Hafs Academy

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Hafs Academy Unit 3, 26 Maryland Road, Stratford, London E15 1JW

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7; 7(a); 7(b)  The previous inspection found that the arrangements to safeguard pupils were inadequate. Leaders had not checked that all staff understood the government’s guidance. Training and recruitment procedures were not thorough. The procedures for checking the suitability of visitors were poor. The school’s ‘Prevent’ duty policy was ambiguous and not implemented well.  This inspection finds that the revised safeguarding policy includes the most recent guidance. Leaders have checked that all staff have signed to say they have read this. They have completed a questionnaire to test their knowledge. Visitors are required to sign in at the reception desk. Pupils and staff have undertaken training about the ‘Prevent’ duty. A similar event is planned for parents.  However, leaders have not ensured that the procedures set out in the school’s policy are

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Main inspection findings

followed. For example, leaders could not provide evidence that they investigate safeguarding incidents. Staff are unclear of the arrangements for reporting and recording concerns about pupils. The school’s ‘Prevent’ policy has not been updated since 2016.  The independent school standards checked in this part remain unmet. Paragraph 9; 9(b); 9(c)  The previous inspection found that records of pupils’ misbehaviour were not accurate. They were not well organised.  In practice, there are few serious incidents of misbehaviour. Pupils say that bullying does not happen and that behaviour is good. Inspectors’ visits to classrooms confirmed that behaviour is strong.  This inspection finds that records of pupils’ misbehaviour are better organised. However, leaders do not routinely keep records of their investigations into serious misbehaviour.  The independent school standards checked above are unmet. Paragraph 11; 12; 16; 16(a); 16(b)

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Main inspection findings

 The previous inspection found that the school’s arrangements for managing health and safety were ineffective. Leaders did not keep records of the checks they made of health and safety. For example, they could not provide evidence of the emergency lighting checks.  This inspection finds that leaders have improved procedures for health and safety. Regular checks of the emergency lighting and classrooms are made. A risk assessment policy sets out the procedures for ensuring pupils’ health and safety. These include the use of a nearby park for break and lunchtimes. A private contractor provides a fire risk assessment each year. The school has a certificate to confirm it meets the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.  Despite these improvements, weaknesses remain. Leaders are not vigilant enough about identifying other health and safety risks. These include parked vehicles restricting the rear fire exit, upper floor window openings that pupils could climb through, and broken

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Main inspection findings

computers on a classroom floor.  The independent school standards checked above remain unmet.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1); 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b), 34(1)(c)  The previous inspection found that the proprietor and governors had not ensured that all the independent school standards were met. This was in relation to safeguarding and pupils’ welfare, health and safety.  This inspection finds that this continues to be the case. Leaders have made some important improvements to written policies. They have also improved some of the checks they carry out to ensure pupils’ health and safety. However, practice is inconsistent. Risks are not managed rigorously enough. This compromises pupils’ welfare, health and safety.  The independent school standards remain unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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 standard inspection 11–13 December 2018

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Information about this school

 Hafs Academy is an independent day school with a Muslim ethos. It is located in a residential area of Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. The school is in a commercial building converted for educational use. It makes use of a local park for break and lunchtime, and for teaching of physical education.  The school is registered to provide education for pupils from the ages of seven to 16. Currently, the school is providing education for boys aged 11 to 16. Since the previous full inspection, the registration authority granted a material change request for the school to admit pupils to Year 10 and Year 11. There are currently no primary-aged pupils on roll. The school’s provision for primary pupils closed in 2018.  At the time of this inspection, a new headteacher had just been appointed but had not yet taken up the post. The previous headteacher supports the school one day each week. The principal, who is also the proprietor, currently provides day-to-day management.

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Information about this school

 The school’s last full standard inspection was in December 2018, when it was judged inadequate. The school submitted an action plan, which was evaluated in March 2019, and was not approved. The school also had a full standard inspection in December 2016 when it was also judged inadequate. In October 2017, a progress monitoring inspection judged that the previously unmet standards were met.  In June 2018, Ofsted conducted an additional inspection at the request of the registration authority to consider the school’s application for a material change to include a new key stage 4. This inspection found that the school was likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the registration authority approved the material change.  No pupils attend any off-site provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The inspection was conducted with no notice.  Inspectors spoke with leaders, including the principal, headteacher and members of the governing body. They met with senior leaders to discuss how they ensured that they met the independent school standards.  Inspectors also spoke to three groups of pupils in Years 7 to 11.  Inspectors considered the written policies, including documents related to arrangements for safeguarding, health and safety, staff recruitment, and risk assessments.

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Inspection team

Brian Oppenheim, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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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(c) a record is kept of the sanctions imposed upon pupils for serious 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[12].  16 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that: – 16(a) the welfare of pupils at the school is safeguarded and promoted by the drawing

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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 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.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Standards that were met at the previous inspection, but are now judged to not be met at this inspection

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 9 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor promotes good behaviour amongst pupils by ensuring that: – 9(b) the policy is implemented effectively. 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 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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/ofsted .

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

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