King Fahad Academy

School progress monitoring inspection report

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King Fahad Academy Bromyard Avenue, Acton, London W3 7HD

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 3, 3(j)  At the time of the last inspection, the school operated a policy of segregation by sex in the upper school. Pupils between the ages of 11 and 16 were segregated for almost all classes and other activities. The school’s policy of segregation limited pupils’ opportunities to learn and socialise together. This practice constituted direct discrimination contrary to the Equality Act 2010.  The school’s action plan stated that trustees and leaders agreed to ensure that the school was not in breach of the law. In February 2019, trustees decided that the school would become fully co-educational in all year groups from September 2019. The plan included a review of all policies and curriculum plans to ensure that each boy and each girl had the same opportunities to access the academy’s curriculum and to participate in other activities.  Leaders planned the changes exceptionally well. Leaders across the school have worked

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Main inspection findings

together as a team to ensure that pupils and staff were supported and that communication with parents and carers was effective.  Leaders focused on the values of the school, both Islamic and British values. They set expectations for learning and behaviour based on these values. They also covered practicalities such as lining up arrangements and seating in class.  The safeguarding and well-being team met with pupils individually and in small groups to find out about pupils’ concerns. Pupils also completed a questionnaire. The team used the feedback to plan a series of assemblies and workshops.  In the last week of the summer term, the school ran co-educational days for all pupils. These focused on learning together and getting to know each other. Follow-up days took place in September to remind pupils and to support newly arrived pupils.  Leaders have worked with staff to provide training and guidance on teaching mixed

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Main inspection findings

classes, behaviour management and seating plans.  Leaders have created subject spaces so that each subject has a base area with classrooms and corridor displays. Science is still located in two areas of the school to avoid the expense of refurbishing laboratories. However, the two science areas are used by boys and girls in mixed classes.  The upper school playgrounds are both available to boys and girls at breaktime and lunchtime. Staff on duty can explain how they ensure that both sexes can use the football and basketball facilities. A group of girls were practising football shots on one of the pitches during the inspection. Pupils say this is normal.  In lessons, pupils sit where they choose, some on mixed tables, some on single-sex tables. Pupils work well together in class during activities. They are respectful to each other, listen and behave well. Teachers ask questions to boys and girls. Pupils are

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Main inspection findings

confident to talk and explain their answers in front of others.  Pupils and staff are positive about the changes. Pupils say behaviour in classes is good and that they learn and make progress.  The requirements of this paragraph are met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1) and 32(1)(c)  At the last inspection, the requirements of these paragraphs were met.  The safeguarding and well-being team continue to develop and strengthen their safeguarding practice. They have introduced an online reporting system for safeguarding concerns. This has improved record-keeping and communication within the safeguarding team. Staff are positive about the new system. The concerns reported indicate that an effective safeguarding culture exists.  There were minor administrative discrepancies in the school’s record of staff vetting checks. These were followed up during the inspection.  Safeguarding leaders successfully supported pupils with the change to co-education. Pupils feel safe. They know who to go to if they have any concerns and can name the safeguarding team.  The safeguarding policy meets requirements and is available on the school’s website.

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Main inspection findings

 The requirements of these paragraphs are met.

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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) and 34(1)(c)  At the last inspection, leaders had not ensured that all the independent school standards were met because of the segregation in the upper school. In addition, leaders’ record- keeping did not always facilitate analysis of patterns and trends. However, at that time, leaders were starting to work in a more joined-up manner.  In the school’s action plan, leaders explained clearly how they intended to address this unmet standard. The plan included detail about how the school would become fully co- educational in all year groups. Also, leaders explained how they would monitor and evaluate their progress.  The director general and trustees have taken effective action to ensure that the previously unmet standard is now met. Leaders across the school have worked well together to ensure that the change to co-education in the upper school has been successful for pupils. Leaders’

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Main inspection findings

management of this change has been exemplary.  Communication between senior leaders and leaders in the wider team, about other aspects of school life, is not always as effective.  The requirements of this paragraph are met.  The school meets all the requirements for this part.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets 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. 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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The school now meets the following independent school standards

 The standard is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school does not discriminate against pupils contrary to Part 6 of the 2010 Act (3, 3(j)).  The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State. The standard about the provision of information by the school is met if the proprietor ensures that particulars of the arrangements for meeting the standard contained in paragraph 7 are published on the school’s internet website or, where no such website exists, are provided to parents on request (7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1) and 32(1)(c)).  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 demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent

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The school now meets the following independent school standards

school standards are met consistently; fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and actively promote the well-being of pupils (34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)).

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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

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 20

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School details

Chair HRH Prince Khalid Bin Bander Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £2,500 to £4,500

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 17–19 January 2017

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Information about this school

 King Fahad academy is an independent day school in East Acton. The school has an Islamic ethos and was established in 1985. It is a mixed school.  The school is registered for up to 620 pupils between the ages of 3 and 18. There are currently 485 pupils on roll. A significant proportion of pupils join and leave the school during the school year because their parents are nationals of Saudi Arabia and come to the United Kingdom for work or are relocated elsewhere.  The school follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum for all pupils and students. It operates the IB diploma programme for students aged 16 to 18 years, the IB middle years programme for pupils of secondary school age, and the IB primary years programme for pupils of primary school age. The school runs a grade system, where Grade 10 is equivalent to Year 11.  Since the previous inspection in October 2018, there have been several changes in

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Information about this school

leadership. Although the proprietorial body remains the same, all the trustees, including the chair of trustees are newly appointed and took up their roles in July 2019. A new director general (headteacher) has been appointed and has been in post since April 2019. There have been other changes to roles and responsibilities within the senior leadership team.  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 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 previous full standard inspection took place in January 2017, when the overall judgement was requires improvement. The school submitted an action plan to the Department for Education (DfE). This was judged to be acceptable in June 2017. A progress monitoring inspection took place in October 2018. The previously unmet standards were met but the standard relating to discrimination was unmet. This was because, at the time of the inspection, the school operated a policy of segregation by sex in the upper school.  This was the second monitoring inspection since the full standard inspection in January

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Information about this inspection

2017. The inspection took place without notice.  The inspector met with the director general and the director of education. Meetings were also held with the school business manager and the safeguarding team, including the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector held telephone conversations with two trustees representing the proprietor.  The inspector visited classes in the upper school alongside the head of the secondary school.  The inspector spoke to upper school pupils across the age range in classes and at breaktime and lunchtime. The inspector also spoke informally with staff.  The inspector held a telephone conversation with the local authority designated officer for safeguarding.  A range of documents were scrutinised, including the school’s plans for becoming a mixed school, new policies, leaders’ monitoring folders and safeguarding information.

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Inspection team

Janet Hallett, lead inspector Her Majesty’s 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

achieve 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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