. In addition, minutes of meetings show that trustees and governors now take an active role in reviewing the work of the school. Policies and procedures meet statutory requirements and are appropriately implemented. However, the books found in the library demonstrate a complacency in holding leaders to account regarding inappropriate materials.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Improvements to the arrangements for recruiting and vetting new staff mean that these are effective and meet requirements. These improvements help to promote pupils’ safety and well-being.  Leaders work closely with external agencies, and with parents and carers, to promote pupils’ safety and address their welfare needs.  Staff are well trained and have a secure understanding of child protection, including the ‘Prevent’ duty. All staff know their roles in keeping pupils safe and what actions to take if they have a concern about a pupil’s welfare.  The school publishes its safeguarding policy on its website. The policy has due regard to current government requirements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Teachers typically use their subject knowledge well to enthuse and engage pupils. As a result, most pupils are making good progress across the curriculum.  Teachers have productive classroom relationships with their pupils and set high expectations. Pupils are appreciative of this and the efforts their teachers make to help them to learn well.  Teachers provide challenging activities, particularly for the most able pupils. Consequently, pupils do well in almost all subjects.  Pupils take pride in their work and are keen to take teachers’ advice.  The school’s strategies for developing pupils’ reading are effective because they are implemented consistently across the curriculum. For example, teachers focus successfully on improving pupils’ reading comprehension skills in both primary and secondary lessons. Pupils are well supported to identify important information and they are encouraged to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

discuss their reading with others.  Homework is used well to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. It is carefully planned and suitably challenging.  Questioning is often effective in challenging pupils’ thinking and deepening their understanding. However, at times misconceptions go uncorrected, particularly those of lower-attaining pupils.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  The inappropriate books found in the library put pupils at risk of being exposed to sexist and racist ideas.  Pupils are confident and have positive attitudes to learning across all year groups.  Pupils celebrate their faith and those who spoke with inspectors demonstrated a tolerance and respect for other faiths and beliefs. They understand and give examples of different types of discrimination.  Pupils have numerous opportunities to learn about life in modern Britain. For example, they explore democracy and British laws in citizenship and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education lessons, through visits to the school by Members of Parliament and through visits to the Houses of Parliament.  Pupils are clear that they feel safe in school. They also know how to keep themselves safe in different situations. For example, they are taught about online safety in computing

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Personal development and welfare

lessons. They have a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe when not in school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils conduct themselves well around the school site at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They move sensibly between lessons and arrive punctually. They are polite and considerate towards others and respond attentively to instructions from staff.  Pupils behave well and cooperate in lessons. This ensures that lessons are purposeful and characterised by cooperative behaviour. When teaching is enthusiastic and well matched to pupils’ needs, pupils demonstrate exemplary attitudes to learning.  Pupils told inspectors that bullying is rare. If it does occur, then staff tackle it very well so that issues are quickly resolved.  Pupils’ attendance is above the national average and they enjoy coming to school. This is because teachers act as strong role models and provide a positive climate for learning.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In 2018, at the end of Year 11, pupils’ attainment was well above the national average across a range of subjects, including English and mathematics. A high proportion of pupils attained the top grades in their GCSE examinations, particularly in mathematics.  In key stages 1 and 2, pupils make good progress and attain above national expectations. In mathematics, pupils make good progress in developing their understanding of number, shape and space. The school’s promotion of reading and writing is highly effective across the curriculum. Consequently, most pupils read fluently and confidently. Pupils also read widely and make good use of the school library.  Most pupils across the school are making good progress from their starting points in a wide range of subjects, including languages. The arrangements for assessment help almost all of the pupils improve their work. Pupils’ books in most subjects show that they

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Outcomes for pupils Good

are making above-average progress over time to become proficient learners. For example, pupils develop their literacy skills and use of technical vocabulary well.  The most able pupils make substantial progress, which has been sustained over time. In 2018, they achieved well across subjects in GCSE examinations. Those currently in the school continue to do well. The teaching they receive is appropriately challenging and carefully planned. As a result, they make secure gains in the knowledge and skills they need to attain highly.  Lower-attaining pupils’ progress is less secure, reflecting the variation in the quality of provision to meet their particular needs.  The school prepares pupils well for the next stage in their education. They are given helpful advice about opportunities available after they leave the school, and all go on to take up places in sixth-form colleges or school sixth forms.  Parents believe that pupils are well taught. They express confidence in the school and its

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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 Muslim independent school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21–23 September 2016

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Information about this school

 Tayyibah Girls’ School is an independent Muslim school for girls aged between four and 18. The school is in Clapton, in the London Borough of Hackney.  The school is registered to admit up to 259 pupils. None of the 187 pupils on roll attends part-time. Currently, there are pupils in Year 1 through to Year 11.  The previous standard inspection took place in September 2016, when the school was judged to provide an inadequate quality of education. Progress monitoring inspections took place in June 2017, March 2018 and July 2018.  There are no pupils currently on roll with an education, health and care plan.  No pupils attend off-site provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited classes in the secondary and primary phases, including a small number observed jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors talked formally and informally with pupils about their views of the school.  Inspectors looked at the work in pupils’ books in all year groups and across a range of subjects.  Meetings were held with trustees, governors, the headteacher, executive headteacher and senior staff to discuss the impact of their work.  A range of documentation was scrutinised relating to pupils’ progress and welfare. This included assessment information, behaviour logs and attendance information.  Inspectors reviewed records, policies and procedures relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors checked documentation, policies and all aspects of the school’s work for compliance with the independent school standards.  There were 12 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents. There were no responses

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Information about this inspection

to Ofsted’s survey for staff or pupils.  The inappropriate books found were entitled ‘The Ideal Muslimah’ by Dr Muhammad Ali- Hashimi, published by International Islamic Publishing House, Saudi Arabia (1998) and ‘Enjoy Your Life’ by Dr Muhammad Abd Al-Rahaman Al-Arifi, published by DaruSalam (2009).

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Inspection team

Carolyn Dickinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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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–

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently;

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

– 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

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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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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