Normanton House School

Normanton House School Normanton House, Village Street, Derby, Derbyshire DE23 8DF

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils 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

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching is consistently good across the school.  Teachers do not always set work at the right level to enable pupils, including the most able, to make good progress.  Teachers do not use questioning well enough to check pupils’ understanding or to extend their learning. Teachers do not always fully resolve misconceptions pupils may have in their understanding.  Pupils’ progress is variable in the secondary provision. Pupils do not make consistently good progress in key stages 3 and 4, particularly in science.  Leaders’ oversight of the progress pupils make in key stages 3 and 4 is not sharp enough.  Proprietors have not provided sufficient support and challenge to ensure that senior leaders bring about necessary improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement across the whole school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The proprietor and leaders ensure that the school meets all the independent standards.  The curriculum enables pupils to study the full range of subjects alongside their Islamic studies.  Pupils behave well and are respectful towards each other and their teachers.  Improvements to the quality of teaching in key stages 1 and 2 have ensured that most primary pupils are now making strong progress, including in English and mathematics.  Pupils have a secure understanding of the need to respect those who have different beliefs and values from them.  Pupils engage well with the local community, including through undertaking off-site visits and engaging in fundraising activities.  High-quality careers advice and guidance in the secondary provision ensures that pupils prepare well for their next steps.  Staff are highly vigilant of pupils’ welfare and take swift action when they have concerns.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Leaders must: – sharpen their checks on the progress pupils make in the secondary provision, to ensure that they identify quickly when pupils are not making sufficient progress and put in place the appropriate support – ensure that the training teachers receive to develop their classroom practice brings about the necessary improvements in the quality of teaching, so that all teaching is consistently good – further develop links with other schools, to check the accuracy of leaders’ own evaluation of the effectiveness of the school’s provision and to learn from the practice of other professionals.  Proprietors should undertake training to develop their understanding of teaching, learning and assessment, to be able to provide effective challenge and support to senior leaders.  Improve the quality of teaching, to further raise pupils’ achievement, particularly in the secondary provision, by ensuring that all teachers:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– set work which is sufficiently challenging for all pupils, particularly the most able – regularly check that pupils are secure in their understanding when setting a task or when moving learning on – ask probing questions to extend and deepen pupils’ understanding – provide well-targeted support and clarification when they identify misconceptions in pupils’ understanding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The proprietors and senior leaders have ensured that the school meets all the independent school standards.  Senior leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching is consistently good across the whole school. The variability in the quality of teaching has led to pupils not making consistently good progress, particularly in the secondary provision.  The training senior leaders have put into place since the previous inspection has brought about some improvement in the quality of teaching, particularly in the primary provision. However, such improvement has not occurred across the whole school.  Senior leaders’ checks on key stages 3 and 4 pupils’ progress are not sufficiently sharp. As a result, senior leaders are unable to identify quickly enough pupils who are not making sufficient progress, to be able to provide effective support. This has led to variability in pupils’ progress in the secondary provision, particularly in science. Senior leaders’ work to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

improve their checks on pupils’ progress in the secondary provision is in its infancy.  Checks on pupils’ progress in the primary provision are precise. Senior leaders use this information well to ensure that most primary pupils make at least the progress they should. Pupils’ achievement in the primary provision has improved since the previous inspection, particularly in English, mathematics and science.  Senior leaders have ensured that staff work with professionals from other schools to learn from their practice. This has helped improve the teaching of phonics and writing in the primary provision. However, opportunities to learn from the best practice of other professionals have yet to lead to improvement in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement across the whole school, particularly the secondary provision.  Senior leaders regularly check on pupils’ behaviour. They have high expectations of pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

conduct, to which pupils respond well. On the rare occasions it is necessary, senior leaders provide timely, effective support to improve pupils’ behaviour.  Senior leaders are vigilant about pupils’ attendance. They are quick to contact home when pupils are absent. They take appropriate action to check on the welfare of pupils who are absent for a sustained period, including either before or immediately following a holiday. This has ensured that, over time, there has been an improvement in pupils’ attendance in both the primary and secondary provisions.  The broad curriculum ensures that both primary and secondary pupils study the full range of subjects alongside their Islamic studies. Senior leaders have recently reviewed the curriculum, and have introduced further GCSE qualifications in geography and religious education (RE).  A range of enrichment and extra-curricular activities complement well the curriculum. For

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

example, pupils undertake off-site visits, including to places of cultural and historical interest, to develop their understanding beyond the classroom. Pupils also enter national competitions in writing and spelling.  There are wide-ranging opportunities for pupils to become secure in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Visits to a range of places of worship increase pupils’ understanding of religious and cultural differences. Visits to the local community help pupils to meet people who live near the school. Through assemblies and their personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, pupils learn about the need to respect all people, regardless of their beliefs or values.

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Governance

 The proprietors have not provided senior leaders with sufficient support and challenge to ensure that teaching is of a high-enough quality and pupils make consistently good progress, particularly in the secondary provision.  Proprietors understand where there has been improvement in the school’s provision, particularly in the achievement of primary pupils. They know which aspects of the provision still require attention, so that all pupils achieve well.  Proprietors understand precisely how well all staff care for pupils’ welfare. The proprietors regularly visit the school, when they thoroughly check safeguarding procedures and standards of health and safety.  The proprietors are ambitious for the pupils. They are keen that pupils should achieve well, and learn about diversity in British society. For example, they check to make sure that pupils visit different places of worship.  The proprietors understand their safeguarding responsibilities. They know what they must

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Governance

do if they have concerns about the actions of an adult towards a pupil.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school’s up-to-date safeguarding policy is available on the school website.  Senior leaders take appropriate action when they have a concern about pupils’ welfare. They work closely with parents and carers and, where appropriate, other agencies so that pupils receive the support they need. Senior leaders regularly check on pupils’ welfare until the concern is resolved.  Safeguarding leaders regularly attend safeguarding meetings hosted by the local authority. Through this, leaders are aware of changes to safeguarding, including the support other agencies provide. They also learn from other professionals’ best practice, including that found in other local schools.  Staff receive wide-ranging training on keeping pupils safe and know their safeguarding responsibilities. They are highly vigilant of pupils’ welfare. They promptly raise with safeguarding leaders any concerns they may have about pupils’ welfare. Safeguarding

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Safeguarding

leaders are quick to respond to these concerns.  Senior leaders are aware of issues in the local area which may affect pupils. They ensure that pupils receive the necessary information to help keep themselves safe should any such issues affect them.  Senior leaders and staff understand how to assess risk, including when taking pupils off site. They know what actions to take to reduce any risk they have identified.  Pupils say that they feel safe at school. They say that they have adults to whom they can speak if they have a concern. They are confident that adults will listen to them and take appropriate action to support them to resolve their concern.  There is a worry box into which pupils can post any worries they may have. The headteachers regularly check this box, and discuss with pupils their concerns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is not consistently good across the whole school. Its quality is less good overall in key stages 3 and 4, which has led to variability in pupils’ progress.  Teachers do not always set pupils, particularly the most able, sufficiently challenging work. As a result, pupils too infrequently complete work which enables them to deepen their understanding and make good progress.  Teachers do not use questioning well enough to check pupils’ understanding when setting pupils tasks or when moving learning on. As a result, pupils are not always secure in their understanding when completing a task or when learning something new.  Teachers do not always ask questions to probe pupils’ understanding and to help deepen their learning.  Teachers do not always provide effective support to ensure that pupils who are uncertain about what they are learning become secure in their understanding.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teachers have good subject knowledge. However, not all teachers use this subject knowledge well enough to ensure that pupils develop secure knowledge and understanding.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond well to these expectations and behave appropriately, even when the work does not challenge them sufficiently.  In the primary provision, teachers build well upon pupils’ improved understanding of phonics to ensure that they become more confident in their reading. Staff check that pupils understand the meaning of the text in the books they are reading.  Where learning is most effective, teachers demonstrate effective skills in using questions to check pupils’ understanding and to explore their ideas in detail. On such occasions, pupils become secure in their understanding and engage well with the tasks teachers set. This helps them to develop well their knowledge and understanding of the topics they are

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They are keen to do well.  Pupils understand the importance of keeping themselves safe. They learn how to keep safe when online, when out in the community and, for the primary pupils, when crossing the road.  Pupils learn about living healthily. They understand the importance of eating healthily and taking regular exercise. Pupils learn about the risks posed by making unhealthy choices.  Pupils know that it is important to treat each other kindly. They learn about the different types of bullying and are clear that such behaviour is inappropriate. Pupils say that incidents of bullying at the school are rare, and if there were any, they would be dealt with quickly and effectively by staff. The school’s records confirm this to be the case.  Pupils learn about the importance of respecting people who are different from them,

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Personal development and welfare

including those whose differences fall within the protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act.  Pupils from Year 8 onwards receive effective careers education, advice and guidance. This ensures that they learn about the different opportunities available to them when they leave school, including further study at local schools and colleges, and the different careers they may wish to pursue.  Pupils in Year 10 undertake work experience. Senior leaders ensure that pupils complete this in placements which match their interests or career aspirations, so that the placements are of value.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school site. They conduct themselves well and are respectful to staff and to each other.  There are very few occasions when pupils are excluded from school. This is because pupils have a secure understanding of how they should behave.  Attendance of secondary pupils is in line with that seen nationally. While attendance of primary pupils is slightly below average, it is steadily improving.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress is variable, particularly in the secondary provision. Not all secondary pupils make consistently strong progress across the full range of subjects they study.  The amount of progress current Year 11 pupils are making varies between subjects. Pupils are making strong progress in mathematics, Arabic and information and communication technology (ICT). However, they are not making sufficient progress in English and science.  Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 make good progress in science. However, pupils in key stages 3 and 4 do not make as much progress as they should in this subject. They are not as secure in their knowledge and understanding in science as they should be.  Key stage 3 pupils’ progress in mathematics is good, while their progress in English is now improving. The same is the case for pupils in Year 10.  Pupils’ progress in ICT across the secondary provision is strong.  In key stage 2, pupils make good progress in English and mathematics. The proportion of

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

pupils this academic year and in 2018 attaining the expected standard in mathematics has been similar to that seen nationally. The proportion attaining the expected standard in English has been well above average for the past two academic years.  Pupils in key stage 1 make good progress in English and mathematics. The proportion of pupils currently in Year 1 who have achieved the national standard in phonics is high.  Pupils in both the primary and secondary provisions make strong progress in their study of the Islamic curriculum. Over time, pupils become more knowledgeable of the Koran and the laws, rules and principles of the Islamic faith. By Year 10, pupils translate Arabic text and develop a detailed understanding of the Islamic faith.  For the past three academic years, all pupils who left the school at the end of Year 11 have successfully moved on to sustained places in further education, including at

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

mainstream schools and colleges. These pupils have gone on to study qualifications at an appropriate level, including in work-related subjects.

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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

Headteachers Nazia Iqbal (primary) Najma Razaq (secondary) Annual fees (day pupils) £2,100 (primary) £2,400 (secondary) Telephone number 01332 769333

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17–19 October 2017

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Information about this school

 Normanton House School is an independent Islamic day school. The school is registered to teach 180 pupils, aged four to 16. There are currently 126 pupils on the school’s roll.  The school is owned by the Al Akram Trust and provides both an Islamic and secular curriculum.  The proprietors closed the early years provision at the end of the last academic year.  There are no pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).  The school does not make use of any alternative providers to provide pupils at the school with education off site.  The headteacher of the primary provision took up her role in January 2019. She is acting headteacher, replacing temporarily the substantive primary headteacher.  The school’s aim is to ‘provide an all-round education in Islamic disciplines along with the national curriculum subjects leading towards GCSE qualifications. All of this within an Islamically favourable environment and ethos.’

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Information about this school

 The school’s last standard inspection took place on 17–19 October 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 16 lessons, across all year groups.  The lead inspector checked the school’s facilities against Part 5 of the independent school standards.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books across a range of subjects from both the primary and secondary provisions.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteachers, a trustee of Al Akram Trust and two separate groups of teaching and support staff.  The inspector spoke by telephone with a representative of the Derby Safeguarding Children Board.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime, during which they spoke with pupils. Inspectors also met formally with pupils from both the primary and secondary provisions.  Inspectors considered the 23 responses to the online parent survey, Parent View, and the eight responses to the free-text service. Inspectors also considered the 25 responses to the staff survey.  There were no responses to the pupils’ survey for inspectors to consider.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation relating to the school’s provision, including improvement planning; curriculum and lesson planning; behaviour and attendance; achievement; governance 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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Inspection team

Janis Warren Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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