Lady Nafisa School

Lady Nafisa Independent Secondary School for Girls Inglenook, Sipson Lane, West Drayton UB7 0JG

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher’s strong leadership, together with her leadership team and governors, have maintained the good quality of education. They have ensured that all the independent school standards are met.  Leaders monitor teaching effectively. Teachers feel well supported to develop their subject knowledge and teaching skills. Leaders have not fully developed the assessment process.  Teaching, learning and assessment are good. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and design creative and interesting activities for pupils. Sometimes, pupils do not have enough opportunities to answer at length.  Outcomes for pupils are good. They make good progress and attain highly across the range of subjects. However, sometimes pupils do not finish work and their presentation is poor.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education through the careers and work experience programme. They transfer to a range of destinations of their choice.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The curriculum meets requirements. It provides a range of subjects, courses and qualifications in different areas of learning. There are trips, including residential visits, to complement and extend pupils’ learning.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They have positive attitudes to learning and conduct themselves well around the school. Pupils’ attendance and punctuality, although improving, are not as good as they should be.  Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills and make a difference to their school community  The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils learn about other faiths and understand equality and diversity. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Safeguarding is effective.

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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?

 Improve leadership and management to ensure that: – leaders continue to develop the assessment system so that it provides clearer information about pupils’ progress – pupils further improve their attendance and punctuality to school.  Improve teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils, by ensuring that: – pupils complete work and improve their presentation – teachers give pupils more opportunities to answer at length and explain their reasoning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher and her senior team are knowledgeable and effective leaders. They are very well organised. The headteacher has built leadership capacity across the school and developed teams to lead on key policy areas, such as pupils’ personal development. Leaders are open and honest about the impact on the school of the move to new premises, and the changes to senior leadership roles. Nevertheless, the effective leadership in depth across the teams has ensured that the good quality of education is maintained, and all the independent school standards are met.  Teachers are well qualified in their subjects and teaching skills. Staff are well supported by leaders to continue to develop professionally. There are a range of opportunities for teachers to develop their knowledge of their subject and examination requirements. This is through courses or links with other schools. Teachers value the feedback they get from

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

leaders which helps them improve their teaching.  The curriculum meets requirements. Leaders review the curriculum regularly and also consult with the pupils about the GCSE offer. Pupils’ learning across the curriculum is supported by a wide range of trips and visits. For example, Year 10 visited Kew Gardens for art GCSE, and Year 7 visited a gurdwara as part of their religious education course. Pupils also participate in residential visits, which provide varied opportunities for physical challenges and for pupils to develop their teamwork skills.  The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong and has a positive impact on pupils’ personal development. Pupils know about British values, the political institutions of Britain and current affairs. Leaders have developed a link with a Jewish school. Pupils have visited the school and participated in Mitzvah Day

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

activities. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders have made a strong start to reviewing and developing their assessment system. However, some assessment information does not help leaders identify clearly enough when there are dips in pupils’ performance.

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Governance

 The proprietor took decisive action to ensure continuity of good-quality governance for the school, and disbanded and reformed the governing body. Governors are thoughtful, knowledgeable and reflective in their approach to their role. They have steered the school successfully through a difficult year, following the move from the previous premises in Hounslow, and changes in the senior leadership team.  However, governors recognise that they need to concentrate more on the school and its pupils. Pupils’ progress, preparedness for life in modern Britain, attendance, behaviour and safeguarding are now their focus, while the trustees concentrate on finance and premises. This change of focus is increasingly reflected in governors’ meeting minutes. Governors and trustees have a clear understanding of their responsibility to counter the risks of extremism and to make sure pupils respect and accept all groups of people.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Safeguarding leaders are knowledgeable about safeguarding policy and practice. They can evaluate and identify the risks to pupils and explain how they respond to concerns. Leaders work effectively with the local authority and the police when required. Staff are confident about safeguarding. They can talk about the training they have had and how to recognise and report concerns.  Safer recruitment practice is effective and in line with statutory guidance. All the appropriate checks on staff and leaders are completed and recorded on the single central record.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have strong subject knowledge and are keen to impart their knowledge and enthusiasm to pupils. They keep themselves up to date professionally and leaders support to them to stay up to date with subject developments. This has a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes to learning.  Pupils work well together. For example, in English, they are sensitive and responsive to language. They can analyse stanzas in poems with ease, exploring their interpretation through discussion.  Teachers plan activities well and use resources to help pupils make good progress. In particular, teachers design interesting creative activities that capture pupils’ interest and help them to develop their thinking. For example, in mathematics, pupils solved equations as clues in a murder mystery activity.  Teachers break learning down into steps and model the activities for pupils. As a result, pupils are clear about what they are learning and the purpose of the activity. For

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

example, in French, a teacher used an interactive whiteboard to highlight different features of language in a text, building up the complexity of the writing in simple steps.  Teachers support individual pupils well, one to one, in lessons. They check pupils’ understanding, rephrase questions and tasks, and listen to pupils. In the Quran class, the teacher listened to pupils recite and then set targets for the next phase of their work.  Teachers question pupils well to check their understanding. However, sometimes pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to explore ideas and answer at length.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils know about British values, such as tolerance and respect. They understand equality and diversity, including people with protected characteristics and that people are protected under the law.  Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop leadership skills including thorough the school council, or as eco-ambassadors and prefects. They can reflect on how their leadership roles help them to develop independence, and on the difference they have made to the school. For example, they proposed the change to the school day because of the longer journey time to the new premises. Pupils are particularly passionate about the environment and are actively developing plans to improve the eco-credentials of their school.  Pupils say that there is no or very little bullying, and that they are confident in adults to take action if there are any concerns. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe on the

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Personal development and welfare

internet and social media.  The school’s careers programme is strong and effective. From Year 7, pupils learn to reflect on their personal qualities and find out about the range of careers open to them. In key stage 4, pupils organise their own work experience, attend careers fairs and are supported to make appropriate choices for post-16 applications.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well in lessons and have positive attitudes to learning. This is because of teachers’ high expectations and well-planned teaching. Pupils listen and concentrate well and take part in activities with enthusiasm.  Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. They are polite and well mannered and interested to talk to visitors. Pupils get on very well together and often socialise in mixed- age groups.  Pupils’ attendance dipped recently, but is now showing signs of improvement, which leaders need to embed and strengthen further. Leaders make the importance of good attendance clear to parents and carers and pupils. They work in partnership with the local authority. Pupils’ overall attendance is just below the national figure for secondary schools. Pupils’ punctuality to school is also lower than it should be.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In 2018, pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 4 was strong across subjects and above national figures for English, mathematics and science.  Work in pupils’ books shows that pupils currently in the school make good progress and attain at a similar level to those in previous year groups. Sometimes, pupils’ progress is limited because they do not complete work and their presentation is poor.  Pupils develop and apply their literacy skills well. Pupils analyse texts and poetry in depth in English. They also have opportunities to do their own writing across the curriculum. Pupils read a wide range of classic and contemporary fiction.  Pupils develop their range of mathematical skills well. They work confidently in number, algebra and shape and space. They apply their learning in other subjects, for example in science to calculate percentage change and convert units.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make progress in line with

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Outcomes for pupils Good

their peer group.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils attain well at the end of key stage 4 and go onto school sixth forms and colleges of their choice. Their good GCSE results enable them to choose, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. After sixth form, former pupils have gone on to study degree courses in a wide range of subjects, including dentistry, medical sciences, engineering and optometry.

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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

Date of previous inspection 1–3 November 2016

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Information about this school

 Lady Nafisa Independent Secondary School for Girls is in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The school is registered for up to 80 pupils between the ages of 11 to 16. There are currently 61 pupils on roll.  The school site is a house that had previously operated as a nursery school. The site has been converted for educational use for older pupils. The school makes use of Osterley Sports and Athletics Centre in Isleworth for physical education.  Since the last inspection, there have been several changes in leadership. In September 2018, the trustees disbanded the governing body. A new governing body was constituted and had its first meeting in January 2019. The headteacher took leave of absence from September 2018 for the academic year. The deputy headteacher took up the acting headteacher post and an acting deputy headteacher was appointed from the staff. Since January 2019, the headteacher has returned for one day a week.

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the Department for Education (DfE), the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to evaluate the school provision against all the independent school standards.  The school was previously inspected in November 2016, when it was judged to be good. The school had a material change inspection in September 2017, for a move from its location in Hounslow, to new premises. However, this move never took place. In June 2018, the school had a material change inspection for the premises it now occupies.  The inspector visited lessons across year groups. All of these visits were made jointly with a senior leader. The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work in their books and folders.  Meetings were held with leaders, including the headteacher subject leaders and members of the safeguarding and behaviour, personal development and assessment teams.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the chair of the governing body and a trustee, representing the proprietor.  The inspector considered the views of parents from the 18 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View.  The inspector considered the 14 responses to the Ofsted staff survey.  The inspector talked to pupils in lessons and at breaktime. Inspectors met with members of the school council and other pupils with leadership roles in the school. There were no responses to the online Ofsted pupil survey.  The inspector scrutinised documentation, including: records relating to safeguarding; health and safety; the curriculum; teaching; and pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Janet Hallett, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report: Lady Nafisa Independent Secondary School for Girls, 25–27 June 2019 Page 10 of 10 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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