The Imam Muhammad Adam Institute School

The Imam Muhammad Adam Institute School 372 East Park Road, Leicester LE5 5AY Inspection dates 12–14 March 2019

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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 Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The proprietor has not ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards.  The premises do not meet the independent school standards related to health and safety.  Safeguarding is ineffective. Senior leaders do not keep accurate safeguarding records.  Senior leaders’ knowledge of the necessary recruitment checks is insecure. They do not undertake all the required checks appropriately.  Senior leaders have taken insufficient action to end the segregation by sex of pupils in Years 5 and 6 and in the secondary provision.  Risk assessments are not always accurate. When they are, leaders do not always take appropriate action to reduce or remove the risks that the assessments identify.  There are too few opportunities for pupils to undertake off-site visits, including in the local community.  Year 3 and 4 pupils do not make consistently strong progress in reading and mathematics.  Not all pupils have regular opportunities to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

spend social time outdoors.  Not all policies provide the correct information. The school has the following strengths

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching is good. Teachers are subject specialists who know their subjects well. They plan lessons effectively to ensure that pupils engage positively with their learning.  Pupils make good progress in key stages 3 and 4, leading to high attainment at GCSE, including in English, mathematics and science.  Pupils say that they feel safe at the school and can speak to staff if they have any worries.  Attendance is good.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They behave well in lessons and during social time.  The secular curriculum enables pupils to study across a wide range of subjects in the primary and secondary provisions.  The Islamic curriculum complements the secular curriculum effectively. Pupils achieve well in their Islamic studies.  Pupils demonstrate a secure understanding of the need to show respect to all people, including those of other faiths and beliefs.  Pupils in the secondary provision receive

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

effective, impartial advice and guidance to find out about the different career opportunities available to them. Compliance with regulatory requirements  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?

 Rapidly improve the school’s procedures to keep pupils safe and to monitor their welfare by ensuring that: – arrangements to keep pupils safe reflect the latest guidance – there are improvements to the areas of the school that are currently hazardous to pupils’ health and safety – all policies relating to safeguarding are up to date and provide accurate guidance – leaders maintain detailed and accurate safeguarding records – leaders correctly identify and reduce risk, including in relation to the school site and any off-site visits – leaders undertake, in a timely and thorough manner, the necessary checks on the suitability of new staff to work with children.  End the school’s unlawfully discriminatory practice of strict segregation by sex.  Rapidly improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – there are clear procedures by which the proprietor holds all leaders, including

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

safeguarding leaders, to account – all leaders know the independent school standards thoroughly and make sure that the school meets these standards consistently – there are regular, impartial checks on the safeguarding procedures that lead to timely action when procedures are found to be insufficiently robust – leaders’ understanding of the necessary recruitment procedures for new staff is secure – the proprietor undertakes training to improve his understanding of his responsibilities and duties – policies provide correct guidance to all members of the school community, including parents – there is a range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities to support the curriculum, so that pupils develop their learning beyond the classroom.  Ensure that the progress that pupils in Years 3 and 4 make in reading and mathematics is consistently strong and matches that of older pupils in the primary provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ personal development by ensuring that: – all pupils regularly receive opportunities to spend social time outdoors during the school day – pupils undertake regular visits to the local community, so that they learn about the people who live and work locally.  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 has not ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards.  The school premises do not meet the independent school standards that relate to pupils’ health and safety. For example, the conditions in the science room on the primary and secondary girls’ school site are unacceptable, posing a risk to pupils’ safety. Furthermore, leaders have not made sure that the first-floor fire exit and fire escape on this site are appropriate to ensure pupils’ safe evacuation from the building in the event of a fire.  Senior leaders have failed to ensure that their safeguarding practice, including their recruitment procedures, meets the latest national guidance.  Senior leaders have failed to take timely action to end the unlawful practice of segregating pupils by sex. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 and in the secondary provision are segregated by sex for both their lessons and their social time. They are taught at

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

separate sites, and do not have the opportunity to mix. This is despite the school being registered to teach both boys and girls and the fact that such segregation is contrary to the Equality Act of 2010.  The school’s policies do not consistently provide accurate information, including in relation to how parents and carers may raise any concerns. Senior leaders amended the policies during the onsite inspection, once the lead inspector brought the errors to their attention.  The school currently has more pupils on roll than the maximum number for which it is registered.  Insufficient off-site visits, limited extra-curricular activities and segregation by sex limit pupils’ opportunities to widen their learning beyond the classroom and to become secure in their social development and their understanding of cultural differences.  The school is successful in promoting pupils’ spiritual and moral understanding. Pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

learn about other religions and understand that having a religious belief or not is a personal choice. Pupils have a secure understanding of the difference between right and wrong. They know that the country’s laws come before the laws of their religion, for example.  Pupils also develop a secure understanding of fundamental British values, particularly through their citizenship studies and their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils understand the importance of the democratic system, for example, and the fact that people have rights, including the freedom of speech and the right to practise any religion that they choose, or no religion.  The well-designed secular curriculum provides pupils with effective opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding across the full range of subjects. Senior leaders regularly review the curriculum, to ensure that pupils’ studies in the primary

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

curriculum prepare them well for their secondary education, and that their studies in key stage 3 prepare them well for their GCSEs. Their review also enables senior leaders to ensure that the subjects pupils study prepare them well for the demands of the workplace, including through the recent introduction of computer science.  The Islamic curriculum complements the secular curriculum’s intent well to develop knowledgeable, articulate and considerate pupils who know how to be effective citizens.  Senior leaders regularly check on the quality of teaching. They have high expectations of teachers’ classroom practice. When they identify teaching that does not meet these high expectations, senior leaders provide effective challenge and support.  Staff take advantage of wide-ranging training to sharpen their classroom practice. This includes by visiting other schools and attending training away from the school site.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

Teachers from both school sites regularly meet to develop the curriculum, plan learning and assess pupils’ work. This ensures that boys and girls receive the same quality of provision, including the curriculum that they study and the teaching that they receive.  Senior leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They ensure that all staff model these expectations. Senior leaders are quick to communicate with parents when pupils are not meeting these high expectations.  Senior leaders regularly check on pupils’ progress. When they identify subjects in which pupils are not making sufficient progress, senior leaders provide appropriate support. They check the reliability of the information that pupils’ assessments generate, to ensure that the conclusions that they draw about pupils’ progress are valid.

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Governance

 The proprietor does not hold senior leaders, including the safeguarding leaders, effectively to account. This is partly because he is also the school’s headteacher and the principal safeguarding leader. By not holding leaders to account, the proprietor has not ensured that the quality of the provision meets all the independent school standards.  The proprietor has failed to engage with any professionals external to the school, to gain an impartial evaluation of the quality of the school’s provision, including safeguarding.  While he has an accurate view of the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and their achievement, the proprietor does not have a secure understanding of how effectively the school ensures that pupils are safe.  The proprietor’s knowledge of the statutory duties that come with his role is weak, due to the limited training that he has undertaken.  The proprietor is determined that all pupils receive high-quality teaching so that they

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Governance

achieve and prepare well for life in British society. To this end, he employs subject specialists to teach and provide appropriate support to enable pupils to move successfully to places of sustained education when they leave the school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  Senior leaders have not ensured that their work to keep pupils safe is in line with the latest national guidance. This is despite the fact that the school’s safeguarding policy, which is available on the school’s website, reflects this guidance.  Senior leaders do not keep accurate records of their work to respond to concerns about pupils’ welfare. Because of this, their oversight of the effectiveness of their safeguarding practice lacks the necessary rigour.  Senior leaders’ checks on the suitability of new staff to work with pupils are not in line with national guidance. Their understanding of how to undertake such checks is insecure.  In undertaking risk assessments, senior leaders do not always identify appropriate risks. This includes their assessment of any health and safety risks regarding the premises. Furthermore, senior leaders do not always take timely enough action to resolve any risks

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Safeguarding

that they do correctly identify. This puts pupils unnecessarily at risk, including in relation to the suitability of the escape routes available to them in the event of a fire.  Staff regularly undertake safeguarding training. They have recently received training on preventing radicalisation and extremism from local police ‘Prevent’ officers, for example.  Staff understand the different types of abuse and the signs to look for and know what to do if they have a concern. They are aware of external agencies to whom they can refer concerns, including when they have a concern about the conduct of an adult.  Senior leaders’ response to any welfare concerns that external agencies bring to their attention is comprehensive. They are quick to share appropriate information and maintain detailed, accurate records. In this, they are diligent in fulfilling their responsibilities.  Pupils say that they feel safe at the school. They say that they have staff who they trust,

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Safeguarding

to whom they can speak if they need to. All parents who expressed a view said that their children felt safe at the school and that staff cared for them well.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to enable pupils to become secure in their knowledge and understanding.  Teachers plan activities well to ensure that pupils engage with their learning. In a Year 1 lesson, for example, the teacher used pictures of people engaged in activities to help pupils to think of verbs to describe the different actions. Pupils responded enthusiastically.  Relationships between teachers and pupils are strong. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond well to these expectations.  Teachers use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding. In a Year 11 mathematics lesson, for example, the teacher used questioning highly effectively to explore pupils’ understanding of how to calculate an angle of a segment.  When they identify that pupils have misconceptions, teachers provide effective clarification to ensure that pupils are secure in their understanding.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers encourage pupils to contribute to class discussion. In a geography lesson, for example, pupils debated the effects of global warming. All engaged well with the discussion, and clearly enjoyed learning about the effects of environmental change.  Teachers encourage pupils to read in class. They provide pupils with effective guidance on how to write accurately, particularly in relation to spelling and grammar. This enables pupils to develop secure communication skills and to become articulate and confident in speaking to adults.  In the Islamic lessons, teachers ask questions well to check pupils’ understanding of the Koran and to check that their pronunciation is correct. Teachers assess pupils’ ability to recall text successfully when setting sections of the Koran for pupils to memorise.  On occasions, teachers do not set work that is challenging enough to enable pupils to build on their prior learning so that they deepen their understanding as fully as possible.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Senior leaders have not taken effective action to make sure that both school sites are suitable to ensure pupils’ health and safety. Inspectors found multiple hazards, particularly on the primary and girls’ secondary site, that put pupils unnecessarily at risk.  Senior leaders have not ended their unlawful practice of segregating pupils by sex. This prevents pupils in Years 5 and 6 and in the secondary provision from being able to mix with pupils of the opposite sex. This limits pupils’ opportunities to become secure in their social development and in their preparation for life in British society.  Senior leaders have not ensured that pupils receive sufficient opportunities to undertake off-site visits, particularly in the local community. Because of this, pupils are unable to learn about the people who live and work locally. This limits pupils’ opportunities to

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Personal development and welfare

understand cultural differences. Some pupils said that they would like to go on more off- site, educational trips.  Many pupils said that they do not regularly go outside during social time. Leaders say that pupils can visit the park at lunchtime. However, pupils told inspectors that they have not been to the park for some time. Some said that visits to the park are not long enough.  Pupils have very positive attitudes to their learning. In many of the books that inspectors looked at, pupils’ presentation is neat and reflects pride in their work.  Pupils learn about how to be safe, including when online and when crossing the road.  Pupils learn about how to live healthy lives, including by eating healthily and taking exercise. They learn about the risks associated with making poor lifestyle decisions.  Through their PSHE, citizenship and Islamic curriculum lessons, pupils learn about the need to respect all people, including those whose differences meet the protected

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Personal development and welfare

characteristics of the Equality Act of 2010. The secondary boys who met inspectors talked in detail about the important role that women play in society, including in the workplace.  Pupils learn about different types of bullying, including cyber, physical and homophobic bullying. Pupils said that bullying at the school is rare, and that when it does occur, staff respond effectively to stop it. The school’s records confirm that bullying is rare.  Pupils in the secondary provision receive impartial careers guidance. Both boys and girls who met inspectors talked about a wide range of careers in which they were interested. They knew what qualifications they must do to be able to embark on these careers.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Attendance is in line with national levels for primary and secondary schools.  Senior leaders ensure that they support pupils who struggle to attend school regularly. In particular, senior leaders are vigilant for any pupils who are absent just before or just after a school holiday. On such occasions, senior leaders undertake timely checks on pupils’ well-being.  Pupils behave well, both in lessons and around the school site. They show respect to each other, to their teachers and to visitors.  There is a calm atmosphere at both of the school sites.  There are no occasions when pupils receive exclusions from school due to their behaviour.  Some pupils struggle to attend school punctually in the morning.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils who left Year 11 last academic year attained highly across a wide range of subjects, including English, mathematics and science. Their attainment was above that seen locally and nationally. For many, this attainment represented at least good progress.  Current pupils in Year 11 are on track to achieve as highly as those who left last academic year, across a wide range of subjects.  Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school’s performance information and pupils’ books demonstrate that pupils in key stage 3 are making strong progress, including in English and mathematics.  Across all years, pupils make strong progress in science. Pupils in the primary provision recall scientific facts well. Pupils in the secondary provision apply this knowledge well to respond to science-based problems.  There is no difference between the achievement of girls and boys across the school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils’ books show that they develop their artistic and technical drawing skills well.  Pupils make strong progress in their memorisation and pronunciation of the Koran.  All pupils who left the school at the end of Year 11 last year moved on to sustained places of further education, including at local mainstream colleges. In so doing, pupils either continued with their academic studies, or embarked upon work-related programmes of study, including apprenticeships.  Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are not making consistently strong progress in English and mathematics.

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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

Annual fees (day pupils) £1,740 to £1,800

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26–28 January 2016

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Information about this school

 The Imam Muhammad Adam Institute is an Islamic independent day school located on two sites in the Evington area of the city of Leicester.  The school is registered to provide full-time education for 255 boys and girls aged five to 16. The school currently has 346 pupils on roll, which is above the number for which it is registered.  There are no pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who have an education, health and care plan.  The school operates a policy of segregation by sex. Girls and boys in Years 5 and 6 and in the secondary provision are taught separately, on different school sites. The policy causes detriment to pupils in that they are unable to mix or to learn together when at the school. This limits pupils’ social development and prevents them from preparing effectively for life in British society. Given this detriment, the policy constitutes direct discrimination contrary

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Information about this school

to the Equality Act 2010.  Boys and girls up to Year 5, and girls in the secondary provision, receive their education at an alternative school site. This is located at 97 Bridge Road, Leicester LE5 3LD. This site is registered with the Department for Education.  The school curriculum combines Islamic studies and national curriculum subjects up to GCSE standard at the end of Year 11.  The school does not use the services of any alternative providers.  The school’s aim is to ‘help pupils recognise their true potential and to unearth the true talents possessed by each pupil academically, morally and spiritually, so that they are able to take a place in society as mature, discerning and caring adults.’  The school’s last standard inspection took place on 26–28 January 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 30 lessons. Ten of these lesson observations took place jointly with the school’s senior leaders, including the headteacher. The lessons observed included lessons in the primary provision and in the secondary provisions for girls and for boys.  The lead inspector checked the facilities of both school sites against Part 5 of the independent school standards.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books from all key stages across a range of subjects, both in lessons and as a separate activity.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, and two groups of the teaching staff, one from each of the two school sites.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime on both school sites, during which time they spoke with pupils. Inspectors also spoke with pupils formally, including primary pupils, and both boys and girls from the secondary provisions.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector spoke by telephone with: a member of the local authority’s team of officers who are responsible for safeguarding; a representative of Leicester City’s virtual school; a representative of Leicester City’s education and school services; and a representative of the local ‘Prevent’ team.  Inspectors took into account the 86 responses to the online parent survey, Parent View, and the 47 responses to the free-text service.  Inspectors took into account the 24 responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation relating to the school’s provision, including: self-evaluation and improvement planning; behaviour and attendance; achievement; and safeguarding.  The lead inspector checked the school’s single central register and the school’s system for recruiting staff.

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Inspection team

Simon Hollingsworth, 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(j) does not discriminate against pupils contrary to Part 6 of the 2010 Act.

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Part 2. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils

 5 The standard about the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school is met if the proprietor— – 5(b) ensures that principles are actively promoted which— – 5(b)(iii) encourage pupils to accept responsibility for their behaviour, show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated and to society more widely;

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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.  9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that— – 9(a) a written behaviour policy is drawn up that, amongst other matters, sets out the sanctions to be adopted in the event of pupil misbehaviour;  11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.  12 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that—

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

– 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 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured.  29(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable— – 29(1)(b) pupils to play outside.

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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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